Hanes Gets in on Destruction Video Trend

Brands are always trying to get in on Web trends as a way to seem cool and relevant to their audiences. Hanes is the latest brand to try its hand at this content tactic with its new Web video series.

With the the help of its agency 360i, Hanes is promoting its “ComfortBlend underwear with a “destruction video.” In case you’re not up on these, destruction videos, like this video of a water balloon hitting the ground in slo-mo, are all the rage these days. The Hanes series is called “Soften the Blow,” and it features videos of silly destruction experiments that involve ComfortBlend clothing items being wrapped around objects to, you guessed it, soften the blow.

The experiments include things like catapulting antiques at a target made of Hanes shirts. The goofy host of the series, Al Lenderson, is meant to be a funny version of those serious and enthusiastic hosts of shows like MythBusters. The comedy in these videos stays in the expected range of brand humor — it’s pretty cheesy. These videos don’t achieve the same funny seriousness that the Oreo experiment parody videos did.

 

Image via Shutterstock/wandee007

More in Marketing

Future of Marketing Briefing: Accenture’s Whalar bet: own the room when creator marketing gets complicated

The Whalar deal is Accenture running the same play it ran on programmatic — only this time it got there earlier.

How DUDE Wipes turned to unconventional sponsorships after sports inventory prices surged

As sports sponsorship costs rise, brands like DUDE Wipes are turning to emerging leagues and unconventional placements.

Agency AI pitches are starting to face harder questions

As agencies race to sell proprietary AI the future of marketing, 3C Ventures argues advertisers need more proof.