In a surprising twist, Aerie’s body positive underwear campaign aimed at men turned out to be nothing more than a poorly conceived April Fool’s Day prank. Traditionally, underwear ads showcase flawless models with perfect physiques and symmetrical features, which doesn’t reflect the reality of the average person. When Aerie introduced AerieMan—a campaign featuring an array of everyday men embracing their natural bodies—many were excited at the thought of seeing average men represented in advertising.
However, before you celebrate this commendable step forward in body positivity, it’s essential to know that this campaign was a mere joke. The misleading promotion began on March 24 and was designed purely for attention, leaving many fans feeling duped.
It’s worth noting that Aerie has made strides in the past by stopping the use of Photoshop in their campaigns and showcasing women of various body types. Given this background, the fake campaign seemed plausible. Accompanied by quirky videos of men confidently flaunting their “un-retouched” bodies in underwear, the campaign struck a chord with audiences. InStyle even noted that it effectively conveyed the message that “the real you is sexy.”
Blogger Jamie Thompson expressed his hope that this wasn’t just another silly prank, and his concerns were echoed by a wave of outrage on social media. Imagine if American Eagle had done the same with their “Real Women” campaign—public backlash would have been immediate and severe. So why should men’s body positivity be treated any differently? Is it because society tends to think men are less affected by unrealistic media portrayals of masculinity?
Chad Kessler, Global Brand President of American Eagle Outfitters, stated, “We aren’t afraid of being bold in how we engage our customers… We are an all-inclusive brand and we know our male customers respond to humor.” If this is the humor they find amusing, it raises questions about their understanding of body image issues.
It’s perplexing that American Eagle didn’t recognize the potential success of a genuine body-positive campaign for men. They had seen the benefits of promoting body positivity among women, so this seemed like a natural progression. After receiving overwhelmingly positive feedback, one would think a decision would have been made to turn the prank into a genuine initiative.
While the company did donate $25,000 to the National Eating Disorders Association, it feels like a half-hearted attempt at making amends. Body positivity is a serious matter that impacts both men and women, and this prank was a misstep for a brand that consumers were beginning to trust.
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In summary, Aerie’s body positive male underwear campaign, originally intended as a light-hearted joke, ended up alienating its audience rather than celebrating diversity. The backlash serves as a reminder of the importance of authenticity in advertising, especially regarding body image issues.