Dove and Sports Illustrated have announced the new Sports reIllustrated campaign to help celebrate the prowess of female athletes and help them feel more confident in their capabilities. The campaign includes a special edition of the magazine that will feature a total of 10 young athletes with 10-year-old Honor Smoke on the cover to further drive home the focus on young athletes. The special edition of the magazine will hit newsstands in March 2025.
Chief Growth Officer, Dove Personal Care North America spoke on the Dove and Sports Illustrated campaign saying, "At Dove, we know the prevalence of body talk in sports - which often focuses on appearance over ability - harms girls' body confidence… As the leader in self-esteem and body confidence education, Dove is excited to partner with a major titan in sports media to change the game and help give girls the confidence they need to thrive playing the sports they love."
Key Themes Behind This Trend
- Youth-centric Empowerment Campaigns
- Campaigns focusing on empowering young athletes can reshape public perceptions and promote self-esteem.
- Body-positive Sports Initiatives
- Body-positive movements in sports media disrupt traditional narratives by prioritizing skills and capabilities over physical appearance.
- Collaborative Branding in Women’s Sports
- Joint campaigns between personal care brands and sports media bring attention to the importance of confidence beyond athletic ability.
- Diverse Role Models in Sports Media
- Featuring diverse athletes in prominent publications can influence the cultural shift towards inclusivity and representation.
Where This Applies
- Sports Media
- Empowered branding partnerships in sports media can cultivate a more inclusive narrative and alter consumer engagement.
- Personal Care
- Investing in campaigns that intersect with sports and self-esteem provides personal care brands a platform to expand their social impact messaging.
- Youth Sports Apparel
- A focus on young female athletes presents a chance for sports apparel industries to cater directly to an underserviced demographic.
