After days of saying nothing, Bonds has finally responded to the boycott that followed its decision to sign Adam Hyde as the face of its 25th anniversary Guyfront campaign. The response did not mention Hyde. It did not address why a man who told Australians to "just die," was chosen to represent the brand. It told customers to keep the conversation respectful, and then limited the comments.
The full statement, posted by @bondsaus as a pinned comment on its own campaign post, read:
"Hi everyone. We know this campaign has sparked some conversation and while we always welcome respectful discussion from all perspectives, we won't tolerate inappropriate or offensive language, or personal attacks. To help keep this a safe and welcoming space for everyone, comments of this nature will be removed. While we always aim to moderate quickly, at times it may not be as quickly as we would like. Thanks for helping us keep the conversation respectful. Thanks, Bonds."
The irony was not lost on the people reading it. Hyde's own video, in which he told Australians who'd marched against immigration to "just die", called them "scum" and "a stain on this country", was filmed with his partner Abbie Chatfield and posted publicly for the world to see. That was not moderated or addressed. That was not removed or cancelled for offensive language. Bonds signed him for it. The only comments Bonds has actually policed are the ones from its own customers, pointing out the hypocrisy.
"Whoever is behind this campaign has killed a beloved brand"
The comment section did not take the statement well. @ljwotherspoon, whose reply drew 1,354 likes, was direct:
"stop with the customer clapbacks. Whoever is behind this campaign and social media response is seriously tone deaf and has killed a beloved brand. You want the conversation to remain respectful, but there is nothing respectful about this ambassador choice."
@gin.hartz, with 469 likes, put it plainly:
"hmmm... must be nice to be in a position to very selectively pretend to care about safety and offensive language. You realise this person and their partner threaten and use offensive language against anyone who holds a different opinion to theirs, publicly, on the regular?"
@chelley_obrien79, with 177 likes, asked the question Bonds hasn't answered:
"what about inappropriate and offensive comments Adam and Abbie have made? Big swing and a miss."
@macethecreator, with 160 likes, named the competitors already moving on the defectors:
"so you'll only remove comments that suit you, I presume? Either way you slice it up, this campaign is just brand s..cide. You are already under attack from gun brands like StepOne and Tradie. And then this...best of luck fam."
@anthonywilliamson_pt kept it to one word: "ironic....." That comment got 91 likes.
@_jack_jack_293_ wrote: "literally wishing death apon people, burning my bonds tomorrow." 267 likes.
Video: Instagram/@abbiechatfield. Adam Hyde and Abbie Chatfield in the clip where he told immigration marchers to "die."
Owned by a Canadian company, Bonds, Bras N Things, Berlei and Sheridan are all up for sale
One comment cut through the noise differently. @greglees, with 805 likes, pointed out that Bonds is owned by Canadian company Gildan Activewear, and that there are Australian-owned companies manufacturing better quality underwear made locally with ethically sourced materials. He was right, and the ownership story runs deeper than most customers realise.
The brands caught up in the deal are some of Australia's most recognisable. Bonds, Bras N Things, Berlei and Sheridan are all owned by Hanes Australasia. When Canadian company Gildan completed its acquisition of HanesBrands on 1 December 2025 in a deal worth approximately $2.2 billion, it classified the entire Hanes Australasia business as held for sale and discontinued operations, and has since launched a formal sale process. Four household Australian labels, now foreign-owned and on the block. It was the kind of comment that turns a PR crisis into a market shift. Once customers start researching who actually owns the brand, the campaign hasn't just lost them. It's sent them somewhere else permanently.
Heston Russell and Big Chocky put their hands up, but Bonds ignored it
After the statement failed to calm the response, Bonds limited comments on the post entirely. The brand has now spoken and stayed silent at the same time acknowledging that "some conversation" has been sparked while refusing to name what sparked it, defend the decision, or engage with a single substantive criticism raised by its own customers.
A Special Forces Veteran and one of Australia's biggest online voices publicly offered to replace Hyde, with Heston Russell commenting "let's do it" and Big Chocky tagging Bonds directly with a counter offer. Bonds did not respond to either. It moderated its comment section instead.
Lucy Zelić named the rule on 2GB: the wind only blows one way in this country. Sign someone the establishment approves of and you're rewarded. Sign someone they don't and you get the silence treatment when the backlash arrives. It's the same rule that saw Karl Stefanovic's Nine career end within days of an interview, while Adam Hyde got a national campaign after telling Australians to die. Bonds is learning that lesson now, one deleted comment at a time.
The customers who've walked are not coming back for a moderation policy. They're coming back for an answer. Bonds hasn't given them one and the boycott continues.
