Dive Brief:

• Hanes has debuted a new campaign promoting a body positive image to people of all body types, from "dad bods to bachelor pad bods, pro bods and average joe bods," according to information provided to Marketing Dive. The "Every Bod" campaign highlights men with bodies of all sizes in order to illustrate how its products suit a wide range of consumers.
• Ads, in both 15- and 30-second versions, showcase Hanes' Comfort FlexFit boxer briefs in various colors with men in different locations singing and dancing about their favorite underwear. The spots are running across network and cable TV as well as online.
• The effort was created by The Martin Agency and includes Facebook and Instagram content to push the messaging.

Dive Insight:

Marketers targeting women have seen traction with more inclusive marketing to bodies of all sizes and brands are also beginning to adopt this approach to selling products to men, recognizing that they face some of the same body anxieties often associated with women. Hanes and its agency landed on men singing in their underwear as they go about their day as a way to drive home the messaging at a time when a number of brands have embraced music to engage consumers with entertaining content.

"We felt that music was the best way to bring this idea to life because if you feel confident enough to sing in your underwear in random places, you've got to truly be comfortable with yourself,” said John Szalay, associate creative director at The Martin Agency, in a statement.

More male-focused brands have evolved their views on masculinity and inclusivity in recent years. It's a strategy that can cause backlash, but continues to prove popular as companies try to cater to diverse young consumers.

Axe, the men's fragrance, hair and body care brand, has pushed self-care, a tactic normally associated with women's products, through the playful concept of "bathsculinity," which it defined as "qualities or attributes regarded as characteristic of young men who take pride in their appearance and feel confident in expressing their most attractive selves, inside and outside of the bathroom.”

Procter & Gamble's Gillette brand earlier this year garnered lots of social media attention with its "We Believe" ad, the brand's direct reference to toxic masculinity and the #MeToo movement. Even Philip Morris Company ditched the iconic Marlboro man to target a less toxic stereotype in its messaging this year.

With inclusivity having proven successful for a number of major brands as well as for disruptive startups, the Hanes campaign and other recent efforts mark another wave for the trend as it is embraced by a wider range of marketers. For example, fashion brand Bebe recently launched a campaign starring Grammy-nominated singer Bebe Rexha on a "Bebe Loves Bebe" campaign that celebrates the "idea of loving and accepting yourself."