‍When Kim Kardashian’s Skims dropped a thong with fake pubic hair, it sold out in hours and broke the internet.

But it also left many women asking: “Is this empowerment… or just a stunt?”
Let’s talk about the moment bold branding crosses the line.

I’ll be honest.
When I first saw the campaign, I thought it was fake.
Like, surely this was some kind of AI-generated fashion troll.
But nope. It was real.

Skims really made a hyper-thin thong… with a synthetic bush. And people really bought it.

Which left me with one big branding question:

Where’s the line between marketing that empowers… and marketing that just shocks you into buying something?

Because in this case, I’m not sure anymore.

As a brand, Skims has always been fascinating.

It’s built its empire on body positivity, on celebrating curves instead of hiding them.
They’ve made shapewear cool again: edgy, inclusive, confident.
You can’t deny how powerful that is in an industry that used to scream, “Shrink yourself to fit.”

But this?

It didn’t feel empowering. It felt like a performance of empowerment, a clever way to get attention

Because when everything (from stretch marks to body hair) becomes marketable, it raises a bigger question:

Are we still celebrating women’s bodies, or are we turning them into just another marketing tool all over again, just in a more “relatable” aesthetic?

And that’s the danger for every brand that plays with provocation:
You can’t just slap a bush on a thong and call it a feminist statement.
You can’t always provoke and then hide behind the word “empowerment” when people question the intent.

Sometimes, empowerment starts to feel like a costume — a performance — a vibe you sell when the story gets thin.

Bold ≠ Outrageous

To be clear, I don’t think bold branding is bad.

I love when brands take a risk, punch up, challenge norms, flip beauty standards on their heads.
I live for campaigns that make you uncomfortable in a good way, the kind that makes you rethink what you thought you knew.

But I also believe that not every “bold” campaign is empowering.
And lately, it feels like some brands, even the smart ones, have confused exploitation for empowerment with better lighting.

Like, just because you put it on a Kardashian body, pair it with the word “liberation,” and give it a sleek nude palette… doesn’t mean it’s not still profiting off a pain point.

So what does this mean for small brands like us?

Look, not every brand has the luxury of pulling a Skims stunt and getting a million eyeballs overnight.
But that doesn’t mean you can’t learn from it.

In fact, this kind of moment is the perfect reminder:
If you want a brand that lasts, you need more than attention, you need alignment.

Here’s what that looks like in practice:

✅ 1. Define your “No-Go Zones”

Before you try to be “bold,” know what lines you won’t cross.
Ask yourself:
→ Are there themes or topics that feel off-limits for my brand?
→ Would this make my current audience feel empowered, or just confused?

This is how you avoid veering into performative territory.
Small brands don’t have the luxury of cleaning up PR messes, so define your brand’s red flags early.

✅ 2. Audit your messaging through the lens of belief, not buzz

Before you post something “edgy” or “viral-worthy,” ask:
→ Does this connect to what we believe?
→ Could we stand behind this message a year from now, or would we cringe?

The best small brands aren’t trend-chasers.
They repeat their message in 100 creative ways, until it sticks.

✅ 3. Don’t just tell a story. Own the source of it.

It’s easy to slap “body positivity” or “empowerment” into your captions.
But real empowerment doesn’t live in buzzwords, it lives in proof.

Instead of saying, “We’re all about inclusivity,”
→ Show the actual faces in your community.
→ Feature your real customers, unfiltered.
→ Highlight the lived experiences behind your product, not just the aesthetic.

In short: don’t borrow a narrative you haven’t earned.

✅ 4. Pressure-test your bold ideas before you launch

If something feels risky or provocative, test it on a smaller scale.
→ Share it in Stories first.
→ Send it to 5 customers you trust.
→ Ask: “Does this land as intended?”

Bold doesn’t have to mean reckless.
Smart brands validate before they go all in.

✅ 5. Don’t aim to be shocking. Aim to be specific.

Instead of trying to “stand out,” try to stand for something, clearly.
→ The more specific your brand values, the easier it is to filter creative ideas.
→ Specificity is how you stay memorable and aligned.

Because most brands don’t fail from being boring.
They fail from being all over the place.

Want the TL;DR?

Skims can afford to be controversial.
You, as a growing brand?
You can afford to be clear.