“Underwear should be made for you,” begins Everlane’s “Love Your Underwear” campaign, which launched the sustainable clothing brand’s new line of cotton underwear, bras, and bodysuits on March 26, 2018. “But, for decades, it’s been designed with someone else in mind.”
Everlane has been applauded for this progressive -- many (but not all) are calling feminist -- advertising campaign, which is in keeping with the company’s values of transparency, sustainability, and the ethical treatment of workers. The bodies of the models, including Jemima Kirke of HBO’s Girls, in the campaign video and photos are diverse in color, size, and shape. We see cellulite and stretch marks. There’s no airbrushing, and if there are any thigh gaps, well, the camera doesn't seem to care.
But why is this unapologetic campaign marketing what really could be called simple and basic cotton undergarments making such a splash? Why does it speak to us and how can we extrapolate those lessons to find a better balance in the contentious relationship between feminism and capitalism?
The days of rampantly sexist marketing campaigns aren’t quite behind us (take Carl’s Jr.’s 2015 Super Bowl ad**), but we’ve come a long way since Virginia Slims’ “You’ve Come a Long Way, Baby” campaign, which promoted cigarettes specially “tailored for the feminine hand” in a retro, pink-washed cash grab by the tobacco industry.
These days, we have Dove’s “Real Beauty.” Aerie’s “#aerieREAL.” Brawny’s “Strength Has No Gender” (AKA, the Brawny Woman). XOXO Condoms by Trojan. The “empowered woman” advertisement has become the commercial du jour, and they crop up at such a frequency it feels as if every brand wants to cash in on the feminism trend.
After all, today’s consumers are smarter than ever before, and we hate feeling like marketing targets. We’re tired of being bombarded by loud, flashy advertisements that don’t speak to us in terms of our values and needs. Our attention is limited and comes at a premium. What will brands do to claim what little bandwidth we have left?
But I’ll take a step back from being cynical. To be honest, I was struck by all of these campaigns when they first appeared. So were many others. They were disruptive. They got you thinking and talking. They had a ripple effect. They were great advertising… but did they really make a difference or did they exist only to sell products? Is making a difference their responsibility? Can marketing and feminism ever coexist, or are they destined to always be at odds?
When I first saw the advertisements for Everlane’s newest product line, I was interested (as were the 30,000 people on the pre-launch waitlist) but cautious. We’ve been burned before by fancy ads featuring beautiful, willowy women with faces framed catwalk curls telling us “it’s time for something different” to sell everything from deodorant to tampons to cars. I’m curious, though… how many of these companies have embraced the idea of 'women as equals' as part of their culture and not just as a way to sell a new product?
With their “Love Your Underwear” campaign and products, Everlane seems to be putting their money where their mouth is. Even before “Love Your Underwear,” Everlane was known for being a proudly sustainable and ethical company. It’s where you went to shop if you were trying to wean yourself off of brands known (or, even scarier, unknown) for utilizing sweatshop labor or engaging in less-than-transparent business practices without reducing your bank account to rubble.
I'm still not sure if Everlane's "Love Your Underwear" campaign is feminist, but I do appreciate their commitment to doing good and helping those who wear their clothes feel good both in their skin and about their purchases. Who knows... Everlane may even get me to buy a bodysuit. (MAY. That’s a big may.)
Is there a way to craft a feminist advertising campaign? Also not 100% sure on that one, but here are some guidelines if you're working on your game-changing marketing plan:
Be authentic -- don’t bullshit. Just be as real as you can be and don’t be afraid of pissing people (read: customers) off too much.
Be unapologetic -- advertising is a dog eat dog world. No matter what you say (or don’t say), you’ll get angry Tweets from someone. Why not just come out ahead of it all? Challenging people isn't the same as alienating them.
Be responsible — back up your statements and show how your products and your company fit the message you’re communicating to potential purchasers. The time for inaction is past. Step up.
Bonus points: a well-placed cuss can’t hurt. I’ve got a sailor’s mouth and I proudly wear 'granny panties,' so I’m on board with “No fills. No bows. No bullshit.”
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