N Brown Group, the inclusive fashion and retail platform, today (September 21) unveils the latest Autumn/Winter campaign from its leading menswear brand Jacamo, ‘Jacamo vs Nature’, starring former England rugby international and Jacamo brand ambassador Joe Marler, alongside former professional boxer Tony Bellew.
The campaign marks the next phase of Jacamo’s partnership with Marler following his appointment as brand ambassador earlier this year. For Autumn/Winter, he is joined by Bellew as the pair head into the great outdoors to take on an epic challenge and a series of missions – including abseiling, kayaking, and reservoir jumping – all inspired by nature and the four elements.
Combining the pair’s competitive personalities and humour with Jacamo’s Autumn/Winter collection, Jacamo vs Nature puts both the men and their clothing to the test. The pair take on a series of challenges that see them confront the elements as well as their own personal fears. Marler, who cannot swim, is challenged to jump from a rock face into a deep reservoir, while Bellew, who is afraid of heights, takes on an abseil down a cliff face.
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Beyond the physical challenges, Jacamo vs Nature also explores the pressures facing men today and what it means to show strength. New research commissioned by Jacamo found that 40% of men find it easier to face a physical fear than admit an emotional struggle.
The research, conducted among 2,000 men aged 25 to 55, also found that 94% have experienced
what they describe as a “dark period” in life – a time when they felt overwhelmed, lost, isolated or were struggling beneath the surface. Among those, almost a third (31%) said nobody knew how much they were really struggling.
Reflecting these findings, Joe and Tony open up throughout the campaign about attitudes towards masculinity and the expectation to “man up”, as well as work and financial pressures, loneliness, checking in with friends and family, and the importance of opening up when things become difficult.
A 10-minute film is available on the dedicated Jacamo campaign page and Jacamo’s YouTube channel. The campaign is also running across Jacamo’s social channels, and Sky and ITVX, directing viewers to watch the full film on Jacamo.
As part of the campaign, Jacamo is partnering with men’s suicide prevention charity Andy’s Man Club, which provides free, volunteer-led peer-to-peer support groups for men across the UK. From campaign launch until 31 December, Jacamo will donate £1 to Andy’s Man Club for every Jacamo branded sweatshirt, hoodie or jogger sold, supporting the charity’s work to challenge the stigma surrounding men’s mental health and encourage more men to talk.
Esme Stone, head of brand at N Brown, said: “Following the fantastic response to our partnership with Joe, we wanted to build on that momentum for Autumn/Winter with a campaign that feels unmistakably Jacamo: entertaining, authentic and rooted in the things that matter to our customers.
“We wanted this campaign to play with the idea of strength – both physical and emotional. The research shows that many men still struggle to talk about what they’re going through, and why creating space for those conversations matters. ‘Jacamo vs Nature’ gives us a brilliant opportunity to showcase our Autumn/Winter collection, while Joe and Tony’s natural chemistry brings the campaign to life. Both are known for their physical strength, competitiveness and humour, but what makes this campaign powerful is their willingness to talk openly about the pressures men face. Seeing two men so closely associated with traditional masculinity embrace vulnerability is incredibly important, and we hope it encourages other men to do the same.
“Our partnership with Andy’s Man Club builds on those conversations, helping encourage more men to check in with their mates and talk openly.”
Marler, added: “I’ve really enjoyed working with Jacamo as a brand ambassador, so it’s been great to get stuck into another campaign with them – especially one that involved working alongside Tony. We’re both very competitive, so there was plenty of messing about, but we also had some proper, honest conversations along the way. Men aren’t always great at saying how they’re really doing, so if this campaign encourages a few more people to check in with their mates, that’s a good thing.”
His fellow brand ambassador Bellew, fa ormer professional boxer and pundit, said: “I’m always up for a challenge, so when Jacamo asked me to work alongside Joe to take on some outdoors challenges, I couldn’t say no. We had a lot of fun taking on the elements and putting the gear through its paces, but what I enjoyed most were the conversations we had along the way.
“There’s still a lot of pressure on men to be tough, keep things to themselves and just get on with it. Sometimes the strongest thing you can do is talk to someone and let them know how you’re really doing. If this campaign gets a few more lads checking in on their mates, then that can only be a good thing.”
Men’s mental health charity Andy’s Man Club’s head of partnerships Luke Ambler said: “We’re thrilled to partner with Jacamo on a campaign that helps bring conversations around men’s mental health into the everyday. When men who are used to talking about strength and performance are prepared to talk openly about how they’re really doing, it can help challenge the idea that vulnerability is weakness. Through this partnership, we hope to encourage more men to check in with each other, open up and know that support is there when they need it.”
