That’s one way to get people’s attention!
Sun Zhongnan / Costfoto/Future Publishing via Getty ImagesAdidas nearly broke the internet today when it debuted its newest campaign for sports bras on social media.
The sportswear company took to Twitter to post an image of 25 different pairs of breasts in order to solidify the message that no two pairs of boobs are the same in an effort to promote its new sports bra range.
“We believe women’s breasts in all shapes and sizes deserve support and comfort,” the company wrote alongside the photo collage. “Which is why our new sports bra range contains 43 styles, so everyone can find the right fit for them.”
Adidas also debuted the hashtag #SupportIsEverything, a nod to both the functionality of a sports bra but also to the larger messaging that everyone is different and that everyone is to be celebrated and supported.
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Naturally, the advertisement caused a stir on the internet, garnering over 6,200 quote tweets and 11,600 likes by late Wednesday afternoon.
Many supported the brand, commending Adidas for taking a powerful stance in the normalization and inclusivity of different women’s body types.
“As a father of two daughters that played sports this is way overdue,” one user wrote. “Thank you. A lot of girls give up sports because they can’t find the right fit to stay comfortable.”
“Fair play to Adidas for this. Body diversity is important to represent,” another asserted.
Users on the other side argued that the ad was unnecessary and said that they didn’t want to see
And when pressed with scrutiny, Adidas doubled down on the message behind the new campaign.
“It’s important to normalize the human body and help inspire future generations to feel confident and unashamed,” the company said in response to one user who said that the ad was “borderline soft p*rn.”
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Others questioned whether or not the advertisement was acceptable by Twitter’s standards, noting that users under the age of 18 are allowed on the app.
Per Twitter’s policy, the youngest permitted age to have an account on the site is 13.
“Twitter requires people using the service to be 13 years of age or older,” the company’s website states. “If you signed up for an account before you were 13 years old, and now meet our minimum age requirement, you can regain access to your account by removing some data.”
Twitter does, however, have a clear policy on what it categorizes as “adult content” which includes “full or partial nudity, including close-ups of genitals, buttocks, or breasts.”
These nude images are allowed to be posted on a user’s profile if the user adds a “sensitive content” warning, with the exception of the image being posted as “artistic, medical, health, or educational content.”
This isn’t the first time the company is facing a mixed response to one of its advertisements.
In 2017, the sportswear brand chose to feature model and reality star Kendall Jenner as a brand ambassador with the catchphrase “original is never finished.” Many on social media criticized the brand’s decision to choose Jenner over an athlete, claiming that there is nothing “original” around about her.
The brand stood by its decision, telling Business Insider that Kendall was a “longtime fan of the brand” and that she “embodies the spirit” of what an Adidas customer is.
“A classic icon, Kendall is a true Original and we welcome her to our family,” Adidas said.
Adidas was up 2.27% in a 24-hour period as of early Wednesday evening.
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