The campaign was produced in conjunction with the retailer’s lead creative agency, 99c. The latest campaign features eight women from different walks of life; women who are not celebrities or who fit the mould of the professional model.
"'#iamme' says to the nation that, rather than hide or grudgingly accept your flaws, [your] so-called ‘imperfections’ are what make you unique," says Shameema Maloon, advertising specialist at Ackermans.
The response to '#iamme' from women across the country was so positive that Ackermans decided to involve some of these women in its next lingerie campaign.
A call for women to feature in the next campaign was shared nationwide via '#iamme’s' celebrity spokeswomen, and the country responded. Eight women were chosen to appear in Ackermans' nude colour lingerie campaign: Mahlatse Machete, Dineo Ramodike, Samukelisiwe Mfuphi, Sibongile Mangena, Sive Nqonji, Sizah Busane, Deirdre Pasquallie and Ithereng Morulane.
"This time around, the focus is on our nude colour lingerie collection. [It] is available in a wide range of shades to suit different skin tones, and in an extended range of sizes and styles," says Maloon.
"We felt that the simplicity of this collection highlighted our models’ natural beauty," Maloon adds. "It is also one of our most popular lingerie lines, as it offers customers comfort, choice, functionality and quality, at an affordable price."
As with the previous celebrity-driven campaign, the models are depicted in the visuals with no retouching — and with curves, stretch marks and bumps.
"The [previous] campaign celebrated women for who they were," says Sive Nqonji, one of the models. "I related to the celebrities that I saw on screen. There was no photoshop, but these women were happy and owning everything on themselves."
"The campaign taught me that all women have insecurities and we can go far if we support, encourage and show love to one another," says another model, Sizah Busane.
Maloon says that the retailer is focussed on adding value to the lives of its customers beyond merely selling [the] product.
"We want to encourage women to celebrate their individuality. We want to show women other women [that] they can relate to in our campaigns — women who share the same insecurities, dreams and struggles — and that we celebrate these women,” concludes Maloon.
For more information, you can visit www.ackermans.co.za. You can also follow Ackermans on Facebook, or on Instagram.