Nike and Adidas stop selling with intermediaries 0:54
(CNN Business) --
Adidas will debut a new line of sports bras soon, but one of its ads doesn't show it at all.
Instead, Adidas tweeted a photo grid of 25 pairs of bare breasts in all their natural, diverse glory.
The sportswear company posted the announcement on its Twitter page on Wednesday, under a link that connects to the bra collection for anyone who gets there.
The ad's slogan is: #SupporttisEverything (Support is everything).
"We believe that women's breasts, of all shapes and sizes, deserve support and comfort," Adidas says in the campaign.
"That's why our new range of sports bras contains 43 styles, so everyone can find the one that suits them best."
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The ad was obviously intended to attract attention and, not surprisingly, it went viral.
Adidas sparked a lot of debate, though perhaps not as much about sports bras or this specific new collection as the company would have hoped.
Both women and men on Twitter weighed in on Adidas' marketing strategy, with decidedly mixed reactions.
Some Twitter users, mostly female consumers, said they would have preferred to see the bras instead of the breasts.
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Others said the ad was inappropriate, or that it caught them off guard and confused them.
And some users said it was bold and applauded Adidas for it.
In a statement to CNN Business, Adidas said: "A sports bra is the most important piece of workout wear for those with breasts."
"The confidence and support it provides can have a significant impact on someone's performance and their ability to continue with the sport...The gallery was designed to showcase the diversity of the breast, featuring different shapes and sizes that highlight show why tailored support is paramount," the statement said.
Nike and Adidas stop selling with intermediaries 0:54
Marketing and branding expert David Placek, whose clients include Apple, Coca-Cola and Procter & Gamble, called the Adidas ad an example of sensational advertising.
"It reminds me of an advertising conference where he was asking, 'How do you get someone's attention? Show them a naked woman,'" Placek said.
"Although [the ad] does go to the limit, the problem with this strategy is that it detracts from the actual product."
The ad might have been less shocking if it had shown 43 women wearing the new sports bras, Placek said.
"I would have insisted on the same point."
Adidas