Spanx pushes into apparel with first-ever global campaign

Dive Brief:

Women’s lifestyle brand Spanx has launched its first-ever global brand campaign, per a press release. “We Live in Spanx” is timed to Women’s History Month and spotlights the brand’s apparel offerings.
Messaging for the campaign is centered around the many roles women often juggle at once. The campaign includes digital and out-of-home (OOH) placements in the U.S. and U.K. and media partnerships with Hulu, Meta and YouTube.
The effort sees Spanx, known for its shapewear, pushing into the apparel category with its first upper funnel advertising spend, including as the exclusive sponsor of Hulu's Seize the Day placement on March 8.

Dive Insight:

Though widely known for its intimates and shapewear, Spanx is shining a spotlight on its wide range of apparel offerings that include denim, leggings and activewear. Launched at the start of Women’s History Month on March 1, the campaign flexes the brand’s expansive clothing collection by nodding to the ways it can cater to the multi-hyphenate lifestyles of women. The effort marks the first time Spanx has spent money on upper funnel advertising, per release details.

“We Live in Spanx” features a trio of influencers: track athlete Allyson Felix; social media star Nadia Caterina Munno, a foodie who is also the creator of The Pasta Queen and model Charli Howard, who was announced as part of the campaign in February. A 30-second campaign spot features the trio sporting Spanx attire as they engage in various activities, like juggling a Zoom call while watching a little one, serving food to friends or meditating. The campaign was photographed by Cass Bird and directed by Jordan Scott.

Spanx has made a more concerted effort of late to break into the apparel category, including through a series of experimental pop-up events late last year. The events, which included stops in New York City, Miami and Washington, D.C., marked the first time Spanx’s apparel options were brought to the public via a retail experience.

The “We Live in Spanx” campaign includes media partnerships with Meta, including Instagram and Facebook, YouTube and Hulu. Spanx is the exclusive sponsor for Hulu's Women's History Month Made by Her Hub, an offering that will feature content starring, told by and created by women through the month of March, per details shared with Marketing Dive. The hub will also include Spanx-branded elements. Additionally, on International Women's Day (March 8), Spanx will be the exclusive sponsor of Hulu's Seize the Day high-impact placement, which will allow the brand to reach nearly every ad-supported user over 24 hours.

The apparel-focused global push from Spanx also comes following the appointment of Cricket Whitton to CEO in February. The exec previously served as the brand’s president and chief growth officer. Spanx, founded in 2000, is now sold in over 50 countries worldwide.

Other marketers have similarly rolled out marketing timed to Women’s History Month, including Athleta, which launched its “Find Your Movement” campaign to serve as an empowerment anthem for women and girls. More broadly, Dove has continued its longtime advocacy for women and girls, running its first Super Bowl ad in 18 years this year to encourage confidence among young athletes.