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aussieBum
Company typePrivate
IndustryFashion
Founded2001
FounderSean Ashby
Headquarters
Sydney
,
Australia
Area served
Worldwide
ProductsMen's swimwear, underwear, and clothing
Website aussiebum.com

aussieBum is an Australian men's swimwear and underwear manufacturer company based in Leichhardt, Sydney. [1] They manufacture and deliver from Sydney's inner west. The company retails in department stores in Selfridges, Harrods and House of Fraser in the UK, Printemps in Paris, KaDeWe in Berlin, and Harvey Nichols in Dubai. aussieBum has manufacturing units in China, Bangladesh, Thailand, and Vietnam. [2] aussieBum ships to more than 150 countries. [3]

History

aussieBum was founded in 2001 in Sydney by Sean Ashby with a 20,000 Australian dollar as an alternative to unemployment and "not being able to find a decent pair of nylon cozzies". [4] [5]

In 2002, the company was perceived as being "too Australian" and rejected by major retailers. aussieBum launched its website and got its first order from London. [6]

aussieBum swimwear has been featured in music video clips Slow by Kylie Minogue and SuperMartXé VIP.

In 2004, aussieBum won the 2004 Premier's NSW exporter of the year award in the Emerging Exporter category from New South Wales Government. [7] Selfridges & Co was the first international department store to stock aussieBum products.

In 2005, KaDewe started to stock aussieBum undies in Berlin.

In November 2006, aussieBum launched Wonderjock as part of its underwear line and started the WJPro range that became the brand's top seller. [8] The company won the Exporter of the Year Award in manufacturing from the Australian Federal Government. [9]

In 2007, the company's turnover crossed $10 million. [10] Harvey Nicholas UK and Dubai started to stock aussieBum garments along with Seibu, Hong Kong.

"aussieBum" was the 7th most searched term in Australia as of April 2008. [10] [11] The company is in the Guinnees Book Of World Records for the world's biggest undies. House of Fraser, UK started to stock aussieBum clothings. Company launched international outdoor billboards in London, Paris, Vienna and Milan.

In 2009, aussieBum's turnover was $23M with a 35% hike in sales. aussieBum was recognised as one of the Top 20 Australian Icons.

In 2010, aussieBum launched a new line of eco-friendly briefs and boxers featuring the world's first undies made from bananas. [12] [13]

In 2011, during the first episode of The Celebrity Apprentice Australia, director Sean Ashby gave $50,000 to charity when politician Pauline Hanson washed his car wearing aussieBum underwear, plus an additional $10,000 for Deni Hines to sing the national anthem. [14]

In 2012, the company partnered with the DisneyMedia+ for a product placement deal in Marvel's The Avengers. In the movie, superheroes were strategically positioned alongside billboard ads for the brand. [9]

In 2013, WonderJock sold over 2 million garments and the company developed the "EnlargeIT" range.

In 2014, a fully wrapped bus campaign launched in Sydney featuring the iconic "Classical Original".

In 2015, the company supported the legalization of same-sex marriage in Australia by giving 100% of the profits made from the sales of their newly released line, titled 'Equality' to benefit Australian Marriage Equality, an advocacy organization. [15] Company featured in Times Square.

In November 2017, the company made sales of over $1 million in 48 hours alone and 80% of their business was offshore. [6]

In 2018, aussieBum designed the world's most expensive men's underwear. The 24 carat gold underwear received global media attention and company profits hiked by $1 million. [9]

In 2021, aussieBum achieved its highest net profit and sales revenue trade since launch. [9]

In January 2024, the company launched its products in India. [2]

Products

aussieBum men's briefs, Ice Blue in colour
aussieBum men's Jockstrap, with the Wonderjock Technology

AussieBum manufactures one million pieces of clothing per year. [16] aussieBum sells around 150 products including male swimwear, underwear, leisurewear, sportswear, belts, beanies and towels. Major aussieBum products includes underwear like Essence, Flame and swimwear lines like Classic, Storm and Loose. [10]

The company focus on development of eco-friendly product materials such as Micro Modal beech wood and bamboo fibre based fabrics, as well as a range of underwear comprising 27 per cent banana fibre. [10]

The aussieBum range includes basic nylon cozzies, as well as "boardies" (baggy nylon shorts commonly worn by surfers) and snugly fitting underwear in a range of exotic designs and futuristic materials (including a "vitamin-enriched" fabric). For Vitamin-enriched undies company approached Italian fabric maker Eurojersey and Glaxo to create a fabric that could hold oil resins which, with body heat, would be released over a period of time. [4]

Wonderjock

In November 2006, aussieBum introduced a product called Wonderjock as part of its underwear line. [17] The Wonderjock was designed to provide lifting and enhancing effects for a man's anatomical features, utilizing a fabric cup to create a protruding effect rather than a downward one. Approximately 50,000 pairs of Wonderjock sold within the initial seven days of its release. [18]

Marketing

The company has no sales representatives overseas, and instead promotes with its company website. Australian sales make up 10% of its business. The company has a broad reach for a business run entirely via the Web, with no shop front and minimal packing staff. [11]

aussieBum's version of Shearing the Rams

The brand uses a distinctly cheeky advertising style, such as remaking the Australian painting Shearing the Rams with muscle-bound men shearing sheep in just their underwear. [19]

The company has appeared in Kylie Minogue videos, Vogue France, the Guinness Book of Records and Modern Family. [9] aussiebum sponsored the AussieBum Queensland Cup surf boat competition in Mooloolaba and supported the local life-saving clubs through sponsorship of individual life boat crews. [10]

The former rugby player Jacob Woodhouse attempted the Ninja Warrior course wearing nothing but a pair of 24-carat gold undies made by aussieBum in an episode of the Channel 9 show. [20]

Awards

  • Wins 2004 Premier's NSW exporter of the year award in Emerging Exporter category. [7]
  • Wins 2005 Premier's NSW exporter of the year award in NSW Europe Exporter.
  • Wins Commonwealth Bank Small to Medium Manufacturer of the Year award at 47th annual Australian Export Awards 2006. [9]
  • In 2007 & 2009, aussieBum wins Small to Medium Manufacturer of the Year award at Australian Export Awards. [10]
  • Wins Premier's New South Wales Export Award 2016.
  • Wins Premier's New South Wales Awards in eCommerce category in 2016.
  • Wins the Australian Export Awards – eCommerce 2017. [21]
  • Wins Australian Export Awards- eCommerce 2022. [22]
  • aussieBum was the first company to feature a male model with hair on his chest, and hair under his arms. They were also the first to have a major ad campaign of a man siting on his chair in just his undies watching the footy and drinking a can of beer. [4]
  • aussieBum had a world record for the largest pair of underpants measuring 15 metres wide and weighing 180kg. [23]
  • Company featured in two Guinness World Records of Most worn undies in the world. [24] [25]

See also

Wikimedia Commons has media related to AussieBum.

References

  1. ^ Fiona Graham. "Corporate video conquers the internet". BBC. Retrieved 3 December 2010.
  2. ^ a b M. Soundariya Preetha (20 January 2024). "Australian menswear brand 'aussieBum' introduces products in India". The Hindu. Retrieved 20 January 2024.
  3. ^ The Daily Telegraph (3 November 2006). "Wonderbra for men 'enhances'". The Daily Telegraph. UK. Archived from the original on 28 December 2007. Retrieved 18 April 2007.
  4. ^ a b c Freya Petersen (1 February 2008). "Aussiebum: Down Under designs in more ways than one". The NewYork Times. Retrieved 27 May 2019.
  5. ^ Eryk Bagshaw (27 June 2018). "'It's like a backhanded slap': Taxing the pants off small business". The Sydney Morning Hearld.
  6. ^ a b NSW Government. "Have a crack at exporting: aussieBum". export.org.au. Archived from the original on 6 May 2021. Retrieved 30 May 2018.
  7. ^ a b "2000s Australian Export Awards winners". exportawards.gov.au.
  8. ^ Brian Tracey (3 November 2006). "'Wonderjock' proves it's all about packaging". NBC News.
  9. ^ a b c d e f "2000s - Australian exporters stay resilient". exportawards.gov.au.
  10. ^ a b c d e f "CASE STUDY AussieBum" (PDF). concord-h.schools.nsw.gov.au. Retrieved 26 August 2018.
  11. ^ a b International Herald Tribune (21 January 2008). "Aussiebum: Down Under designs in more ways than one". Archived from the original on 29 May 2008. Retrieved 23 May 2008.
  12. ^ Ariel Schwartz. "This Underwear Is Bananas, Literally". Fast Company. Retrieved 11 March 2010.
  13. ^ Staff. "AussieBum Makes World's First Banana Underwear (VIDEO)". Huffpost. Retrieved 6 December 2017.
  14. ^ Christie, Joel (14 September 2011). "AussieBum gives Pauline Hanson $50,000 to strip to her underwear in Celebrity Apprentice car wash". Sydney Confidential The Daily Telegraph. AU. Retrieved 15 December 2011.
  15. ^ James Mcdonald. "Daily Crush: 'Equality' Briefs by AussieBum". Retrieved 3 June 2015.
  16. ^ Nico Arboleda (21 March 2022). "Brisbane's Itoc scores managed services deal with retailer AussieBum". crn.com.au.
  17. ^ Brian Tracey (3 November 2006). "'Wonderjock' proves it's all about packaging". NBC News.
  18. ^ The Daily Telegraph (1 November 2006). "Daily Telegraph: Market grows for under wonder". Reuters. Retrieved 18 April 2007.
  19. ^ Byrnes, Holly (30 September 2006). "Daily Telegraph: Shear art attack". The Daily Telegraph. AU. Archived from the original on 28 December 2007. Retrieved 25 October 2019.
  20. ^ Staff (15 July 2018). "Australian Ninja Warrior contestant attempts course in $25,000 pair of undies". news.com.au.
  21. ^ "NSW exporter aussieBum judged among the nation's best at Australian Export Awards". business.nsw.gov.au. NSW Government. Archived from the original on 17 March 2022. Retrieved 6 December 2017.
  22. ^ "2020s Australian Export Awards winners". exportawards.gov.au.
  23. ^ Staff (20 April 2008). "Giant undies for the Aussie bum". Retrieved 16 July 2013.
  24. ^ "aussieBum on Today Show - Beat World Record for Most Underwear Worn at Once - 200 pairs!".
  25. ^ "aussieBum - 2nd Guinness World Record!".
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