• by Sarah Mahoney , August 12, 2025

Billie has made a name for itself with playful, unexpected campaigns that challenge beauty norms about body hair — and make people talk. After this summer’s viral scratch-and-sniff out-of-home armpit ads, the personal care brand is back with a collab straight from the infomercial kitsch aisle: a Chia Pet with armpit hair.

The limited-edition Billie Chia Pet comes complete with terracotta underarms, ready to sprout a fuzzy green patch. The campaign includes a remake of the Chia Pet's iconic 1970s infomercial — yes, the “Ch-ch-ch-chia!” jingle — as well as outdoor ads in Los Angeles and New York, and giveaways across Instagram and TikTok.

Catherine Wolpe, Billie’s general manager, says the idea grew out of Billie's ongoing mission to “quietly and subtly advance a message that empowers women” while delivering something unexpected for the category. “It’s very playful, a little out of left field, but still delivering the message,” she says.

The campaign also taps into the odd phenomenon of “borrowed nostalgia” — reaching millennials who may remember the original Chia Pet along with Gen Zers encountering it for the first time. “Whether you grew up with it or are seeing it now, it’s an undeniably cute item and designed to start a conversation,” Wolpe says.

While Billie doesn’t aim for a set cadence of stunts, Wolpe says the team is always looking for ways to “surprise and delight,” whether the idea comes from internal brainstorms or an external partner. Earlier this summer, it collaborated with Ian Charms for a bikini charm bracelet meant to celebrate “Big bush summer,” and included a tiny hairbrush and “I (Heart) Fuzz” charm.

“We want to make sure that as culture is moving, we’re continuing to have a role in conversations that are happening,” she says.

The Chia Pet armpit might not move many units, but for Billie, it’s another way to plant the brand firmly in the social feed — and keep the conversation growing.