Ad of the Day | Sweaty Betty Urges Women to "Wear the Damn Shorts" in New Campaign

May. 01, 2025

Sweaty Betty, the pioneering female founded activewear brand has launched a new, bold and powerful iteration of their ‘Wear the Damn Shorts’ campaign. Designed to encourage women to embrace their natural bodies and confidently wear shorts, this new instalment is an ode to legs, in all their glory.

Since they first burst onto the scene in 1998, Sweaty Betty has been on a global mission to empower women through fitness and beyond. Embodying this spirit, the campaign focuses solely on female legs for the first time in the brand’s history – marking a new era in activewear advertising, which breaks down taboos, and celebrates what society often deems as ‘imperfections’.

Urging women to shed any embarrassment or shame about their natural bodies and wear what they want with pride, the campaign is informed by research carried out by Sweaty Betty which found that 67% of women believe their body image negatively impacts their self-esteem, while just 18% of women believe their body image positively impacts their self-esteem.

Furthermore, the survey also found that nearly 1 in 2 women have skipped a workout because they didn’t feel confident in what they were wearing, and only 15% of Sweaty Betty customers wear shorts regularly (When asked why, consumers shared barriers such as skin appearance, age perception, self-confidence and body image).

Directed by two female creative leads from Havas London, Nathalie Gordon (Creative Partner) and Amy Fasey (Creative Director) the 30-second hero film features macro close-ups of legs and thighs, focusing on features that women tend to feel self-conscious about, such as varicose veins, stretch marks, patchy fake tan, moles and cellulite. The film ends with the campaign’s tagline ‘Wear the Damn Shorts’.

Sitting alongside the campaign film is a series of OOH assets which include further close-ups of legs, alongside several tag lines that drive home the message that we should all embrace our imperfections, including; ‘Getting your legs out has no age limit’ and ‘These legs are made for flaunting’.

The campaign will also feature across Sweaty Betty shopfronts, social, online and radio, and was created by a female-majority team at Havas London.

In true Havas collaborative style, media strategy was handled by Havas Media UK, including a mix of high-impact channels in the UK and Ireland. In Ireland, OOH activity will run for two weeks from 5 –18 May, with placements in high footfall areas in Dublin such as Stephen’s Green Screen and the Adshel Live Network. In the UK, programmatic display will be live throughout May, using Captify’s intent-based targeting, as well as BVOD across Sky, to reach fashion-conscious, active women across high-end lifestyle content.

Production was handled by Hungry Man.

Kerry Williams, Chief Marketing Officer, Sweaty Betty said: 

“Wear the Damn Shorts is our rally cry to all women. It’s a powerful encouragement to embrace your legs as they power you through your active life. Every pair of legs tells a story and are unique in their make-up. Tan lines, dry skin, prominent veins, or a secret tattoo? We love to see it and we want you to feel proud to show it! Wear the Damn Shorts is the epitome of Sweaty Betty’s brand sentiment; #dontsweatit. It’s about confidence and embracing your body exactly as it is.”

 

Amy Fasey, Creative Director, Havas London added: 

‘’It’s sad that as a woman in 2025, societal pressure and unrealistic beauty standards STILL apply to our every body part… even our legs. It’s no wonder the cycle of self-hatred is strong - ‘oh my legs are too hairy / flabby / blotchy / insert derogatory word here’ - we’ve all felt it. Working on this campaign, showing nothing but legs in all their glory, has made us realise just how un-alone we women are in those feelings. It’s been incredible to work on something that says ‘not today satan’, acknowledging that every pair are made for flaunting. Summer is coming up, and I will certainly be releasing my knobbly knees from their trouser prison with pride. A huge thanks to the smart, kind and powerful women who took part in the campaign, from our cast to our crew and beyond - it’s been wonderful to spend time in this sisterhood.’’