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Personal trainer Georgina Cox from Middlesbrough has come forward with claims that the women’s activewear brand Sweaty Betty used her “Wear The Damn Shorts” slogan in their marketing campaign without giving her any credit. Cox, who coined the phrase originally on her Instagram to empower women to wear what they want regardless of body shape, revealed that the company later offered her a settlement of £4,000. This offer was contingent on her agreement not to contest the use of the slogan further and to keep the arrangement confidential.
Cox explained that she created the slogan in 2020 for her younger sister, and it quickly gained popularity. In 2023, a marketing executive from Sweaty Betty reached out to her, acknowledging the similarity between their planned campaign messaging and her previous posts, and asked for her approval to proceed. Following this, Cox was paid £3,500 to promote the campaign on social media. However, in the third year of the campaign, she was reportedly excluded entirely from the process, learning about the ongoing use of the slogan only after the fact. This omission left her feeling deeply hurt and unsupported by a company she believed should champion women’s empowerment.
After discovering the uncredited use of the slogan, Cox’s lawyer sent Sweaty Betty a legal cease and desist letter, demanding they stop using the phrase. In response, she was described as “bitter” and faced threats of legal action for defamation after speaking about the issue publicly. Cox described the experience as frightening and profoundly stressful, impacting her mental and physical health. She said, “They are such a big company and I am just one woman and to be threatened by them is incredibly scary.” She has called for an apology from Sweaty Betty and for the company to commit to fair pay for influencers.
Sweaty Betty, in response, stated that they “respectfully disagree” with Cox’s assertions. The company emphasized that the slogan “Wear The Damn Shorts” had been part of their campaign for three years and that while no one holds exclusive rights to the phrase, they have tried to respect Cox’s association with it. They also noted their willingness to resolve the matter amicably, offering the £4,000 settlement with the condition that Cox would not publicly dispute the slogan’s use and would maintain confidentiality. A spokesperson expressed appreciation for Cox’s work promoting body confidence but conveyed disappointment over the dispute
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