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You are standing in line at the local Wal-Mart when a brightly colored moving object catches your attention. A quick glance reveals a lovely woman outfitted in pajama pants, a decoupage comprised of last years most popular textiles. You want to look away, peel your eyes from this horrific sight, but the pattern is utterly intriguing, perhaps comparable to an automobile collision, if I may. And top of all tops, this trend monster had pulled her outfit together with a spaghetti strap tank, via 1995. “Did she just come from the gym?” you wonder skeptically. No, in fact, she did not. This outfit may even be (God forbid) the staple item in her closet–errrr, drawer. Why is it that women, although now graced with the right to vote, become a Congress woman, or fortune 500 CEO, choose to deck themselves out with an ensemble of treacherous proportions? Why must women constantly wear exercise clothing as a substitute to every-day wear? Are the days of dresses and skirts so far gone?
These thought provoking questions were brought about upon my discovery of the new Oakley ad-campaign, coined by ad agency Factory Design Labs of Denver, Colorado. A powerful and well known brand for years, Oakley held, until now, a primarily male campaign target. Oakley has launched a series of videos, print ads, promotions, and even a virtual contract to enhance female connections. I have to say, what they did here is brilliant. The primary tagline, “Made for more” contains additional slogans such as “Training gear, not trendy gear.” To top it off, their website features a mission statement titled “Where we stand” and reads as follows:
Oakley women’s gear is for running, not running errands. For exercising, not socializing. It’s not carpool chic. It’s not grocery store casual. It was made for more than that. It was made for me.
To top it off, the new campaign features clever videos poking fun at As Seen on TV commercials for casual workout gear. Feast your eyes on this:
Clever, eh? And that’s not all. You can even create your own statement, ranging from “I will use my gear to explore trails, not malls,” and “life gear, not mimosas.” More importantly, when the brand launched its women’s line in 2005, they broke away from the boy’s club by placing more women in leadership roles and started a “Female Speak” education program. Senior VP Josee Perreault says the brand hopes to increase the 10% of female business revenue, but that it is steady and slow. “Our purpose as a brand is to inspire, disrupt, and design,” she told AdAge. “We like to use disruptive messages.” She even cited active wear fashion faux paux as an “epidemic.”
So don’t fret the next time you see women wearing exercise clothing as casual wear. Take action and join the team of haters by signing Oakley’s contract. You are not alone in the fight: