Zumba’s ‘Sexy’ Fitness Message Is One We Can Get Behind

Want to quiet the intrusive thoughts crowding your mind when you start a new fitness routine? Redfoo, one half of the aughts EDM duo LMFAO, has your back. In a new promo campaign with dance exercise company Zumba, the rapper shows up to a Zumba class to encourage people to embrace self-confidence as they move in a way that feels good. The campaign is a reminder that playfulness can transform your relationship with movement.

In the TV and social media spot, we hear the inner thoughts of women waiting for a class to begin. They bemoan outfit choices, body odor, their age, and their appearance. Suddenly, Redfoo appears and, as if he can hear the self-criticism, yells, “Stop!” It’s a record-scratch moment as everyone turns to look at him. Redfoo then cajoles one woman to “say it.” The woman then looks in the mirror and declares: “I’m sexy and I know it.”

“Now, everybody say it,” Redfoo instructs. At which point the beat of the LMFAO song “Sexy and I Know It” drops, and everybody dances, 2000s-style.

Is the spot totally silly? Yep. But it’s also some appreciated counter-programming, considering how gyms and weight loss programs generally offer extreme “shreds” and “cleanses” this time of year. The ad campaign feels refreshing, and Zumba’s reminder is a good one. Dance and have fun with your friends, sweat and move your body, and remember that you’re sexy as you are.

The message is primed to be well-received, too. In a 2024 trend report from workout booking platform Mindbody, 33 percent of respondents said that fun and play were important to them in pursuing wellness goals. Meaning, they’re moving more to feel good than for appearance-based goals. It’s a worthwhile priority since gleaning joy from exercise is key to a life-long relationship with fitness.

So yeah, encouragement from a goofy rapper to enjoy the fun could just be the boost someone needs to get moving. Says Redfoo in a release from Zumba: “To me, the sexiest thing anyone can be is themselves.”