Blue Lion Fitness

Ann Arbor, MI
May 2020

When Daniel and Ryan, co-owners of Blue Lion Fitness reached out to us about creating a mural on their Ann Arbor, Michigan gym, we jumped at the chance. Not only would this mural check another state off of our bucket list of painting a mural in all 50 states, but Phoebe has been a fitness enthusiast her whole life - completing triathlons, running marathons, and lifeguarding on the Atlantic coast. We knew we could create something that would resonate with and inspire the die-hard Blue Lion athletes, but also be great for Instagram and increasing Blue Lion Fitness’ social footprint. 

The wall that Daniel and Ryan had in mind to be muraled was an exterior-facing wall against a busy road. These types of walls are great because it is visible to virtually anyone driving past it, in either direction. Besides igniting member pride, the mural was meant to serve as a social media moment. Blue Lion Fitness attracts Olympic athletes, NFL players, and other high-end clientele - so there was a huge organic marketing opportunity there. If we could get a couple of high-profile athletes to post pictures with the mural, it could gain a lot of traction for the gym. 

We knew we needed something eye-catching to draw visitors. Before we were invited to paint a new mural, Blue Lion Fitness had the Detroit Lion on their walls -but had to cover it up for legal reasons. That said, there was a lot of athlete pride around lions, so we took their company colors (blue and white), and got to work designing a new mascot - a lion specific to their brand. Using the highest quality exterior paint (meant to last up to 10 years), we began installing the Blue Lion. Before we were even finished painting, we had a lot of visitors stop by and record Tik Toks of the process! Word of the new mural began to spread on social media and around town, and members were thrilled to see their gym on the social site. 

Want to see more? Check out the Blue Lion Fitness mural on social media by searching #chasethelion. If you are ever in Ann Arbor, stop by the gym to see for yourself!