Sports Illustrated x Dove: Sports reIllustrated

ABOUT THIS ENTRY

Sports reIllustrated is a purpose-driven partnership between Dove and Sports Illustrated that champions diversity, equity, and inclusion by profiling ten uniquely inspiring young female athletes. By elevating stories of girls from marginalized backgrounds, adaptive sports, and male-dominated arenas, the campaign dismantles harmful stereotypes and promotes equal opportunities for all girls to confidently participate in the sports they love.

How does this represent "Excellence in Engagement"?

Sports reIllustrated set a new benchmark for what it means to create content with a Diversity, Equity, Inclusion and Belonging lens - transforming a mainstream sports media platform into a powerful engine for representation and social change. 

By showcasing marginalized voices—including adaptive athletes, girls with chronic illnesses, and young women of color in underserved communities—in the iconic Sports Illustrated magazine, the publication is redefining what a successful athlete looks like. Giving these young athletes the same respect, visibility, and praise as "real" athletes, Sports Illustrated is proving that talent, skill, and perseverance know no limitations, challenging traditional perceptions of athletic achievement.

Through successful projects such as Sports reIllustrated, Dove and Sports Illustrated are showing an entire generation of young athletes that they can do whatever they put their mind to - regardless of age, shape or size. A mindset that is sure to inspire others to follow suit, creating a sports environment where every girl, regardless of her background or body type, feels she truly belongs in the game.

Objective

The creation of Sports reIllustrated was driven by a single critical objective: to actively reshape the exclusionary narrative surrounding girls in sports and promote equal opportunities for all.

Dove, the largest provider of self-esteem education globally, found that 48% of girls who do drop out of sports are told, at some point or another, that they have the “wrong body type”.This harmful criticism disproportionately impacts girls whose bodies, backgrounds, or abilities do not fit traditional molds, and severely erodes their confidence and leads to withdrawal from the physical activities they love. 

In response, Dove partnered with Sports Illustrated to create a powerful counter-narrative. Sports reIllustrated is a special collection of profiles on exceptionally inspiring young female athletes from across the US that proves that strength, athleticism, and success come in all shapes, sizes and abilities. By directly challenging harmful stereotypes, the initiative aimed to  build self-esteem and foster a profound sense of belonging for underrepresented girls in sports.

Strategy & Execution

Sports Illustrated used powerful storytelling, intentional timing and robust multimedia distribution to maximize Sports reIllustrated’s impact and ensure the campaign reached the modern sports fan where they live.

Sports Illustrated made a deliberate commitment to inclusivity, profiling ten young athletes across a wide spectrum of sports and life experiences. To champion true equity and inclusion, the project highlighted athletes breaking barriers, such as Krin Brown, a Black lacrosse player with Juvenile Rheumatoid Arthritis playing in a league designed to introduce predominantly white sports to athletes of color; Noelani Spicer and Carmen Wilkey, both record-setting adaptive athletes with physical disabilities; and Honor Smoke, a Native American girl successfully wrestling in boys' brackets.

To capture peak public attention, the project strategically launched ahead of Super Bowl LIX, utilizing the massive platform of the sports season's biggest event. In tandem, Sports Illustrated and Dove hosted an in-person event in New Orleans to foster real-world conversations around body positivity and inclusion.

The content was distributed as an immersive digital hub featuring in-depth profiles, high-quality photography and video content, complemented by a dedicated social media strategy across both Sports Illustrated and Dove’s channels, as well as physical inclusion in Sports Illustrated's March 2025 print issue.

Organizations

• Sports Illustrated

  Dove

Links

•   Website

Credits

Honor Smoke
Athlete

Krin Brown
Athlete

Calyx Watkins
Athlete

Julia Dinar
Athlete

Noelani Spicer
Athlete

Lala Scholl
Athlete

Pepper Persley
Athlete

Carmen Wilkey
Athlete

Liana Chan
Athlete

Ja'Nor Elzie
Athlete