Aerie Gets Real in Their New Body Positive Campaign

by Myesha Alleyne

Aerie‘s latest campaign is going viral, and you’ll love the reason why. The lingerie brand, owned by American Eagle, is sending a clear message of body positivity and inclusivity. Presented on their website and all of their marketing are models who have a variety of medical disabilities or illnesses. Some of these beautiful women have visible medical devices, or physical features of recognisable conditions like vitiligo and Down syndrome.

This campaign is so unique because models are hardly ever shown in any way less than ‘perfect’. It’s a super rare occurrence to have people with things like forearm crutches or visible scarring as the faces of a major company’s campaign. And they are modelling the merchandise on the product pages where customers’ buying decisions happen; it’s not just restricted to Aerie’s social networks.

With the help of the hashtag #Aeriereal you can find the models from the campaign on social media, and consumers commenting in approval of what Aerie is doing. This is not their first time taking a gutsy approach to change how beauty is viewed. Aerie has shown women of all sizes and colours in unretouched photos for a while now. They also use models with body modifications like tattoos, or tufts of body hair that they wear proudly. They are making a thoughtful, continuous effort to celebrate diversity and natural beauty.

The campaign is to promote new styles in Aerie’s Real and Chill lines, among others, which consist of everyday lingerie and sportswear that is comfortable and affordable. What better way to represent garments meant for daily use than to have the everyday woman model them?

There’s a range of bra styles such as full coverage, demi, push up and wireless to name a few. The colours are muted, and the fabric is a mix of nylon, elastane and polyester, with some of the bras having soft lace detailing. Prices start at $15.95 (~£12 / ~14€) and go up to $49.95 (~£40 / ~43€) which is pretty reasonable for standard lingerie.

Aerie’s target audience is between the ages of 15 and 25 years old. They are typically the go-to retailer for young girls who are entering puberty and needing their first bras. They have appropriately designed styles that are not too mature and make you feel feminine.

But Aerie tossed out the idea of marketing specifically to young people by including models on their website who are well out of their twenties, or even their thirties. Honestly, the lingerie is so classic and straightforward that truly anyone can wear it despite who it was intended for. People wear what they like whether it was created with them in mind or not, and that takes a certain level of confidence. Aerie is a big confidence booster with their fantastic support for women to be appreciated just as they are.

Aerie is sure to be around for many years to come as they have seen an increase in sales that surpassed Victoria’s Secret for 16 consecutive quarters. There’s no doubt that the company’s massive success in recent times is a direct reflection of their choice to promote female empowerment in the loudest way possible – their product line’s marketing.

They are selling you a message along with the products that resonates with everyone, not just women. It’s an honest point that Aerie wants to get across, which is that beauty comes in so many different forms and needs to be valued – and I am all for it.

What are your thoughts on Aerie’s campaign?


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1 comment

Charlene Bowman July 31, 2018 - 9:56 pm

Love this article and everything it stands for. It shows how many businesses are coming into the 20th century.

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