GNC x Axe & Sledge

A person with a tattooed arm wearing a black T-shirt with the text 'AXE IS BACK' in large letters on the back, standing in a parking lot with cars and a building in the background.

In April of 2024, Axe & Sledge was presented with an exciting opportunity to put their products on new shelves, those of the 2,500+ GNC storefronts nationwide. While being tasked with a new product lineup, fresh in-store graphics, and promotional content, our Axe & Sledge marketing team headed to GNC HQ in Pittsburgh, PA to establish our campaign alongside GNC’s in-house marketing team. Together, we were able to establish a modified brand identity for Axe & Sledge, in order to curate content for the average supplement enjoyer, as opposed to the more “intense” image the brand portrays on its own.

Three young men standing on a sidewalk, having a conversation outdoors on a sunny day in an urban area with a red brick building in the background.
A young woman with light brown hair and a young man with dark hair, glasses, and a cap, sitting at a table in what appears to be a classroom or study area, both looking towards the left with serious expressions. There is a laptop covered with stickers and a blue water bottle on the table.
Five men sitting around a conference table in a modern office, engaging in a discussion. They have laptops, water bottles, and beverages in front of them. The office has glass walls and a white wall with office notices.

Pictures from our visit to GNC HQ in April 2024. We wanted to make an impact when the new products hit shelves in July, and this involved a lot of back and forth between the two marketing teams. With the edgy and rugged nature of Axe & Sledge matched with the clean and polished image of GNC, this required a bit of compromise from both sides. With the goal in mind to find some middle ground, we got to work and shared ideas that would leave both parties satisfied.

Visual Branding | Internal

Futuristic digital presentation of various supplement bottles and products for a 2024 GNC global conference.

I created a new design structure to display Axe & Sledge products internally through a GNC lens, with the idea of offering the GNC team a look at our products as if they were already apart of their lineup. This makes it easier for stakeholders to focus solely on the products themselves, and eliminates many questions before they are even asked. Comprehension is key when introducing people to unfamiliar products, and framing it in a way that is easy to understand leads to quicker decisions and more impactful conversations.

Two containers of Farm Fed whey protein isolate in vanilla and chocolate flavors, placed on green grass with a farm landscape in the background.
Image of GNC and Axe & Sledge energy pre-workout supplement containers labeled 'INTAKE,' with flavor options Melon Pop, Fruit Kaboom, and Island Breeze, placed on a colorful background.
A black container of pumpies nitric oxide supplement with capsules floating around it against a red background, with text indicating it is for extreme pump and blood flow, containing 100 capsules.

Visual Branding | External

Young man standing outside GNC store, dressed casually in white t-shirt, gray pants, white sneakers, and a beige cap, smiling at the camera.

The internal materials were praised for their consistency and familiarity, however, creating in-store signage and promotional content needed to be approached a bit differently. This content needed to be much more disruptive and show more of Axe & Sledge’s true colors. One of the Co-Owners and IFBB Pro, Seth Feroce, wanted to include a huge, bold, line of text that read “HWMF” (Hard Working M***** F*****). Obviously, you can imagine some of the pushback that was received from GNC after this was pitched, but in order to capture the true essence of Axe & Sledge and get the in-store reaction we wanted, we had to find some middle ground.

I developed a “deli paper” style pattern that incorporated new icons mixed with some previously used flavor icons and other recognizable assets, specifically ones that portray the core values of Axe & Sledge. Below are examples of the patterns and icons developed, along with final in-store signage and some of the supportive social media content.

A grid displaying five icons related to axes and sledgehammers. The icons are titled 'Sloped Axe Icon,' 'HWMF Flag Icon,' 'Axe & Sledge Pulse Icon,' 'Axe & Sledge Circle Icon,' and 'Axe & Sledge Wide Icon.'
A collage of fitness and motivational themed graphics in grayscale, including kettlebell, dumbbell, syringe, teddy bear, shaker, lightning bolts, American flag, motivational quotes, and brand logos.
Promotional poster for Axe & Sledge Supplements featuring new product lineup. Center shows three containers of supplements with bold labels. Top highlights 'Axe is Back!' with claims of new products, formulas, and flavors. Bottom emphasizes exclusive availability at GNC and brand origins on a black background with text and graphics related to fitness and supplements.
Young man standing outside GNC store, dressed casually in white t-shirt, gray pants, white sneakers, and a beige cap, smiling at the camera.
Store shelf with containers of hydration powder, displayed with a promotional sign, and a supplement box featuring a black background and white and red text.
Display stand in a store featuring AXE & SLEDGE supplements, with a large sign that reads 'Buy 2, Get 1 Free' and mentions 'Our brand was built on HWMF and so was this pre-workout.' The shelf holds various supplement containers priced at $49.99, labeled 'Only at GNC.'
Four smartphones displaying advertisements for AXE & SLEDGE supplements, including pre-workout, whey protein, hydralic, and energy products, available exclusively at GNC.
Series of five social media advertisements on smartphone screens showcasing muscle building supplements, with products like Hydraulics, HWM, InTake, and WHEY, labeled as available only at GNC, with a retail display of various supplement bottles in the background.

The launch was a massive success on all fronts, and GNC was pleasantly surprised with the impact Axe & Sledge had on foot traffic in their stores. This successful collaboration led to further opportunities for partnerships and events with GNC (e.g. Pump Fest) and other distributors alike.

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