Gap-owned retailer Athleta is kicking off Women’s History Month with the first installment of a new multiphase campaign designed to serve as an empowerment anthem for women and girls. “Find Your Movement,” which launched today (March 1), is also meant to cement the brand’s goal of championing the power of movement in all of its various forms. 

The latest effort from the athletic apparel marketer spotlights a Power of She Collective established by the retailer in 2023 that focuses on iconic women athletes. The ambassador group is an extension of Athleta’s Power of She campaign narrative first introduced in 2016. 

“Power of She doesn’t ask anything of you, it’s there as an entity. ‘Find Your Movement’ completes the sentence,” said Julia Leach, chief creative officer at Athleta. “Your movement could be myriad, [it] looks a million different ways, but it can also be this bigger idea of the movement that, frankly, is still so needed in the world around women’s empowerment and gender equality.”

“Find Your Movement,” which will be a long-term addition to the brand, at launch spans connected TV (CTV), digital and streaming video, rich media and digital out-of-home elements in key markets like Los Angeles and New York City. Both paid and organic social media across Meta, Snapchat, Reddit and TikTok will support the push. In addition, Athleta is running a full-page print ad in The New York Times on March 10. Extensions of the campaign will drop throughout the year, specifically around the Summer Olympics, and include an expansive pop-up event and impact-focused Power of She platform.

At the center of “Find Your Movement” is an upbeat, 30-second hero spot starring decorated gymnast Simone Biles and professional triathlete Katie Zaferes, both established brand partners, along with other athletes who are seen performing in their element. The ad will be shared in 15- and 30-second cuts across YouTube, Hulu, Peacock and other CTV partners through April 15. The campaign was conceived and produced internally.

Igniting a ‘rally cry’ 

Athleta ramping up marketing arrives during a tricky time for business. Gap, which also owns Old Navy and Banana Republic, reported net sales of $3.8 billion in the third quarter of 2023, a 7% decline from the year-ago period. Athleta — which also recently appointed a new CEO — saw net sales slide 18% year-over-year to $279 million in Q3. During the period, the division was focused on reconnecting with its core customer base through better products and brand-right marketing, per an earnings statement. 

Shifts in Athleta’s marketing of late have included leading more with the brand versus product and being bolder around its support of women’s empowerment, according to Leach. “Find Your Movement” is representative of where the brand plans to go. 

“[‘Find Your Movement' is] really a rally cry, it’s really that we intend to impact and influence culture in a much more thought leadership way,” Leach said. “I think ‘Find Your Movement’ is absolutely the spark that will light the fire for this brand.” 

Timed to the unveiling of its latest campaign, Athleta also announced that competitive swimmer and 10-time Olympic medalist Katie Ledecky will join the Power of She Collective as part of a five-year partnership and appear alongside other members within future installments of the campaign. Ledecky will participate in product wear testing, sport Athleta attire and appear in key brand-building efforts. Additionally, the swimmer will serve as an advisor to the Power of She Fund, which supports organizations aligned with the marketer’s mission.

Other ambassadors in the collective come from a variety of sports backgrounds, including figure skating, basketball, swimming and paralympic snowboarding. Members of the Power of She Collective have influence over Athleta’s innovative performance products, can access mentorship opportunities and participate in Power of She impact programs. 

Paid and organic social media activations will support “Find Your Movement,” specifically on Instagram and TikTok, where Athleta will leverage the stories of real people who embody the campaign’s ethos around celebrating movement in its various forms. More social-first activations will appear in later installments, according to Leach. 

The next phase of Athleta’s campaign will include a pop-up event in Los Angeles in May that features various workshops. The brand held a similar event, Move with Athleta, last November in New York City. In June, the retailer will unveil a spot that will serve as an emotional tribute to Biles ahead of the Summer Olympics, which will take place in Paris in July. The brand will also activate during the Olympics with engaging storytelling while supporting both Biles and Ledecky, Leach said.

Beyond the Olympics, Athleta plans to launch an impact platform in September that centers around events, community and advocacy. Meant to embody the Power of She ethos, the initiative represents another way the retailer is anchoring itself in values around inclusivity year-round and showing consumers what it stands for.

“There is generally a mission for us to make a difference in the world that runs very deep, and that’s what we’ll be doing more with the platform that we launch in September so that it’s something meaningful,” said Leach. “It’s not just more content or a light lift, it will be about truly mattering in the world around the topic of women’s empowerment.”