Onsen makes waffle-weave Supima cotton towels inspired by Japanese hot spring bathing culture — rapid-dry, never musty, never stiff — founded on Kickstarter in 2017 and acquired by Pattern Brands in 2022.
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See all ads on AdLibrary →Onsen was founded in New York in 2017 by Shane Monson, who drew on his Japanese heritage to reimagine the bath towel using waffle-weave construction and Supima cotton for rapid drying and permanent softness. Launched on Kickstarter, the brand grew to Amazon and retail distribution before being acquired by Pattern Brands in September 2022. The towels are manufactured at what Monson describes as the world's most advanced textile mill.
Onsen's advertising leads with the functional performance of the waffle weave — rapid drying, no mildew smell, permanent softness — rather than Japanese aesthetic alone. The 'never musty' angle addresses a universal pain point with conventional towels that immediately resonates. Japanese bathing culture context gives the product origin story sophistication. See their ad creatives at AdLibrary.
Facebook and Instagram ads feature the distinctive waffle texture as a visual differentiator against fluffy conventional towels. 'The last towel you'll ever need' messaging runs across both platforms. Rapid-dry demonstrations — towel dry time comparisons — are effective video ad formats. Amazon presence means sponsored product ads supplement social acquisition. Pattern Brands ownership has expanded retail co-marketing.
Copy pillars: performance ('dries in half the time'), anti-mildew ('never smells musty'), quality ('Supima cotton, the rarest American cotton'), Japanese heritage ('inspired by Japanese onsen culture'), and longevity ('softer with every wash, never stiff'). The 'Supima cotton' callout differentiates from Egyptian or standard cotton competitors. 'Never musty' is the highest-performing emotional hook, addressing the smell problem every towel owner has experienced.
Onsen demonstrates how to win in a commodity category (bath towels) through functional performance differentiation — the 'never musty' claim is a specific, verifiable, universally relatable problem that most competitors don't address in advertising. Finding the one functional pain point your product solves that competitors ignore is often more powerful than aesthetics or price in converting a first-time buyer.
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