What’s Up With Aerie Body Positive Men’s Underwear Campaign?

#AerieMEN Inclusive Men's Underwear Ads

In a competitive marketplace for brick and mortal stores, American Eagle's stand alone underwear chain, Aerie, has done a damn fine job standing out from the pack. The store has been pushing a body positive approach for a while now, recently making waves for its decision to not retouch photos of its models. With a 21% increase in sales, it looks like people are feeling the more to love, love. 

If you want to give your boyfriend or random Craigslist hookup a fun Throwback Thursday surprise, you're in luck because yesterday Aerie launched the #AerieMAN line of undies! Playing off of the success of its all inclusive female marketing campaign, the new Aerie men's collection debuts with headline-grabbing body positive ads.

The four different models we're introduced to through separate YouTube videos represent a multicultural bulge grab bag of diverse body types. But fear not, the white blonde guy is the ripped one, and actually looks a lot like Milo James from Atlantis: The Lost Empire. Sorry, I have to guys...

In addition to the blonde white guy being the unofficial leader of the bulge brigade, NY Magazine points out that plus sized guys, or guys with "dad bods," are generally more socially acceptable than bigger chicks. Their point being that this campaign supposidely isn't as revolutionary as Aerie wants us to think.

My take is, Rome wasn't built in a day, and I'm not going to h8 on a company that gets a conversation started. CEO's would take jizz in the eye if it meant turning around sales, and considering the recent shake up at Victoria's Secret as well as the fact that a lot of typical mall stores are circling the drain, everyone's keeping their eye on Aerie.

Even more compelling than the lineup of diverse body types in these ads is the noticeable difference when Photoshop is (for the most part) left out of the equation. Let's meet the new boys of #AerieMEN below in their YouTube videos. Do you have a favorite? I'm already doodling "Doug" on my notepad, so yea, I've got one. Sound off below!

Devon

Doug 

Matt

Kelvin

Via Aerie and NY Mag