Sweaty Betty kicks off campaign focused on leg

Activewear retailer Sweaty Betty has launched a campaign encouraging women to feel confident about their legs.

“Wear the damn shorts” was created by Havas London.

The campaign follows research by Sweaty Betty, which found that only 16% of women in the UK feel confident wearing shorts while working out, and only 15% of the brand’s customers wear shorts regularly.

It is centred on a 30-second hero film, directed by Havas London’s creative partner Nathalie Gordon and creative director Amy Fasey through Hungry Man. 

Set to an upbeat track composed by Yannick Verhoeven at Sizzer, the film starts off with macro close-ups of legs and thighs. The shots focus on features that people tend to feel self-conscious about, such as stretch marks, moles or cellulite. It says: "Listen up. These legs are made for flaunting." 

The film ends with a woman putting on a pair of shorts, smiling at her reflection in the mirror, with the campaign's tagline, "Wear the damn shorts", appearing across the screen.

The out of home also features images of people’s legs in the brand’s shorts. The executions include copy such as “These legs are made for flaunting”, “If you squat it, flaunt it”, and “Getting your legs out has no age limit”. They all end with the line “Wear the damn shorts”.

Kerry Williams, chief marketing officer at Sweaty Betty, said: “‘Wear the damn shorts’ is our rally cry to all women. It’s a powerful encouragement to embrace your legs as they power you through your active life. Every pair of legs tells a story and are unique in their make-up. Tan lines, dry skin, prominent veins, or a secret tattoo? We love to see it and we want you to feel proud to show it! ‘Wear the damn shorts’ is the epitome of Sweaty Betty’s brand sentiment: ‘#DontSweatIt’. It’s about confidence and embracing your body exactly as it is.”

The campaign will run across film, out of home, Sweaty Betty shopfronts, social, online and radio across the UK and Ireland. In the UK, it involves programmatic displays throughout May, as well as BVOD across Sky.

Media was handled by Havas Media UK.

Amy Fasey, creative director at Havas London, added: "It’s sad that as a woman in 2025, societal pressure and unrealistic beauty standards still apply to our every body part… even our legs. It’s no wonder the cycle of self-hatred is strong – ‘Oh my legs are too hairy, flabby, blotchy, insert derogatory word here’ – we’ve all felt it.

“Working on this campaign, showing nothing but legs in all their glory, has made us realise just how un-alone we women are in those feelings. It’s been incredible to work on something that says ‘not today satan’, acknowledging that every pair are made for flaunting. Summer is coming up, and I will certainly be releasing my knobbly knees from their trouser prison with pride. A huge thanks to the smart, kind and powerful women who took part in the campaign, from our cast to our crew and beyond – it’s been wonderful to spend time in this sisterhood.’’

In January this year, the brand launched its first global campaign "#DontSweatIt" , which was created by House 337.