In its latest campaign, Vancouver-based Saxx is showing how its “life-changing underwear” can give younger male consumers “confidence they can feel right down to the nether regions.”
Created by Vancouver’s Kiddo (with media by Arcane), the digitally led campaign consists of two spots: “Game On,” which features a hooper with an inflated sense of his hardcourt abilities, thanks to his new Saxx drawers; and “The Interview,” which focuses on a young professional preparing for an interview, without any pants.
Both spots are tagged with “Life-changing underwear… for your balls,” which is a playful nod to an actual customer review that also informed the brand’s 2019 campaign, a mixture of real and made-up reviews.
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“After the year we’ve had, self-care is a necessity now more than ever,” says Shawna Olsten, VP, brand marketing, Saxx, adding that the brand is looking to communicate that it supports men, both literally and figuratively. “Talking about balls isn’t something that happens in regular conversation, so infusing some light-hearted laughs into that conversation helps loosen up the audience.”
Olsten, a former senior marketer at brands like Aritzia, Kit and Ace and Native Shoes, joined Saxx last year in the midst of the pandemic. She says the environment hasn’t impacted Saxx in the same way it has other fashion and clothing brands: the brand’s messaging has stayed largely consistent, and it saw an uptick in sales in 2020 over 2019, with customers looking for more products to be active and comfortable during rolling lockdowns. That has led to it staying committed to its push into the U.S., where the campaign will also be running.
Saxx is continuing to highlight its product’s patented “ballpark pouch,” in order to – once again – boost recognition of the signature design and further connect it to the brand. “We invented pouch underwear, it’s at the core of our authority in comfort,” Olsten says, adding that the brand is continuing to highlight its proprietary design in the new campaign, as it’s the essence of what makes the brand unique.
Its “Life-changing underwear” messaging also builds on this year’s Valentine’s Day campaign to promote Saxx boxer briefs stateside, in which the brand teamed up with Instagrammer @DudeWithSign, a New Yorker with 7.5 million followers who literally raises objections to everyday problems with a cardboard sign. The Dude, wearing only boxers, urged passersby to “don’t forget the balls.”
