Hanes has a solution for your underwear drawer: “If you don’t want to display it, refresh it”

As people try to stick to New Year’s resolutions, Hanes posted his own maxim for a fresh start: “If you don’t want to flaunt it, freshen it up.”

Created by leading agency Special US, the brand’s new campaign denounces the habit of people wearing underwear well past their golden years. You know: socks with holes, bras with exposed underwires, underwear with loose threads, etc.

According to a survey conducted by Hanes and Talker Researchthe average American only owns four good pairs of underwear, and people keep their underwear for an average of three years.

The study also found that 43% of women wear bras that no longer fit, 78% of people replace socks when holes appear and only 64% do the same for underwear.

Hanes straddled the line between playful and crass in ads that debuted in Times Square and featured models dressed in old, weathered clothes who then opted for a refreshing new look with Hanes essentials.

“Some brands might be hesitant to show old underwear, but our partners at Hanes were willing to lean into the ridiculous, knowing we needed it to break through,” said Amy Ferguson, creative director of Special NY , in a press release.

According to Statista, the global men’s and women’s underwear markets are expected to see annual growth of 2.68% And 2.6% respectively until 2029.

‘Comfort, Period‘

Last June, Hanes has named Special US as its agency of record.

“Comfort, Period” was his first work as an AOR. The initiative aimed to normalize conversations around menstruation by promoting its line of period underwear.

In October, the brand brought it to life in Williamsburg, Brooklyn, where consumers could exchange tampons or pads for a free pair of Hanes Comfort, Period underwear. The ad also ran in New York, across social and digital media.

“Having these kinds of frank and honest conversations is what culture does, so [Hanes] fits into that,” Ferguson told ADWEEK in October. “We can be honest, but it doesn’t have to be ‘look how shocking we are’.”