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Adidas slammed for NSFW bra ad with 25 breasts visible: ‘Will you show penises too?’

Twitter promo for new line of sports bra by Adidas backfires after company tries to be inclusive, showcases 25 bare breasts instead of the bras

Like all companies, Adidas is trying its best to be inclusive. The sports giant may have taken things a bit too far though, on February 9, 2022, after a promotional tweet ended up being widely condemned. The promo was meant for Adidas' new sports bra collection, but shockingly the image featured not a single bra - but rather 25 photos of bare breasts. It claimed it was trying to support breasts of all shapes and sizes, but Twitter users clearly had a very different opinion.

The internet is no stranger to seeing celebs bear their assets in the name of promotion. In March 2020, Kylie Jenner posed nude for Playboy, in a bid to show "motherhood and sexuality can coexist." But while she was widely praised, the same cannot be said for others. UCLA gymnast Katelyn Ohashi was slammed in April 2020 for posing nude for ESPN. In November 2021, Madonna earned widespread condemnation as well after posting her boudoir shoot on Instagram. 

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So it certainly seems like a case of double standards. Those standards were on full display again, after Adidas' controversial advertisement. Social media users were quick to slam the company, but so far, it's refused to back down.

'All shapes and sizes deserve support'

Using the hashtag #SupportIsEverything, Adidas launched its new sports bra collection with the rather controversial tweet, "We believe women’s breasts in all shapes and sizes deserve support and comfort. Which is why our new sports bra range contains 43 styles, so everyone can find the right fit for them." It wasn't the tweet itself that got people talking, but rather the attached image, which showed a 5x5 grid of bare breasts.

Clearly, it was meant to grab attention, and it didn't fail in that regard. The company defended its NSFW image in a statement to CNN, saying, "The gallery was designed to show just how diverse breasts are, featuring different shapes and sizes that highlight why tailored support is paramount." However, it didn't seem to win many hearts. Marketing and branding expert David Placek told CNN, "While (the ad) does push the envelope, the problem with this strategy is that it takes away from the actual product." He said an ad showing women wearing the bras "would have made the same point."

'What are they selling?'

Social media though was less kind in its criticism. "Will you show us penises too (circumcised and uncircumcised) of different shapes and sizes for the pant/boxer set?" one user replied. Another condemned, "@adidas, u guys can market ur new sports bras or products without the nudity, this isn't how body positivity is promoted. For crying out loud Twitter is a public platform that's also accessible to a lot of underaged kids, a tweet like this can corrupt someone. Do better." A third replied, "I’m all for boobies and positivity but like … what are they selling? Shouldn’t it at least show how their “body positive” bras support all different kinds of boobies? Or is this just another shock ad designed only to generate revenue by using women’s bodies? exhausting." "Maybe show the bras actually supporting the tits? This isn’t page 3 hun," one user hit back.

There was also plenty of effort to defend Adidas. "As a father of two daughters that played sports this is way overdue. Thank you. A lot of girls give up sports because they can’t find the right fit to stay comfortable," one person replied. Playboy jumped into the conversation by joking, "This is the breast ever!" One user hit back at the criticism, saying, "breasts are not nudity & society should stop teaching it as such… why can men be shirtless without being considered nudity, but women shirtless is nudity?"

Adidas also tried to defend itself online, replying to one tweet with "Breasts are a natural part of the anatomy. It’s time to remove the stigma to allow future generations to flourish." It also doubled down by blowing up the image and putting it on a billboard. It has also pinned the tweet to its profile, so it really is hard to miss.