Champion Reflects on 80 Years of the Hoodie with 'Be Your Own' Campaign

The hoodie has been a default wardrobe choice for decades. But, a lot of young buyers who are now adopting the item as a piece of streetwear royalty might not know its roots. Champion is making sure fans learn their history with the "Be Your Own" campaign, which celebrates Champion's original hoodie design from more than 80 years ago, as well as the possibilities it creates to make every outfit a statement.

The "Be Your Own" commercial debuted this past weekend during the Ohio State vs. Notre Dame football game, claiming that Champion "invented that," but that everyone who wears it "make it their own."

We invented the hoodie©️,but you make it your own. pic.twitter.com/c3B88mPn2o

— CHAMPION (@ChampionUSA) September 3, 2022

In addition to the ad spot, Champion is creating in-store displays where Champion hoodies are sold, as well as a social media push.

According to Adweek, the campaign was specifically aimed at younger buyers who have helped push the Champion hoodie back to the forefront of style.

"Champion has a very rich and strong heritage that the world needs to know about," Michael Johnson, director of marketing for Hanesbrands Inc., told Promo Marketing. "It's time for the brand to tell that story, starting with one of the most popular wardrobe staples that has [transcended] sports into music, fashion and popular culture—the hoodie."

A hoodie from the '80s even hangs in the Museum of Modern Art in New York City as part of a collection of society's most impactful fashion items, according to Adweek.

Now, almost 100 years later, the hoodie is still just as popular as it's ever been, and it's not only a staple of streetwear and fashion. It's one of the most prominent promotional products for schools, businesses—you name it. Everyone loves a good hoodie.

"While Champion invented the hoodie, fans and consumers all over the world reinvent it every day through color, designs and self-expression," Johnson said. "The new 'Be Your Own' campaign shines the spotlight on consumers who play by their own rules and sport their own unique hoodie styles."