Hanes Event Gets Personal with Fashion Editors

Intimate apparel brand Hanes on August 5 held an afternoon press event to introduce fashion editors, stylists and influencers to its newest women’s products—a line of comfortable, bras, panties, tanks and T-shirts in bright colors. In keeping with the “comfort” theme, the event took place at trendy Nikki Beach Midtown, in New York City, a spot where sophisticated Manhattanites have been known to kick back and relax. Hanes repeated the event later in the day for a second audience comprised of social media influencers and bloggers.

Waiters balancing trays of “comfortinis” made of champagne, berri acai vodka and a splash of cranberry juice greeted guests while orchids and jars of seashells atop a long, wooden table set the scene. Guests mingled at three experiential stations. In the comfort zone, decorated with beach umbrellas sewn from Hanes T-shirts and other branded accents, attendees received hand and foot massages. Across the room, style and beauty expert Jenn Falik offered fashion tips underscoring the value of basics like those from Hanes and showed attendees how to create outfits by layering tanks and T’s. Michael Moloney from “Extreme Makeover: Home Edition” pitted guests against each other in a fun drawer organizing contest and discussed the importance of decluttering and updating your undies. Everyone received a fitting for Hanes’ new ComfortFlex Fit bra, which comes in a simplified sizing system ranging from small to extra large.

“The primary reason we engage in any event, whether a p.r. event with magazine editors, social media experts or consumers is to bring top of mind relevance to things we are doing—new product news, consumer research and innovation, and keeping the brand fresh and relevant in people’s minds,” Hilton Graham, senior brand manager of the Hanes brand, told Buzz. “The essence of this space (Nikki Beach) is the same as our brand essence, it is comfortable, relaxed.” Agency: Weber Shandwick, New York City.