Sports Illustrated has become Sports ReIllustrated ahead of the Super Bowl, in partnership with Dove as part of its ongoing “Body Confident Sport” program.
Honor Dayagaö’ Smoke, a 10-year-old wrestler from the Tonawanda Reservation, is the cover star of the historic promo issue of the magazine, which will be available to subscribers as part of the March issue from February 13.
The collaboration comes ahead Super Bowl 59, where Dove will air a 30-second spot from Ogilvy during the game’s fourth quarter. The commercial will address that nearly half of girls drop out of sports by age 14 due to low body confidence.
“At Dove, we know the prevalence of body talk in sports—which often focuses on appearance over ability—harms girls’ body confidence,” said Marcela Melero, chief growth officer at Dove Personal Care North America in a statement.
He cited Dove data that shows 48% of girls drop out of sports after being told they have the wrong body type, adding: “It’s time to inspire change, not just in how we see young athletes, but in how we speak to them.”
The Unilever-owned brand’s Big Game plans follow its 2024 Super Bowl campaign which depicted girls practicing sports to the tune of “It’s a Hard-Knock Life,” from the musical Annie.
A self-esteem Super Bowl
In collaboration with Dove’s network of Body Confident Sport partners, including Boys & Girls Clubs of America, Big Brothers Big Sisters of America, Women’s National Football Conference, Women’s Sports Foundation, the Positive Coaching Alliance, and others, Sports ReIllustrated “celebrates the stories of everyday athletes and rising stars bringing confidence to the world of sports,” Dove said in a statement.
It features profiles on athletes including Noelani Spicer, a 12 year-old track and field para-athlete from San Antonio, TX; Carmen Wilkey, a 12 year-old track and field athlete from Severance, CO; and Calyx Watkins, a 14 year-old basketball player from Detroit, MI.
