Maidenform Sport

Originally an independent brand, Maidenform joined the family of brands at Hanesbrands in the early 2010's. Its new owners accelerated the brand's expansion and visibility in the retail space.

One area of expansion targeted by Hanesbrands was the burgeoning "Athleisure" category. A growing number of women were wearing sports bras (or sports "adjacent" bras) as an everyday option, rather than limiting them to working out or intense activity. As a result, it was the fastest growing segment of the innerwear market.

Maidenform's managers hoped to capitalize on this trend by crafting a sub-brand variant under the Maidenform label that targeted these consumers.

John Murph was invited to assist in crafting a narrative to introduce a new "Maidenform Sport" collection. The challenge was to frame a brand message that spoke to the core Maidenform consumer with a credibility that registered with the new Athleisure trend.

Sportswear consumers often complain of how sports bras feel like armor or chest banding, resulting in an uncomfortable sense of constriction that induces perspiration (and not much else). Maidenform's USP was that it offered sports bras that were designed to flatter AND support, rather than suppress a woman's natural shape.

The Maidenform consumer was a fashion-sensitive personality — a "fashion enthusiast," as the brand's research described it. Thus, any messaging could leverage a general familiarity with the industry and speak with the bold, audacious voice the often appears in fashion periodicals and publications.

Accordingly, we began with an overture statement of sorts as a proof of concept. It was composed with a high energy, empowered attitude and tone that playfully leveraged puns and turns of phrase recognizing the pain points described in consumer surveys. Then, it offered a solution in the form of Maidenform Sport.

This was later distilled to a tagline CTA: "Sport Your Shape." Supplemental to this was a secondary mantra: "Ready. Set. Sport."

After the brand position was articulated, the next step led to an open-ended design exploratory for POS and packaging that was familial in tone with conventional Maidenform collections, but also stood apart with a distinction for the more sport-minded consumer. This exploratory sought to visualize the same spirit and attitude identified in the overture statement.

Photography direction specific to Maidenform Sport was part of the exploratory. It centered on postures and affects that exuded a detached, almost dismissively cool confidence. It specified model selection standards, calling for an athletic, but not unattainable, physique.

Elements of the brand language included a high-tech triangular pattern that distinguished Maidenform Sport from other collections within the brand. This was a key characteristic deployed by the larger brand, using individualized patterns for each benefit-targeted collection.

All of the intimate apparel brands managed by Hanesbrands face uphill battles with respect to promotion in store. It's a rare occasion that a retailer will grant an individual brand the right to position promotional POS or signage.

As a result, the packaging itself often has to do the heavy lifting. The Maidenform Sport packaging real estate was carefully designed to maximize efficiency and communicate key features and benefits quickly and clearly. This effort included the creation of a library of icons that assisted in visualizing benefits for the consumer.

The standard packaging configuration was broken down into three key elements: (A) The Collar Tag, which served as a main broadside and featured a two-panel design that wrapped over the hanger when the garment is on display; (B) The Hang Tag, which was swift-tacked to the right side of the garment to highlight additional details; and finally (C) The Merit Tag, which would be used occasionally when a particular feature required special attention.

The Design Office Of John Murph produced a series of fast paced, high energy videos that promoted the individual bra styles featured in the Maidenform Sport collection.

The new Maidenform Sport brand was well received by major retailers and quickly achieved a foothold in valuable floorspace in department stores like Kohl's.