HANES / HOODIE HOTLINE ACTIVATION

As temperatures dropped, so did the number of hoodies in people’s closets. Inspired by the long-standing behavior of partners “borrowing” their other halves' hoodies, Hanes leaned into the seasonal trend with a fake class-action campaign that turned a relatable cultural moment into a full-blown social activation.

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The idea came directly from social listening. As chatter grew about missing hoodies and “situationship” thefts, the team saw an opportunity to join the conversation in a way that felt self-aware and funny; true to how people were already talking online.

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The campaign mimicked a late-night legal ad, complete with an over-the-top call to action: dial 540-5-HOODIE to “file a claim” for your stolen sweatshirt. Callers were met with a tongue-in-cheek pre-recorded message offering sympathy, bad advice, and a 15% off code to replace their loss.

 

The hotline anchored a broader social takeover across Instagram, TikTok, and X, where Hanes engaged directly with fans about their hoodie woes. The result was a playful cultural moment that felt less like an ad and more like a brand joining in on the joke.​​​