Manpacks: The Netflix of Underwear
Wednesday, July 21, 2010
For all the men out there – have you ever gotten tired of going shopping for your intimates? Have you ever wished new underwear, undershirts, and socks would miraculously show up at your door every three months, as if from the heavens? Well, now this is a reality with Manpacks, a Providence-based online underwear subscription service that’s already been covered by the likes of The New York Times, Maxim, and NPR. We caught up with co-founders Andrew Draper and Ken Johnson (right) about their vision and the perks of working with underwear all day long.
"You've got better things to do."
Since its launch in early 2010, Manpacks’ popularity has snowballed because of its unique concept: simplicity and access, as dictated by the slogan, “You’ve got better things to do.” As dubbed by the founders, Manpacks is a service for the ‘New Male,’ who is “a work in progress," said Johnson. "But one thing is certain: the world around him is changing. He'll want Manpacks managing his basic essentials, because his free time is worth a lot to him. He shouldn't be overrun by errands for simple maintenance.”
Who's buying?
So far, Manpacks’ primary clients have been young, Web-savvy professionals, largely from the East Coast and California – a mix of both gay and straight men. “The gay community has been very enthusiastic about us," Johnson said. "However, we might disappoint them with our product offering. We've made a decision not to enter the fashion underwear market, and our utilitarian angle doesn’t appeal as much to customers looking for more adventurous options.”
Occasionally, Manpacks has garnered some negative reactions. “Typically, any negativity comes from men who are insulted by our service because of what it might say about them, and from women who see it as proof that men are stupid and lazy,” Johnson said. But the founders have come to embrace this because it signifies that they are making an emotional connection with people.
And finally, the best part of working with underwear? The founders said, “For whatever reason, men's underwear is just kind of funny. Everyone who connects with us for the first time rekindles the humor all over again. We can share laughter with complete strangers.”
Curious? Excited? Check out Manpacks online, here.
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