Lately there’s been a slew of brands whose advertising features real women with bodies that are not photo-shopped, airbrushed or manipulated to appear as anything other than natural. Now American Eagle is doing the same for men with their ads for AerieMan underwear.

AerieMan Underwear Models

Celebrating the wonderfully real physiques of men, the fashion brand has launched a campaign with absolutely no retouching and a new, body-positive approach to men’s underwear.

Claiming “Your comfort starts under your clothes” #aerieman and AEO have teamed up to design a collection of men’s underwear that provide the perfect foundation for your busy and athletic lifestyle.

Sadly, the ALL the funny videos that were part of the campaign are no longer available, so there will only be screen grabs,

The AerieMan Underwear Models
Meet Devon, Matt, Doug and Kelvin – the bods of the new campaign.

Kelvin:

Doug:

Devon:

Matt:

The Underwear
Designed with materials to keep you cool and styles to keep you hip, the HUGE collection (327 styles) consists of Flex Athletic Underwear, Trunks, Classic Briefs and Boxers in varying lengths, fabrics, colors and patterns.

In addition to tons of solids and two-tones, they even have patterns such as Polka Dots, Plaids, Tie Dye, Ombre, Tribal, Money, Fruits, Animals, No Shave Movember, “Swipe Right, Marijuana Leaves, Clovers, Hot Dogs, Metallics and many more.

A few examples of the varied styles, patterns, materials and colors:

Some of the more wild patterns and colors:

Some of the more subtle patterns and colors:

And some of the more traditional colors and patterns:

The knit Flex boxers have a classic length with a 4-inch inseam and a soft logo waistband. Wicking fabric in this signature underwear line keeps moisture away from you, perfect for those all-day hikes or workouts. Classic boxers in 100 percent cotton have either an elastic-gathered waistband or logo band to suit your own personal style. Slim knit boxers have a relaxed fit with a 3-inch inseam and a stretch waistband in 100 percent breathable cotton knit.

The Flex performance underwear uses a revolutionary fabric to give you versatility and variety, with wicking technology that keeps you dry in all the right places. The 9-inch, longer length Flex trunk has a low rise with a longer inseam if you need more coverage. The shorter length trunk has a 3-inch inseam and flat seams, perfect for wearing to the gym under athletic wear and shorts. If you want something in between, check out the regular length Flex trunk with a 6-inch inseam.

The boxer brief is the 6-inch classic trunk – they are made to move, with a soft jersey knit, a signature stretch waistband and a 6-inch inseam. The low rise trunk is shorter in length with a 3-inch inseam and sits lower on the hips to perfect your silhouette if you’re wearing a pair of slim-fitting, lower-rise pants. If you’ve always been on the briefs side of the boxer vs. briefs discussion, you can find the classic brief here, too. A contoured pouch, sleek stretch jersey and a soft elastic waistband accent every brief. Select from color-blocked neutrals or prints that suit your mood.

Shop for AerieMan Underwear from American Eagle here

Yes, the client confirms this is an April Fools Joke. Not the line of underwear, which is sold under the American Eagle label, but the dadbod models and their SNL-like videos 🙂

Happy April Fools – a day early 😉

American Eagle’s press release about this April Fools prank:
NEW YORK, April 1, 2016 /PRNewswire/ — American Eagle Outfitters proves once again they’re not afraid to take a risk and have a laugh in support of a good cause. Following the successes of the Skinny Skinny Jean in 2013 and American Beagle Outfitters in 2014, the brand reveals today its #AerieMAN campaign, featuring a mix of quirky characters of different sizes and personalities sharing “real life” stories in their skivvies, was all in good fun to parody the #AerieReal campaign by Aerie, a leader in body-positive marketing. This announcement marks the brand’s pledge to forego retouching its male models in its underwear and swim images beginning Holiday 2016. American Eagle Outfitters maximized the brand’s visibility in mid-March due to its history with April Fools hoaxes in order to raise awareness around body diversity.

The #AerieMAN campaign, which sparked immediate online chatter and debate, challenged how brands market to the male customer, and portrayed a lighthearted, creative interpretation of the #AerieReal message, a body-acceptance movement launched in 2014 where Aerie, the lingerie and apparel brand from American Eagle Outfitters, stopped retouching its models. In addition to making the pledge to eliminate retouching its male models in its underwear and swim images, American Eagle Outfitters has donated $25,000 to the National Eating Disorders Association, a non-profit that supports those affected by eating disorders and an ongoing partner with Aerie. For more information on NEDA, please visit www.nationaleatingdisorders.com.

“We aren’t afraid of being bold in how we engage our customers, whether through a video that makes you think twice, or challenging the norm in how a brand markets to men,” comments Chad Kessler, American Eagle Outfitters Global Brand President. “We are an all-inclusive brand and we know our male customers respond to humor. We look forward to continuing to innovate and evolve the American Eagle Outfitters product offerings.