Ackermans celebrates self-love w/ #IAmMe lingerie campaign

The lingerie campaign invokes minimal retouching, with only shadows and minor blemishes removed, proudly displaying stretch marks, curves and bumps in all their glory.

The cast features Gqom queen Busiswa Gqulu, radio and TV personality Pearl Modiadie, model and TV personality Minki van der Westhuizen, radio and TV star Rami Chuene and MTVBase presenter Kim Jayde.

“While all from different backgrounds, there was this instant, genuine connection between the celebrities when they met each other on set,” says Christopher Smith, creative director at 99c. “One of our challenges was to attempt to tangibly capture this spirit of ‘women supporting women’ across every touchpoint of the campaign, and I believe we’ve achieved this.

“We wanted to tell the story of five enormously successful, vivacious women at the top of their game, and show that they have the same insecurities and vulnerabilities as all of us – yet they’re choosing to embrace these so-called ‘flaws’.

“And in this ‘age of the influencer’, we wanted to leverage their followings for good, using their platforms to encourage other women to do the same, and join the movement.”

Tanya Ruiters, marketing specialist at Ackermans, adds that “these five women are beautiful, talented and influential; they’re comfortable in their own skin and wholeheartedly embrace every aspect of themselves; they truly embody the spirit of #IAmMe.”

The campaign’s primary message is not one of romantic love, but one of self-love.

The body-positivity movement is gaining traction all over the globe, and #IAmMe says to women that rather than hide or grudgingly accept your flaws, these so-called ‘imperfections’ are what makes you unique. – Ruiters

In a category that typically plays to female insecurities, the lingerie campaign features five beautiful, successful and inspirational women who refuse to subscribe to an outdated, narrow and unrealistic definition of beauty.

Through a series of executions across a number of touchpoints, they repeatedly remind women to embrace their true selves, and love and celebrate each other.

To reinforce this message, minimal retouching was used throughout, with stretch marks and lumps and bumps evident throughout all the campaign collateral.

The message is maintained throughout each facet of the campaign, from its TVC, to its digital properties, social content, PR and in-store executions, with consumer engagement a focus across each touchpoint.

Living across a multitude of channels including social, digital and traditional media – and with ATL, BTL, PR and in-store executions – #IAmMe serves as a shining example of a holistically integrated piece of work. – Smith

But it’s the TVC that sets the tone for the campaign: