“The Real You Is Sexy”
In recent years, “body shaming” has been surpassed by a movement known as “body positivity” and the underwear brand, Aerie, has lead the way. Previously, Aerie launched a movement titled “AerieREAL” where the brand decided they would no longer retouch images of their models. Now, with their most recent “Aerie MAN” commercial, they have extended the movement to males. With their uplifting message, Aerie reminded us that body positivity should not be strictly limited to females as it has been in the past. Through their use of visual and audio elements, pathos, and repetition, Aerie clearly persuades the audience that “the real you is sexy”.
Aerie begins the commercial with two models, both with long hair and matching underwear, facing in the opposite direction of the camera. The audience is led to believe both models are female. As Iskra Lawrence, an Aerie model known for her efforts to promote body positivity, introduces the new line, “Aerie for women…”, Devon turns around to reveal a full beard and chest hair and finishes her sentence with, “…and men”.
Every aspect of Aerie’s commercial radiates positivity. In addition to the message they are portraying, the lighting, camera perspectives, and background music all contribute to image they are attempting to paint. The buildings in which the commercial was filmed have grand windows, allowing daylight inside, and white or neutral colored rooms to create a bright lighting. By filming the commercial just after dawn, the sunlight fills the room and creates a glistening effect above and through each model’s hair. As the models communicate to the camera, almost every angle shows plants, whether inside or outside, to add to the portrait of good energy. Objects such as plants, a warm cup of coffee, books, dogs, and bubble baths are all used throughout the commercial because an audience subconsciously associates them with positivity.
The camera perspectives also add to the illusion of happiness and positivity. The shots of the models are strategically taken to make the audience feel as if they are also in the room and communicating with the models, one on one. As each model sits and explains how they feel in just underwear, the camera is placed at eye level with each one of them to allow the audience to feel as if they are being spoken to directly from each model. More than just eye contact, some camera shots are up close and personal to the models. As Kelvin scrolls through photos he took of himself on his laptop, the camera is directly over his shoulder, allowing the audience to feel as if they too are looking at his laptop and feeling the sense of pride he has for himself. Another angle focuses on the underwear being worn by Devon as he dances by himself in the living room. With such angle, the audience is forced to pay attention to the product. Also, as Doug speaks of “loving who you are” he bends over for a yoga pose while the camera zooms in, making his back side the only thing visible on the screen. The use of every camera angle makes the audience feel a sense of closeness to each model, making everything they say more believable.
Simultaneous to the energizing lighting and strategic camera angles, there is music playing in the background for the duration of the commercial that consists of smooth keyboard beats and melodious whistling. Due to the common depiction of a person that is whistling to be happy or content, Aerie’s audience can easily associate the music with an uplifting feeling. The cheery rhythm is strictly an instrumental piece to avoid distraction from what the models are saying, but plays in the background to simply liven up the commercial. It plays just loud enough that it is noticeable, but quiet enough that it is comforting and keeps the audience’s focus directed towards the models.
Aerie encourages confidence and comfort. All four male models emphasize, through both visuals and dialogue, that in nothing more than underwear, they are just that. For instance, Matt specifically states, “I don’t mind that I won’t be retouched”. This being said, Matt feels good enough about himself that in his opinion, an unedited photo of himself in only underwear would look just as good, if not better, than an edited photo. We later see in the video that he hangs a picture of himself on the wall, smiles, and winks at it.
Kelvin displays confidence by stepping outside and taking multiple photographs of himself in only his underwear. When the scene changes to him looking through the pictures he just took, it becomes apparent that he was even comfortable enough to take pictures of his body. At one point Kelvin states, “Great style to me is when anyone feels comfortable in what they wear”, and with his excessive number of wardrobe (underwear) changes, it is obvious that style is important to him.
When Doug is presumably asked his opinions about feeling comfortable in only underwear, he claims that it “makes me feel more free. I feel like I’m myself”. Feeling free is the premise of feeling comfortable and feeling comfortable allows one to feel confident. It is because of the connection the models have made with the audience that the audience believes they too can feel confident and comfortable in the skin they live in.
Throughout the commercial, the underlying theme is that if women are encouraged to feel confident in their own skin, then so should men. This idea is well communicated through the repetition of the word “man”. This mechanism constantly reminds the audience of the message they are trying to get across. Body positivity is applicable to men. Feeling confident in the way you look should be expected of men rather than being thought of as a trait designated to women. At one point, Matt speaks of one’s character as “[defining] a man”, reminding the men watching that they should base their confidence on their character rather than their appearance. Later on, Devon, when speaking about feeling comfortable in his own skin said, “There’s nothing more manly than that”. This statement addresses the concern that this movement could be deemed feminine since, in the past, has been focused on women. Repetition of the word, “man” re-ensures men who are watching the commercial that they too should join the movement and begin admiring themselves no matter their body type.
Additionally to the repetition of the word, “man”, the commercial uses repetition of imagery to show the word, “man”. Visually, the video is capable of reminding the audience that this movement is dedicated to men by periodically focusing in on each model’s male specific body parts. For instance, the commercial merely portrays an image of Doug’s backside while
he bends over as a part of his yoga routine (left). This image clearly depicts the body of a man. In another frame, Devon is shown carelessly dancing in his underwear. As he continues bouncing around, the camera focuses specifically on his groin area, making the marijuana leaf covered briefs and his, clearly belonging to a man, pelvic region the audience’s only focus. Like with the repetition of the word, “man”, these repeating images remind the audience that, like women, men should feel confident enough in their own body that they have no reason not to show it off.
The video concludes with each model separately announcing, “The real you is sexy”. This idea that has underlined the entire commercial is finally clearly stated by all four male models. The models purposely never state this line verbatim until the end so that the commercial, with the use of rhetorics, could show the audience first. Through dancing, smiling, confidently taking photographs of themselves, and the overall sensation of joy, the models do just that. “The real you is sexy” tells the audience to forget all stereotypical male standards or that any single body image is worth striving for and, instead, believing that they way you look right now is sexy. No matter one’s race, weight, height, passions, amount of beard/chest hair, or lack of, they should feel confident in themselves.