Activewear giant Sweaty Betty has offered a personal trainer a £4,000 settlement in a contentious dispute over a body confidence slogan, on condition she stops challenging the company's use of the phrase and keeps the payment confidential.
The Origins of a Viral Movement
Georgina Cox, a 34-year-old personal trainer from Middlesbrough, claims the fitness brand used her slogan 'Wear The Damn Shorts' without proper credit or permission in their recent marketing campaigns. The phrase originally gained viral attention during the 2020 Covid pandemic when Ms Cox posted a picture of the words written on her thigh.
She created the rallying cry for body confidence to inspire her younger sister, but it quickly resonated with women and girls across the UK. The slogan's popularity led to appearances on ITV's Loose Women and features in prominent women's magazines including Cosmopolitan.
From Collaboration to Conflict
Three years after the slogan went viral, Sweaty Betty approached Ms Cox seeking permission to launch a 'Wear the Damn Shorts' campaign. According to the personal trainer, she initially consented hoping to inspire more women and received £3,500 to promote the company's campaign through her social media channels.
However, the situation deteriorated when Ms Cox alleges the fitness company continued using the phrase without her involvement. She claims the brand launched a third annual campaign based around the slogan without her knowledge, discovering it through friends rather than direct communication from the company.
Legal representatives for Ms Cox issued a cease and desist letter, but she maintains the firm has persisted in using the slogan regardless. The dispute has taken a significant personal toll, with Ms Cox reporting experiencing panic attacks and hair loss due to the stress of the situation.
The Gagging Order Controversy
Recent developments revealed through BBC reports indicate Sweaty Betty offered a £4,000 settlement contingent on several conditions. The terms would require Ms Cox to permit continued company use of the slogan, refrain from challenging its future use, avoid making public statements about the firm, and maintain confidentiality regarding settlement details.
In an emotional Instagram statement on Thursday, Ms Cox expressed her determination to continue fighting. 'I'm scared and struggling but I'm doing this for every woman who has ever been called 'bitter' for defending herself,' she wrote. 'I'm doing it for every woman who has ever been threatened into silence and forced to keep their pain secret.'
The personal trainer also claims that after posting about the dispute online, Sweaty Betty allegedly threatened to sue her for defamation, leaving her 'terrified' but resolved to continue her fight.
Company Response and Ongoing Battle
A Sweaty Betty spokesperson told the BBC: 'We have great respect for the community Ms Cox has built around body confidence and empowerment, and were surprised and saddened to find ourselves in this situation.'
The company maintained that 'Wear the Damn Shorts' has been part of their campaign for three years and was chosen because it 'perfectly captures what Sweaty Betty stands for.' They added that while 'none of us has exclusive legal rights to this phrase, we have always aimed to respect Ms Cox's association with it.'
Ms Cox has established a GoFundMe campaign to support her legal fees, which has raised nearly £8,000 to date. She has committed to donating any unused funds to Rubies, a charity supporting disadvantaged girls in her hometown of Middlesbrough.
The slogan remains active on Sweaty Betty's website as the dispute continues, highlighting the ongoing tension between individual creators and major corporations in the digital age.
