On May 22, 2019, The New York Times published an opinion pieced by Alyson Felix, titled, “My own Nike Pregnancy Story.” It came on the heels of similar outings by Alysia Montaño and Kara Goucher. You can read the opinion to hear directly from Felix about her experiences. As a summary, she noted a disconnect between the promise by Nike that she could use their platform to empower women and girls while she herself was essentially being disempowered for being a woman.
Just two months later, Athleta, announced Alyson Felix as their first sponsored athlete. When Gap Inc, the parent company of Athleta announced the partnership on their site, she was quoted as saying, “It was important for me to find a partner that championed my values. I am particularly moved by the community of women and girls Athleta is empowering through sport. I feel powerful when I step on the track in Athleta, representing this community.”
When I was alerted to this, it was in the form of a marketing email. Seeing the announcement, I instantly thought how perfect an example this was of a brand fitting with a spokesperson. There is an alignment with Felix’s personal wishes, the trajectory of her experiences, and the heart of Athleta’s core values. Alyson Felix’s story is that of a woman who is claiming her power and is working to ensure that other women are safe, cared for, and empowered themselves. This connects to the mission of Athleta, a company with the tagline of Power of She. It is a B corporation with focus on not only empowering the women who wear their clothes, but all those who are involved throughout the supply chain. Through coming together partnership, Felix and Athleta, along with the Women’s Sport Foundation, will provide child care grants for professional female athletes while they travel for competitions. This combines Alyson’s interests in protecting mothers and the brand focus on supporting athletes and expanding women and girls’ opportunities in sport.
If you look up this story, you will see other writers consider it as a snub to Nike. I don’t see it that way. I see this as an important lesson for individuals to ensure the brands they work with truly align with their personal values. I am posting this just days after International Women’s Day and during Women’s History Month. You likely have seen a push from brands to highlight the occasion with emails, special events, and maybe even sales promotions. However, there is a difference between using an issue as a selling point and truly diving into it. ensuring their alignment of values. If you are passionate about an issue, make sure the company has taken the plunge wholeheartedly. For Athleta, women are centered all year long. As demonstrated in their work with Felix and now Simone Biles and Alicia Keys as well, they show it is possible to honor and support women holistically and seamlessly as part of the brand’s mission and strategy.
I’m curious, what are some other brands who do this well? What are they issues they have been able to address as a honest part of their mission and strategy?
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