Adidas Tweets Bare Breasts To Promote Its Inclusive Line of Sports Bras

Update: On May 11, The Advertising Standards Agency deemed this campaign would “likely cause widespread offense” and was banned in the U.K. 

The struggle to find a proper-fitting sports bra (or any bra) is real. And so too is the pervasive notion that breasts should be covered up, not celebrated.

Adidas hopes to normalize bare breasts of all shapes and sizes with #SupportIsEverything, a campaign that began with a tweet on Wednesday of 25 pairs of naked breasts to promote its upcoming line of sports bras, which features 43 different styles and 72 sizes.

The Breast Gallery is the beginning of a larger campaign; variations of the gallery also launched on Instagram, and a billboard went up at Adidas headquarters in Herzogenaurach, Germany, with more to come in different markets.

“The reason we didn’t make just one new sports bra,” says copy centered in the midst of the naked breasts. Early access for some bras is available now and the rest launch Feb. 14.

The female-led team came up with the concept after learning that 90 percent of women don’t wear the right size sports bra.

“We always hope to create work that impacts culture for real change,” Annie Chiu, creative director at TBWANeboko, the agency behind the campaign, tells Muse. “For women in sports, there is still a long way to go, but it’s steps like these that open the door for more. In seeing this campaign, I hope all women look at the Breast Gallery and have the same epiphany I had. ‘My body is normal, and it’s perfect just the way it is.’ “

Reactions on Twitter are what you’d expect, with many pointing out that nary a sports bra is shown. Adidas responded to one user, explaining, “We want to celebrate bodies in all their glory and proudly showcase how different we all are.”

Another Twitter user remarked that the tweet was “borderline soft porn,” to which the brand responded: “Breasts are a natural part of the anatomy. It’s time to remove the stigma to allow future generations to flourish.”

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

CREDITS

Brand: Adidas
Senior Vice President, Global Marketing: Vicky Free
Aimee Arana Global SVP & GM sportswear 
Flo Alt VP Brand Comms
Sr Director Brand Communications: Ole Westerholt
Manager Brand Communications: Katja Kusche
Senior Adidas producer: Holly Craggs / Eva Pineda
Senior production lead: Maliyali Okoi-Obuli
Design Director: Eva-Maria Miller, Maria Giorgiani
Brand Design Senior Project Manager: Caitriona Morgan
Global Brand Communications, Social Media & Partner Publishing: Hannah Esser
Global Social Media & Partner Publishing Manager: Michelle Keiter
Global Communications Manager: Marie Vogel
Global Senior Communications Manager: Johanna Hofman
Media Lead Europe: Robert Seidu
Global Retail Director: Clara Dooley
Senior Manager Digital & Retail Marketing: Brendan Monnier

Agency: TBWANEBOKO
Executive Creative Director: Thierry Albert
Creative Director: Annie Chiu
Copywriter: Hana Ovcina
Art director: Camila Shoji
Director: Sandra Winther
Photographer: Sophie Ebrard
Business director: Natalia Forster
Brand directors: Danielle Ingham, Mounir Bekkouche
Brand manager: Ilona Baste
Brand coordinator Sascha Hak
Executive producer: Rosemarie Praaning
Producers: Elissa Singstock, Annelien Orbie, Elise Hagedoorn, Aleks Podhorodecka

Production companies: Newland, Cabin, No.8

Partner agencies:
The Midnight Club
Intermarketing
Clubhouse
Hill+Knowlton Strategies
Mediacom
Jellyfish