• by Les Luchter , Staff Writer, 4 hours ago

“Wear your ass on your sleeve,” blares the website for cheeky nonprofit online retailer Worldclass Clothing. “Every purchase helps fund colonoscopies for the underinsured.”

Behind the year-old venture are two colon cancer survivors: fashion stylist Sarah Beran and Brooks Bell, who previously ran her own online brand marketing company and also previously founded the nonprofit that was behind the Colorectal Cancer Alliance’s “Lead from Behind” colonoscopy campaign with Ryan Reynolds.

“Very few apparel companies are 501(c)(3)s,” notes Bell of Worldclass Clothing’s nonprofit status. “100% of our net profit and 10% of every sale goes to our nonprofit partner, the UNC Lineberger Cancer Center,” she tells Pharma & Health Insider. “Through their community outreach and partnerships, we pay for colonoscopies for underinsured people who have a positive stool test showing they are very high-risk.”

“There are so many cancer T-shirt lines out there,” says Beran, “but there’s such a stigma around colonoscopies and colon cancer. No one wants to talk about it [colonoscopies], but it’s not a big deal. And we’re trying to make it more part of wellness trends by creating a cool, chic fashion-forward line that people actually want to wear.”

Observers also often ask wearers about the one-word logo on their apparel, usually the word “Worldclass” -- or sometimes just “ass” on some items  -- and where they could buy it, Beran adds.

So far this year, Worldclass has donated $85,000  to the Cancer Center, which is helping 55 people get colonoscopies.

Worldclass is alsogarnering shoppers through paid ads on Instagram, corporate sponsorships, physical pop-ups, and conference appearances, says Bell.

The Instagram ad will be followed soon by ads on TikTok, Bell says, and the brand also plans to advertise on Pinterest and Google.

The sponsorships include one with Olympus Corp., which sponsored Worldclass’ recent fall line launch festivities in New York.

While I once knew Olympus as a camera company, these days it focuses mostly on medical equipment -- including being the largest manufacturer of colonoscopes, necessary tools for a colonoscopy.

The pop-ups started with a boutique open for a few months in Manhattan Beach, California, where Beran lives.  Bell says a New York City pop-up is being considered for next summer, along with more retail arrangements with general boutiques.

While not involved with its advertising yet, Worldclass does have Baldwin& on board as its agency of record. So far the works includes a photoshoot, website, branding, and this welcome video.

Part of Worldclass’ goal, Bell stresses, is to increase awareness that “colonoscopies prevent colon cancer. A lot of people don’t think about them that way. They [colonoscopies] don’t just diagnose it early, but prevent you from getting colon cancer in the future. We think that’s a really important message that people do not know.

“A colonoscopy removes the polyps from your gut,” Bel explains, “and you basically can’t get colon cancer unless you have a polyp. It’s literally taking the thing out that could make you sick later.”

The Worldclass universe, Bell continues,  is “just regular folks, maybe 35 to 59. We want to change the culture of regular healthy folks who are all at risk for getting colon cancer.”

The Worldclass collection features T-shirts, sweatshirts and pants, socks,  a tote, hat, and hoodie, and a tush-shaped Butt Mug, priced from $20 to $145.

Worldclass carries clothing and accessories for both men and women, because “anyone with a colon can get colon cancer,” Bell says.

But the brand’s marketing primarily targets women, Bell adds, “because they drive a lot of the health conversations for the whole family.”

As an apparel retailer, Worldclass also knows that a critical time to push its product -- and its message -- is during the holidays.

The brand has just launched a seasonal $85 “Holiday Bundle,” promoted with this Instagram ad. The package contains a pair of socks, a yellow beanie, a “cheek” holiday card and the Butt Mug.

“We're putting the ASS back in X-mASS,” proclaims Worldclass. “Tis Better to Give Ass Than to Receive.”