The year was 1994, and the world of advertising was about to be shaken to its core. Canadelle, the Canadian lingerie company that owned the Wonderbra brand, had set its sights on reclaiming the spotlight in the competitive push-up bra market. Their weapon of choice? A provocative advertising campaign that would become the stuff of legend.
Featuring the stunning supermodel Eva Herzigová in nothing more than a lacy black Wonderbra and matching briefs, the posters were plastered across cities in the UK and the US, bearing the now-iconic Hello Boys slogan. The bold, unapologetic imagery was a far cry from the demure, catalog-based marketing that had previously dominated the intimate apparel industry.
The Wonderbra's origins can be traced back to the late 1930s, when the Canadian Lady Corset Company, later known as Canadelle, first trademarked the name in the US. The brand's push-up model, introduced in 1963, was one of the earliest padded bras on the market, predating similar offerings from Victoria's Secret, Maidenform, and Vanity Fair Lingerie.
But it wasn't until the early 1990s, when Sara Lee Corporation acquired Canadelle and relaunched the Wonderbra in the US and UK, that the brand truly captured the public's attention. Facing off against Gossard's Ultrabra in a so-called battle of the bras, Canadelle knew they needed a campaign that would cut through the noise and make a lasting impression.
Enter Ellen von Unwerth, the renowned fashion photographer tapped to bring the Wonderbra's vision to life. Herzigová, a rising star on the runway, was the perfect embodiment of the brand's bold, unapologetic message. The resulting images were nothing short of iconic, with Herzigová's sultry gaze and gravity-defying cleavage commanding the attention of passersby and sparking a media frenzy.
The campaign's provocative nature did not go unnoticed, however. In the UK, the roadside billboards were deemed so distracting that they were banned from being displayed in Birmingham, the country's second-largest city. Road safety experts warned that the ads could prove hazardous to drivers, while consumer focus groups lambasted the campaign as sexist and reductive.
But for Canadelle, the controversy only served to amplify the Wonderbra's impact. We got $50 million worth of free publicity for a $25 million line, boasted John Bryan, the late chairman of Sara Lee, in a 1996 press conference. On one day, the Wonderbra got more space in the New York Times than the Federal Reserve.
The Wonderbra's bold, unapologetic approach to female sexuality struck a chord with consumers, particularly in the wake of the waifish supermodel trend of the 1990s. As journalist Roxanne Roberts noted at the time, The modern bosom is no longer an accident of nature but a fashion option.
While the campaign faced criticism from some quarters, Herzigová herself has defended the imagery, arguing that it had a very empowering, liberating effect on women. In the decades since, the Hello Boys slogan has become a cultural touchstone, referenced and reimagined in everything from charity campaigns to fashion editorials.
The Wonderbra's legacy extends far beyond the lingerie industry, serving as a testament to the power of provocative marketing and the enduring allure of the female form. As the world of advertising continues to evolve, the 1994 campaign remains a prime example of how a brand can seize the spotlight and spark a cultural conversation, even in the face of controversy.
