Adidas new ads, good or bad?
Before I started writing this blog, I have to admit that this might be a very controversial blog because it’s hard for me to say whether it’s a good social media campaign or not. But when I saw the topic of this blog, this was the first social media campaign that came to my mind. So yes, whether it was a good campaign or not, it at least successfully caught my eyes. You may be wondering what kind of campaign it is, and I’m happy you’re asking, so let’s take a look at it together. And of course, feel free to leave your own opinions!
Adidas New Ads
Would it be unbelievable if one day you saw a female codeless naked breast advertisement online or outdoors?
Adidas really did it!
Adidas released a high-definition uncoded bare breast poster on Twitter and ins. The poster contains the breasts of 25 women who have different skin tones, body types, ages, and different breast sizes, and no other information beyond that. What Adidas wants to express is that “ 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.”
Obviously, this is a promotional ad to promote the new sports underwear. Subsequently, Adidas also launched a short video “Support is everything” to further export the brand’s value concept. A number of women with different skin colors, body types, and ages appeared in the video, interpreting the happiness and confidence that sports bring to women.
What’s more daring is that Adidas has also placed an outdoor advertisement in Germany, publishing a whole set of 77 pictures of women’s naked breasts without coding. The billboard was named “Breast Gallery”, which sounds very artistic.
This is indeed a very controversial ad！
Nowadays, women’s marketing is becoming more and more competitive, and although people’s minds love to be more and more open, inclusive, and diversified, such a sensitive and bold way of expression still triggers great controversy in a short time.
A father who claimed to be the father of two girls expressed support for the brand’s approach, saying that it was good to enable more girls to find the right underwear for themselves and thus gain the confidence to love sports.
Opponents of more voices are of the opinion that lingerie ads do not need to be expressed in a bare-breasted way and that releasing them in public has a negative impact on minors.
To sum up, the supporters believe that Adidas’ display of various breast shapes of different skin tones is just an expression of understanding and respect for women without distinction. Opponents believe that the brand is using women’s bodies to stir up controversy to gain traffic, and this behavior is actually consuming women.
In the face of controversy, Adidas responded by saying, “ Breasts are a natural part of the anatomy, it’s time to remove the stigma to allow future generations to flourish.”
Good or Bad? Successful or not?
Frankly speaking, also as a woman I do not feel offended by such advertising. I’m more positive about this controversial ad.
- The brand’s original intention is to export the value of women’s confidence in a positive way
After all, in past communications, the image of women’s breasts was always voluptuous and firm, which made many people believe that only such breasts are perfect and even made many women have body anxiety. But this ad from Adidas undoubtedly expresses the unspeakable feelings of many women and tells women that sagging, asymmetrical breasts are actually not that terrible, thus reducing the sense of inferiority and anxiety.
- The key to determining whether a brand ad is consuming women is to determine whether the ad is objectifying and scrutinizing women.
The so-called ads that objectify or consume women often stand in the male perspective and treat the female body as a sexy symbol, thus stimulating the male impulse to consume. For example, the world’s first advertisement showing a woman’s naked body is the Pearl cigarette advertisement, whose target users are naturally male-oriented. Adidas, on the other hand, is more of a voice for women, and the development of 43 types and 72 sizes of new underwear, but also really solves the immediate needs of women with different bodies.
- Facilitating the communication of the brand
As a brand marketing behavior with a commercial purpose, it is natural to hope that people’s attention is as big as possible. Especially in today’s attention scarcity, Adidas can make people argue over its advertisement, and the brand attention will naturally be high. And as Adidas responded, female breasts are not “taboo” to look at or talk about. Nude sketching classes for art students, as well as “Titanic” and other movies, female breasts are a beautiful artistic symbol, depending on how you think.
But it’s really worthwhile for brands to think more！
People always have stereotypes about female beauty, such as white skin and even young and thin. And with the awakening of women’s consciousness today, women are increasingly moving from pleasing people to pleasing themselves, and want to be treated without distinction.
Because of this, many brands are promoting positive attitudes from women’s perspectives and feelings. For example, Olay, Victoria’s Secret, and other brands have all made similar advertisements.
In terms of the social value shaping behind the ads, Adidas’ initial intention is to eliminate the public’s prejudice against women’s aesthetics and to make all women respected and understood through a big dare campaign. At the same time, their new line of 43 sports bra series meets the needs of more women, more bodies, and more sports, from the product level and value level, Adidas understands and supports women.
This does not seem wrong but there is no doubt that Adidas’s ad did too much! Although it is said that advertising is also a kind of art, this kind of advertising expression beyond people’s aesthetics is indeed a bit too much force, so that consumers can’t help but question the brand values of this company. As a brand, bold creativity is good, but it is still necessary to distinguish between female consumption and consumption of women.
In the level of women’s marketing, compared to rubbing hot topics (such as women’s rights, independent women, and self-pleasure, etc.) or using controversial topics to gain traffic, women need to be treated sincerely, so as to build consumer good sense perception.
