adidas spotlights women’s real bodies; men on twitter react

Recently Adidas used a self-proclaimed Christian pastor’s tweet as the basis to launch its new sports bra – which, the company proudly announced, comes in “43 styles, so everyone can find the right fit for them.” In celebration of this new body inclusivity, the company released a collage of women’s real, nude breasts.

According to WTFR.com, the official Twitter page for Adidas UK shared the image, originally shared by the company’s main account, as a reply to self-proclaimed Christian pastor Brian Sauvé. He tweeted an open letter to “ladies,” reminding them that “There is no reason whatsoever for you to post pictures of yourself in low cut shirts, bikinis, bra, and underwear, or anything similar—ever.” 

The following section is NSFW.
Just so you know…

The similar things Sauvé listed included weight loss journeys and birth stories. The Adidas UK page responded with an open letter of its own.

Dear Brian,

All bodies should be celebrated and supported, without shame or exception.

– adidas#SupportIsEverything pic.twitter.com/KVDeRaqm4p

— adidas UK (@adidasUK) February 9, 2022

Unsurprisingly, plenty of Twitter users who apparently identify as men share beliefs that align with Sauvé’s line of thinking. And the sight of bare breasts in a variety of sizes was more than they could bear.

In other words: Adidas succeeded in bringing attention to breast movement and the need for better sports bra options for women. 

“There is a sizeable data gap when it comes to sports bra development,” the company’s senior director of product Amy Charlton told AdWeek, so we worked with experts in breast health [at] the University of Portsmouth to challenge ourselves and drive forward our innovation to better meet the needs of our female athletic community.” 

And naturally, promoting this new product can’t be limited to the risque Twitter ad. Adidas’ new campaign also includes promos showcasing the new sports bras on a variety of body types and ads illustrating the downside of wearing sports bras that don’t quite fit.