February saw Adidas launch an integrated campaign called ‘Support Is Everything’ to promote its new 43-item sports bra range which generated plenty of comment and controversy due to the naked imagery of the ad visuals.
The campaign, which spanned digital and social channels (led by Instagram and Twitter – with some ads blurred to meet the rules of some social platform rules on naked images), as well as OOH and video work, was led by collage-style imagery of breasts of all shapes and sizes to drive home the new range’s claim to offer a product ‘for every fit and move’.
Posts, posters and print ads featured naked breast collages alongside captions reading: “We believe women’s breasts in all shapes and sizes deserve support and comfort. This is why our new sports bra range contains 43 styles, so everyone can find the right fit for them.”
Further ad images focus on the marks poorly fitted/adjusted bra can leave if they are not the right size for the user and also highlight long-standing fit and functionality issues.
We believe women’s breasts in all shapes and sizes deserve support and comfort. Which is why our new sports bra range contains 43 styles, so everyone can find the right fit for them.
Explore the new adidas sports bra collection at https://t.co/fJZUEjvopQ#SupportIsEverything pic.twitter.com/CESqmsXOwI
— adidas (@adidas) February 9, 2022
The visual image executions were supported by a ‘Behind The Bras’ online video which was posted on 12 January and which stated that it was ‘time to get nerdy about your sports bra’ and introduced viewers/customers to the brand’s female led design and tech team who spent the last three years developing the German sportswear giant’s new sports bra collection which was ‘designed by us, for every one of us’.
The creative seeks to encourage viewers to ‘shop the new sports bra collection’ online at https://adidas.com/bra and to try out the new Adidas Women’s ‘Bra Finder’ at http://go.adidas.com/ihha/brafinder
https://www.adidas.co.uk/women-sports_bras
“There is a sizable data gap when it comes to sports bra development,” says Amy Charlton, Senior Product Manager at adidas. “That’s why we’re working with breast health experts at the University of Portsmouth to challenge ourselves and drive our innovation to better meet the needs of our female athletic community. On the project we have worked with an all-female team of designers, testers and experts . We hope this collection will help more sports bra wearers experience the benefits of increased support and a better fit, and not be held back from playing the sports they love.”
“My sports bra is the first thing I look at when I work out, because when it’s not right, it throws me off focus and I lose focus,” added Olympian and Adidas brand ambassador Mikaela Shiffrin said in a statement for the campaign’s PR. “Sports bras are a critical piece of equipment, but it’s not a one size fits all – my workout is varied and includes cardio, yoga, and strength training, so having the right performance product to fit each of them is key.”
Comment
Unsurprisingly for a mainstream campaign featuring so much bare flesh, the marketing has generated plenty of consumer and ad industry conversation and controversy with debate centered on accusations of titillation, cynical exploitation and the unequal power of the make gaze versus authenticity and inclusivity.
Adidas’ argues that the photography is honest, authentic and is aimed at being inclusive and showcasing how the new range takes into account all the many different sizes and shapes of this part of the body and that its objective is to end stereotypes and physical canons related to breasts and offer alternatives for all women.
Within 48 hours of its launch, the campaign generated more than 17,000 likes and over 6,000 comments on Twitter and thus is generating plenty of buzz and reaction.
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