Starting a new job? You know the routine—do the requisite online reconnaissance on your new boss, get your office tchotchkes together, update your LinkedIn profile, and of course, change up those tired skivvies. (Wait, what?)
If a change of underwear wasn't part of your plan, not to worry. LinkedIn and Fruit of the Loom have your back(side) covered. Starting Oct. 15, the duo is teaming up on a promotion that will dole out a complimentary pair of Fruit of the Loom undies to LinkedIn users who change their employment status, whether that means a totally new gig or just moving up the corporate ladder.
The promotion, called Fresh Gigs, will target 5,000 eligible LinkedIn users a week for five weeks, providing a total of 25,000 professionals with a backside covering of their choice. Recipients can select between boxers or briefs, bikinis, boy shorts, or high-cut panties and specify a size. Their gift box should arrive in under two weeks, including a $5 coupon towards the purchase of a multi-pack.
In exchange, Fruit of the Loom asks recipients to share the exchange over LinkedIn, Facebook, Twitter, or whatever other social venues they frequent. They are also encouraging users to go as far as to share some specifics about their underwear dilemma, and voila, love for Fruit of the Loom goes viral.
"We're all excited for you about the new gig," the LinkedIn message reads. "To show this, we're hooking you up with a complimentary pair of Fruit of the Loom. Because great-fitting underwear can help you start your workday in a great mood."
“We know the morning is a powerful thing,” said Scott Greene, senior vice president of brand management for Fruit of the Loom, in a press release explaining the Start Happy campaign concept. “It can set the tone for the entire day. A great-fitting pair of underwear can make you feel like you can do anything. We want America to start with the right pair of underwear, putting on confidence and positivity one leg at a time.”
Fresh Gigs came about as a way to build on and reinforce Fruit of the Loom's "Start Happy" campaign, a national, multi-channel communications program that kicked off earlier this month built on the message that starting every day with confidence and positivity is important, says Lindsay Porter, the underwear giant's senior brand communications manager.
LinkedIn is a big site for job-hunters and so was a natural partner for Fruit of the Loom, Porter said. "When people are starting a new job, it's important they have that same can-do, positive sentiment," she says. "We're hoping Fresh Gigs reinforces the idea that with the right pair of underwear, you can do anything."
That may be overstating things a bit, but nevertheless the promotion is bound to get Fruit of the Loom plenty of attention in the social stratosphere. Already, a handful of fresh skivvy recipients have been tweeting out thanks to the underwear giant. Like it or not, Instagram, YouTube, Vine, and other sites are bound to be buzzing with images of panty-clad new hires, giving #freshgigs and #starthappy plenty of viral traction.
Big-name brands are quick to tap consumer-oriented social sites like Facebook and Instagram for quirky promotions, but it's less common to see such activity on LinkedIn, which has a more serious (stodgy?) and business-oriented image. LinkedIn has 238 million users, but it's known as a place where individuals and corporations connect -- not necessarily as a platform for consumer brand marketing and buzz generation.
But LinkedIn is trying to beef up more unconventional brand marketing on the site. "LinkedIn is constantly working with brands to reach targeted subsets of its installed base of members with creative approaches that inspire, educate, and sometimes even entertain," a LinkedIn spokeswoman says. "Fruit of the Loom worked through our Certified Developer Program for this execution, and this one pops because it's the unexpected."
Callaway, a giant in golf gear, earlier this year did a partnership with LinkedIn called Hit the Links, in which it created an app that let users pull together the ultimate foursome using their LinkedIn network of contacts. The app let them nominate the foursome to compete for a chance to win a trip that included a custom club-fitting at Callaway headquarters in Carlsbad, CA, along with a round of golf.
American Express also dipped its toe into the LinkedIn marketing waters with a sweepstake promotion that encouraged consumers to nominate their favorite people from their LinkedIn network for Administrative Professionals Day (which used to be called Secretary's Day). Those scoring the most viral votes were eligible to win a $2,500 AmEx gift card.
In Holland, Volkswagen used LinkedIn for its LinkedOut promotion, which encouraged members to challenge friends to build the most complete LinkedIn profile for a chance at winning a brand new Volkswagen Passat.
The jury is out on whether these promotions have been effective. But they are at least creative. And hey, free underwear. What's not to love?
Originally published Oct 28, 2013 1:00:00 PM, updated October 27 2013
