Wonderbra's famous 'Hello Boys' ad makes a comeback with a twist
Almost 25 years since it first graced billboards Wonderbra is evoking the spirit of its controversial 'Hello Boys' campaign, putting a modern twist on the poster shifting the focus away from the male gaze.
The brand said it was time for a fresh proposition that celebrated 'an era of empowered women' / Wonderbra
The new iteration, 'Hello Me', has been been launched to position the brand as an ally to female empowerment. It shows a woman in a similar pose to the original, wearing a strapless bra above an updated tagline.
Billboards will run in London, Manchester, Glasgow, Edinburgh and Birmingham across Ocean Outdoor's out-of-home network.
The brand said it was time for a fresh proposition that celebrated "an era of empowered women; women who decide by themselves and for themselves, women who derive their sexuality from inner confidence. Women who want to feel sexy for themselves, when they want to".
The campaign will further be supported by PR, in-store point of sale activity and influencer collaborations.
Heather Nogueira, UK business manager, marketing at Wonderbra's US parent firm Hanesbrands, said: "This campaign comes at a crucial time when society is questioning the validity and authenticity of advertising that portray women in a deprecating manner, especially in the lingerie industry.
"We believe that the old cliché of women looking sexy to cater to someone else’s gaze has been replaced with women wanting to feel sexy on their own terms. This campaign is our way of empowering women to express their individuality with confidence in themselves & in their style. We learnt a lot from Hello Boys, but it is now time for Wonderbra to embrace the new dispensation of female self-empowerment."
The original 'Hello Boys' poster featuring model Eva Herzigova was created by TBWA in the 90s to promote Wonderbra's push-up bra. Despite stoking controversy and standing accused of causing road traffic accidents, it was voted the most iconic poster of all time by the public.
