Sports Illustrated x Dove: Sports reIllustrated

ABOUT THIS ENTRY

Sports reIllustrated is a purpose-driven partnership between Dove and Sports Illustrated that profiled diverse, inspiring young female athletes to actively reshape the conversation around girls and sports. By directly challenging harmful body-type stereotypes, the campaign aimed to build self-esteem and keep young girls confident in the games they love.

How does this represent "Excellence in Engagement"?

Sports reIllustrated not only transformed a mainstream sports media platform into a powerful engine for social change, it also dramatically increased the visibility of various youth sports for new, massive audiences. 

By engaging audiences through deeply personal storytelling and highlighting everyday challenges that youth athletes face such as asthma, juvenile arthritis or being the only girl on a boys' team, the campaign created an inside look into the lives of young athletes. 

Furthermore, by including these athletes within the pages of the iconic Sports Illustrated magazine - a staple in sports media for over 7 decades - Sports reIllustrated successfully redefined the athlete archetype. By leveraging the immense cultural cachet of Sports Illustrated to share authentic, personal stories, the partnership didn't just increase audience engagement; it permanently shifted the narrative, cementing youth athletes and their challenges as integral to the broader sports conversation.

Objective

The creation of Sports reIllustrated was driven by a single critical objective: to actively reshape the conversation surrounding girls and sports to build confidence and retain their involvement in the sports they love. 

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 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 not only demonstrated that strength, athleticism and success come in all forms, but also directly challenged harmful stereotypes by encouraging young girls to embrace their bodies and continue to pursue their athletic passions.

Strategy & Execution

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

Sports Illustrated made a deliberate commitment to inclusivity, profiling youth athletes from across the US & across a wide spectrum of sports including Honor Smoke (wrestling), Calyx Watkins (basketball), Liana Chan (hockey), Krin Brown (lacrosse), Ja’nor Elzie (basketball), Pepper Persley (basketball), Carmen Wilkey (track & field), Noelani Spicer (archery), Lala Scholl (soccer) & Julia Dinar (fencing). This ensured the initiative was authentic, relatable & highly inspirational. 

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 & Dove hosted an in-person event in New Orleans to foster real-world conversations around body positivity. The event took place at a local Boys & Girls Club to reinforce the initiative’s purpose - using sports & storytelling to inspire & uplift youth.

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

Organizations

• Sports Illustrated

  Dove

Links

•   Website

Featured

• 1. Honor Smoke (wrestling)
  2. Calyx Watkins (basketball)
  3. Liana Chan (hockey)
  4. Krin Brown (lacrosse)
  5. Ja’nor Elzie (basketball)
  6. Pepper Persley (basketball)
  7. Carmen Wilkey (track & field)
  8. Noelani Spicer (archery)
  9. Lala Scholl (soccer)
  10. Julia Dinar (fencing)

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