A (role) model citizen

The GIST: In an exclusive with The GIST today, Gen Alpha girls empowerment brand Rebel Girls (RG) is announcing a new media partnership with Athletes Unlimited’s basketball arm, AU Pro Basketball (AUBB). While basketball has been a priority for RG, evidenced by activations with A’ja Wilson and Sabrina Ionescu, this is the brand’s first foray into hoops at the organizational level.

• Adding to previous partnerships with LOVB, AUSL, and the NWSL’s Gotham FC, RG is doubling down on major sports collaborations because women athletes are the definition of empowerment — and RG’s metrics continue to prove that. Count it.

The partnership: Through this media-forward partnership, AUBB athletes such as Lexie Brown will feature in existing RG series and social content, while young RG reporters (such as Pepper Persley) will report on AUBB events and games. There will also be more traditional partnership promotion with in-arena and in-game placements.

• And because RG is all about empowering girls, there will be joint AUBB activations that engage the local Nashville community. RG will have a presence at AUBB Opening Night as fans are treated to theme night clappers, a photo booth, and an ice cream social.

The learnings: Women athletes are widely considered more inspirational than male athletes and critical role models for young girls. Concurrently, women’s basketball is becoming a cultural intersection for the next generation of fans to engage with sports — many Gen Z and Gen Alpha viewers are more interested in women’s sports and often become engaged through cultural moments.

• Through these partnerships, RG’s channels feature sports narratives through an aspirational lens, which seems to resonate widely. RG’s basketball content featuring Wilson, Ionescu, and its All-Star Weekend Hoop Skills challenge series accrued nearly 5M views in total. Its Wilson campaign also drew critical acclaim with a Clio Sports Award, the advertising world’s equivalent of an Oscar.

Zooming out: Athletes have always been inspirational, but through narrative-driven, athlete-focused partnerships, RG is highlighting stars as role models in a holistic way to the next generation of girls. There’s a great deal of mission alignment between girls empowerment and women’s sports, and the KPIs reinforce this.

• RG will keep involving sports because it works, and other brands interested in engaging this demo should do the same — even Pixar leaned into this fervor in its series, Win Or Lose. Something to feel goodish about.

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