June 2008

Don’t Underestimate Underwear

Does the thought of saying, ‘How about a thong?’ to your client make you blush? It shouldn’t. Get excited about pitching underwear, boxers, lingerie and other intimate apparel to a wider range of clients than you’d expect.

By Deborah Jeanne Sergeant

If it seems like promotional campaigns don’t grab people anymore, try flinging some imprinted undies at them. From camisoles to boxers, logo-bearing intimate wear offers “additional attention for a company,” says Craig Zwilling, president of Weber’s Camo Leather/Wilderness Dreams (asi/73777). “As distributors and end-users look for new, creative ways to develop promotions, lingerie provides new options.”

“I’ve used boy shorts and thongs for a vodka distiller,” says Sherwin Sieden, owner of Edge Marketing (asi/185931). “The company used them in promotions for gentleman’s clubs and as giveaway items for general promotions. There’s a high demand for lingerie. People see them as unique items that everybody isn’t doing. It also gave the brand an alternative to the standard items we do.”

First impressions
Andrea Engel, vice president of merchandising at Broder (asi/42090), knows a businessman who passes out thongs, imprinted with his contact information, as his business card. “He said people always remember him,” she says. “He’s nicknamed ‘The Thong Man.’”

Businesspeople who could use this promotional gimmick include the proprietor of a lingerie shop or other similar businesses. Or, an online lingerie business could enclose imprinted thongs as a freebie with each order.

Clients can also use undies as a direct-mail piece. Compressing them represents a creative means of preparing them for mailing. Simply Smashing Inc. (asi/87425) is a company that will squash any 100% cotton clothing item – including intimate apparel – into compressed shapes to fit any promotional campaign.

Simply Smashing company representative Katie Williams recommends camis or boxers – other kinds of underwear are usually too small. Distributors “would need to send three samples first, to make sure it would work to do the shape they want,” she says. The items must also be free of snaps, buttons or zippers.

Getaway giveaways
Vacation lodging proprietors can stand apart from the competition by offering something better than the predictable terry cloth robe. Especially if theirs is a resort offering romantic getaways, or perhaps as an upgrade exclusive to a honeymoon

package, they could provide guests with embellished satin robes, drawstring boxers and camisole/panty sets, offered at check-in to allow guests to select the right size.

The same idea carries over to other service industries, such as tanning salons, massage therapy practices and medical spas.

Be sure to guide clients in selecting styles that lend themselves to a variety of sizes, such as robes that aren’t so fitted and have tie belts, and boxers that have drawstrings.

Gen-Y not?
Today’s college students typically aren’t fazed by racier underwear. Many of them let their undies peek out with impunity from low-rise pants anyway, or wear camis like T-shirts. Engel sees “a lot of intimate-wear end-uses in sorority and fraternity” clients. From thongs to boxers and boxer-inspired lounge pants (worn everywhere by Gen-Yers), everything can be embellished with a group’s logo.

Don’t stop with those Greek symbols; other collegians want logoed intimate items, too. Market to other groups on campus, which are trying to raise funds or awareness. The college store can also become a client, if you provide samples of items they don’t already carry.

Really specialty retail
Gen-Y isn’t the only age group to which you can sell undies. Boomers and Gen-Xers are especially interested in unique items, such as artisan crafts or hand-sewn goods. Mass-produced items have lost their appeal to this discerning group of consumers.

From left to right, a 100% combed cotton, baby-rib thong panty (4313) from American Apparel (asi/35297; RSN 141); orange studded boy leg hot shorts (VTCL 39) from V-Twin Motorcycle Apparel (asi/94221; RSN 142); and a cotton/spandex low-rise thong (303) from Bella (asi/39590; RSN 144).	From left to right, 100% combed cotton, baby-rib boxer briefs (4443) from American Apparel (asi/35297; RSN 141); a 100% cotton sheeting boxer short (BS) with outside elastic waistband and unisex styling from Aprons ’N More Inc. (asi/36563; RSN 145); and maroon-white 100% cotton flannel boxers (F44MW) with a false fly, full roomy fit and imprintable elastic band from Boxercraft (asi/41325; RSN 133).
On Nathalie, a bandeau bra, made of 45% combed cotton/45% modal/10% Lycra elastane jersey, from Continental Clothing Co. USA (asi/46410; RSN 143) and 100% cotton flannel women’s cut boxers with a 1” inseam, imprintable elastic band and false fly with buttons from Boxercraft (asi/41325; RSN 133).	On Nathalie, a red-black stretch studded combo camisole (VTCL 32) with adjustable shoulder straps, made of 91% combed cotton/9% spandex, from V-Twin Motorcycle Apparel (asi/94221, RSN 142) and black hot pants (N73) from Continental Clothing Co. USA (asi/46410; RSN 143).
White pajamas with red detail from Designs By Anthony (asi/36290; RSN 146)	Royal-white flannel plaid lounge pants (F14YW) with exposed elastic band, no fly and no pockets, from Boxercraft (asi/41325; RSN 133).

Guy Versus Gal Boxers
Many suppliers market unisex boxers. Knowing the differences between guys’ and gals’ boxers can help you maximize sales and end-users’ satisfaction by selling men’s and women’s styles. Guys appreciate functional flies with button or snap closures. As for decorative flies, leave those to the women.

Women’s boxers may come in a low-rise style or cut to flatter a curvaceous figure, such as those offered by Boxer Rebellion (asi/41322). When it’s not possible to get women’s styles from a supplier, get a size chart that includes waist measurements, and order ones with drawstring waists to help customize the fit better.

Engel has found success in selling blanks to designers and artists who decorate intimate apparel and resell the pieces in boutiques. Look for shops that feature embellished apparel, and show only the highest-quality samples in elegant styles and in fabrics such as satin that are suitable to beading and embroidery. Remember, their customers want quality – and a break from uniformity.

Undie events
Special events typically spawn T-shirt mementos; however, don’t let that stop you from offering underwear as a viable promotional giveaway. Just match the right apparel with the right event.

“It depends upon the customer,” says Morey Mayeri, president of Royal Apparel (asi/83731). “We sell a lot of underwear-type items to distribute to liquor companies, nightclubs and even for events such as spring break.”

Engel has noticed the popularity of embellished underwear as a concert giveaway item. “Every girl wants her favorite band on a thong or bikini,” she says.

Less conservative underwear also rules for the grand opening of a local bar or club. But an upscale establishment would be better outfitted with satin boxers.

Whimsically imprinted, cotton boxers for both guys and gals

would be a good choice for an event such as a low-key fireman’s appreciation dinner.

Imprinting boxers is a great way to go for promotional campaigns. “We first applied custom college logos to the boxers, but the corporate promotional market caught on to the trend very quickly,” says Jon Carroll, founder of Boxercraft (asi/41325). “They felt boxers were cool and a nice alternative to yet another T-shirt. At first, corporate marketers targeted the youth market, and we did lots of orders in the ’90s for campus promotions for video games and TV shows. Since then, boxers have become a staple of promotional products across all age groups.”

Patrick Scalise, owner of Promo Dog, did some work for Eidos Interactive, publisher of video and computer games. “We used boxers for an in-store promotion for Circuit City for a new video game launch,” he says. “It was a military game, so we used camouflage boxers with the game logo screen printed on them. The market is huge for something like this because everyone wears boxers.”

Satin kimonos from Designs by Anthony (sold by Anthony Enterprises, asi/36290) made a thoughtful promotional item for Amoena, a supplier of post-surgery prosthetic devices for breast cancer patients. “They were pink robes with red piping to accent them,” says Lawrence Schleif, president of Designs by Anthony. “They used them for a change-room robe for trying on post- mastectomy prosthetics.”

“The robes went over so well that the retailers want to buy some to sell in their stores. Now I’m working on other items to pair with the robes for that company,” says Anne Vallone, a sales representative for KHL Incentive (asi/230736) and the distributor that worked with Amoena.

Embroidered-logo kimonos paired with pajamas also proved to be a hit at a client’s sales conference that had a sorority slumber-party theme.

“They sent me pictures, and there were 150 women running around in pajamas and kimonos having a barbecue,” Schleif says.

Shop the company store
Many companies sell logoed items of every sort to promote the brand. While it may be impossible for you to win a sale with a nationally known brand, why not a local chain or a hometown shop? If they already carry logoed T-shirts or hats, expand their horizons with underwear.

Although it may seem an unlikely promotional apparel item, underwear can generate new sources of revenue for you if you see creative ways of presenting it to clients.

Logo Know-How
Just as with regular apparel, an intimate’s embellishment needs to complement the item’s dressiness. The following tips will help you decorate effectively.
1. Casual fabrics need casual embellishment. Consider using appliqués or silk screening on a mini-rib-knit cami or thong or on flannel boxers, says Morey Mayeri, president of Royal Apparel (asi/83731). He’s also received many orders for rhinestone embellishment, which lends casual bling.
2. Dressier fabrics require finer techniques. For a more formal look on a pair of satin boxers or on a silky robe, go with embroidery. “The fabric isn’t heavyweight, and the embroidery is right for a smaller area,” Mayeri says.
3. Less is more for dressier fabrics. “Don’t overdo the embellishment [on dressy items] or it looks like kids’ pajamas,” says Lawrence Schleif, president of Designs by Anthony (asi/36290).
4. Location, location, location. Just as with real estate, location makes a huge difference. The most conservative areas are traditional ones: lower front leg for boxers, front and center for panties, front and center for camis and left chest for robes.

All Strung Out?
Confused about the differences among these: string bikini, thong and g-string? All three styles include strings, can be made of many materials, and come in a variety of colors, trim and fabric patterns. The difference lies in the cut. Here’s how you can tell one from the other:
1. String bikinis offer the most coverage, front and back, of the three types of lingerie. Instead of fabric sides fastening the front to the back panel, as with regular briefs, a string or strings do the job. Sometimes, it’s just the waistband making the connection. Most are cut with a low-rise waist to be worn well below the belly button. This style of underwear complements low-rise pants and skirts.
2. Thongs typically give less coverage than bikinis in the back, offering the wearer the advantage of no panty lines. They can also have smaller front panels than bikinis. Thongs can have very narrow sides or strings that join the crotch piece in the back. Many women wear thongs as daywear or lingerie, depending upon the style and trim and their personal taste.
3. G-strings are the smallest of all three. They often have no coverage in the back, only the connecting strings that hold just a small patch in place in the front. For this reason, they are the most risqué, and are usually classified as lingerie rather than underwear.

Selling 101
Promotional panties aren’t for the prudish. The following tips will help you move undies:
1. Let research, not stereotypes, be your guide. Think a boomer-aged women’s club would blush at the sight of a thong? Check out the group’s Web site. Talk with a few members. Maybe an imprinted thong will be more like a gag gift giveaway than something they’ll actually wear, but you might be surprised at their openness.
2. Base your pitch on the product. Naturally, a company interested in looking at flannel boxers would likely go for a conservative pitch, not live models in bikinis.
3. Emphasize underwear’s universality and attention-grabbing elements. Everyone wears it and no one ignores it.
4. Be playful. Suggest that clients use wordplay, such as “Boxers rule!” imprinted on a pair of boxers for a boxer dog rescue club. Use sexual innuendo with care to avoid offending customers.
5. Bring imprinted samples. This will help wary clients visualize how underwear can work for their promotion. If this isn’t possible, mock-ups in Photoshop or Adobe Illustrator can help. “It’s much easier to work with samples or illustrations than trying to have them visualize” the underwear, says Morey Mayeri, president of Royal Apparel (asi/83731).

DEBORAH JEANNE SERGEANT is a contributing writer based in NY.