Changing of the Guard

We all remember the big controversy back in 1999. Oh, you don't? Well, then let me remind you. It was the Women's World Cup final and it had come down to penalty shots. Brandi scored the winning shot for the USA and immediately stripped off her shirt to reveal the infamous Nike sports bra. Apparently that was the first time a women had ever gone in public with a sports bra because that event was talked about forever and is still remembered today.

Fast forward now to 2008 Beijing Olympics. The women's USA team was playing Brazil in the final for the gold medal. After a gruelling match the USA win it 1-0 and in the midst of the celebration it happens again. Natasha Kai rips off her shirt to once again reveal her sports bra. Only this time it is not a classy, black, poster worthy sports bra that the marketing companies love with the easy-to-see Nike logo. Rather, it is a pink one with white swirls on it...and to make things even worse, there is no brand logo to be seen! How can a marketer ever use that for any type of advertising!!

Take a look at the two photos...the first one being Brandi and the second one being Natasha.















I write this post not to show you pictures of girls in sports bras (just go outside on a hot day to see that) but rather how the image seems to have changed over the years. The first photo is a white girl, well built, classy sports bra with obvious branding, long hair. Basically your poster child for the all around athletic girl (which she basically became with that shot!). The second picture is of a girl (not sure if Caucasian or not...she is from Hawaii so maybe just really tanned), tattoos everywhere (there are even more tattoos of writing on the other side of her torso that you can't see in this photo), with a pink and white swirly bra with no branding.

I'm just speculating here, but I don't think if that second shot would have happened back in 1999 it would have even been popular. Back then tattoos really weren't that popular and I think people would have looked at her as a little weird. Does wearing a non-branded sports bra show how disassociated the younger generation is with brands? I'm sure she would have worn that bra on purpose knowing that she would most likely take off her shirt if they win. I just find it interesting how times have changed and the images and acceptance of certain things have changed over the last 10 years.

What do you think? Am I reading too much into this? Do you think our accepted image of people has changed in the last 10 years?

(Oh, and if you want to know what happened to Brandi's Nike sports bra...it's in her drawer with all the other sports bras she wears)