Underneath your clothes

Developing a real Bond with music fans

Bonds underwear in Australia is promoting the brand’s Original Hipster underwear – and its ‘hipster’ credentials – via an all girl rock group performing in their underwear. Simple, yet effective, this ad is part of the brand’s 10 year underwear celebration and marks yet another iconic commercial for the brand. The song featured in the ad – which Bonds are giving away as a free download via a dedicated micro site – is ‘Standing On The Corner’ by Melbourne band Super Wild Horses.

This is notably not the first time this route has been used by an underwear brand. The Vassarette US underwear company created an  all female rock group (The Vassarettes) who performed live in their underwear last year.

Bonds have utilised music across a range of commercials over the years, from underwear clad models rollerblading to the sounds of US indie group The Phenomenal Handclap Band; girls attacked by bees to the electro beat of Goldfrapp; a Patty Cake musical experience comprised purely from the sounds of skin on skin; right through to their `Evolution of Dance’ inspired mash up.

Bonds has ultimately positioned its commercials somewhere between Gap and Apple in terms of use of colour and music. Playful, simple, stylish  – much like the products it is selling. As far as underwear goes though music is used on face value here –and this is something that crosses across the whole underwear category. Whether it’s Victoria’s Secret in the US which uses music and its numerous brand ambassadors (Black Eyed Peas, Seal, etc) primarily as background entertainment, or UK lingerie brand Agent Provocateur, which occasionally veers down an album release route. Music is used to good affect, but often has a ‘listen but don’t touch’ application.

Bonds other ads, such as the ones below for its Hoodies and Tees, are evident of a swing towards a more narrative led focus.  There is a slight nod to a more emotive storyline, something that is generally absent from underwear ads. What you see is generally what you get from underwear commercials.  The Bonds Hipsters campaign could have possibly taken the desire to be in a band that bit further, perhaps with some form of creative application online enabling users to get hand on with music,  or perhaps a deeper alignment promoting the development of upcoming girl bands.

As underwear commercials are clearly telling us all to consider what’s underneath our clothes, perhaps its time for underwear ads to listen to what might be underneath the music sync.