Insiders #177: Game Face: How Beauty Brands Are Scoring Big with Women's Sports

Beauty's playing field has expanded, and the scoreboard is lighting up with unexpected partnerships. Forget standard celebrity endorsements—female athletes are now the faces gracing campaign billboards and product launches.

Dove made the opening play, quickly followed by e.l.f. Cosmetics, La Roche Posay, and Glossier. Now, industry heavyweights like Charlotte Tilbury, Milani, Mielle, and K18 are suiting up. This isn't just a PR exercise—there's serious revenue potential on the line. But the window for first-mover advantage is closing faster than a championship match.

Ready to dive into this high-stakes game? We're breaking down the playbook: why women's sports are proving to be the ultimate brand vehicle and how to execute a winning strategy in this evolving landscape.

The Triple Threat: Sports' Cultural Clout, Commercial Appeal, and Cool Factor

This year, we’ve seen a collision of sports, culture, and commerce in everything from the rise of ‘tenniscore’ to tunnel walks—not to mention Taylor and Travis, the Beckham documentary, and the Paris Olympics. Sports? They’re cooler than ever… but also more commercial. This means $$$.

Just take a look at WNBA tunnel fits, which go so much harder for the women than they do for the men. The commercial opportunities—combined with so many opportunities given the number of games in a given season—are nearly endless.

TikTok creators have dubbed sporting events the "new red carpet," making attendance a superior status symbol. Iconic events sports like Wimbledon, the U.S. Open, Monaco and Miami Grand Prix, and the NBA Finals are prime opportunities for social media-worthy photo ops. Women’s events, like this year’s WNBA finals or the LA Sparks season opener, where Kim Kardashian sat courtside, are also included.

“Female Athletes drive twice the social media engagement of their male counterparts (Wasserman)”

Female athletes are also getting more airtime at more fashion and beauty-fueled events like the Met Gala. The Williams’ paved the way for women like WNBA star Angel Reese and #1 women’s golfer Nelly Korda to attend in 2024. 

Women’s sports were more prominently featured in topics at SXSW, where Sue Bird gave a keynote address. Axios + Deep Blue hosted the Women’s Sports House at Cannes Lions—a first for the prestigious media event. Tech, media, and advertising are paying close attention, and so are the brands with the ad dollars.

Simultaneously, there are more ways to experience women’s sports from our screens. Women’s sports have experienced coverage growth annually across broadcast, streaming, social media, and digital publications to receive an average share of 15% of sports media coverage in 2022 (vs. 5% for the past 30 years prior, with women receiving less than 1% of total sponsorships). Assuming growth continues on this trajectory, women's share can reach closer to 20% by 2025.

According to data gathered by The Collective, media consumption across all forms of media—broadcast, streaming, and even short-form clips, is on the rise by as much as 30%.

Major platforms like ESPN, Prime Video, and Paramount Plus are bringing these games to more screens. The value of women’s sports broadcast rights in the U.S. grew from $36.9 million in 2021 to $47.7 million in 2022. This growth underscores the expanding market for brands looking to invest in sponsorships and partnerships within the women’s sports sector.

Beyond the changing landscape, though, a key element propelling women’s sports is the athletes themselves.

Storytelling Champions: Female Athletes are Better at Engagement

Despite recent increases in media coverage, female athletes have had to build their personal brands outside their sport, driving them to connect with audiences through social media more regularly than their male counterparts. This positions them as authentic storytellers and more effective marketers.

Alexis Ohanian emphasized a critical point at this year's Cannes Lions: “Female athletes are better at storytelling.” He would know better than anyone; he’s married to Serena Williams, arguably the greatest athlete of our generation.

”Fans of women's sports are deeply invested in the athletes' lifestyles and values, often following their journeys both on and off the field.”

Beauty brands, well-versed in influencer marketing, understand the impact of authenticity. Influencer marketing campaigns run by beauty brands achieve 14 times the reach and 3.2 times the engagement compared to non-influencer campaigns. However, the authenticity that once drove this engagement wanes as consumer fatigue with traditional beauty influencers grows. 

While female athletes may have smaller social media followings than their male counterparts, their audiences are more highly engaged; Wasserman found that female athletes drive twice the social media engagement than male athletes.

Moreover, there are plenty of female athletes going head-to-head with the men in terms of follower count: US women’s soccer player Alisha Lehmann (16M on IG, 11M on TikTok), college gymnast Livvy Dunne (5M on Insta, 8M on TikTok) WNBA player Angel Reese (3.5M on IG, 3.6 on TikTok)… the list goes on.

Fans of women's sports are deeply invested in the athletes' lifestyles and values, often following their journeys both on and off the field. 72% of women’s sports fans are interested in what these athletes do off the field. Platforms like TikTok, Instagram, and podcasts are perfect forums for this, and female athletes are mastering them, blending their athletic achievements with personal branding.

This approach allows them to cultivate relationships with their fans, showcase their personalities, and promote products in an authentic manner that genuinely resonates with people. Their followers are also 3x more likely to attend a game (vs. followers of male athletes). Those who watch women’s sports daily or weekly are 3.5x more likely to buy a product promoted by a female athlete than another type of influencer. They’re more than twice as likely to buy a product by a woman athlete over another influencer.

This is especially important for brands looking to drive product sales. We see many brands going after obvious synergies: sunscreen, hairspray, skincare. But nothing beats genuine product affinity, regardless of its effectiveness on or off the field or how its performance relates to the sport itself. A lot of the time, like the rest of us, these women just like what they like.

Rugby player Ilona Maher has said she uses TikTok to build her brand intentionally: “In your sport, especially rugby, you’re not making a lot of coin. So, we want to become very diversified and add a lot to our repertoire…I want to build myself up so that I can live a life that’s comfortable also playing a sport.” Her "war paint" red lipstick, which was Maybelline even before she signed with them as an ambassador, has become iconic and sold across the UK. Fans like hers are hungry for recommendations on what to eat, wear, buy, and especially what to use on their skin and hair. This high engagement level provides beauty brands a unique opportunity to connect with a passionate and loyal consumer base through strategic partnerships and sponsorships.

Maher just announced she’s launching her skincare line focused on women in sports, something we’ve seen other athletes, most notably Serena and Venus Williams, also pursue. What does this mean? Well, it’s a capital-intensive endeavor from inventory to marketing, and the market for beauty products with an athlete seal of approval is larger than the market for athlete-specific products; we know that for certain, making this an area to watch closely.

Women’s Fans: High Loyalty, High Trust

Trust is the most valuable thing a brand can have. It’s crucial for cultivating loyalty and driving sales across media, one of the reasons why traditional media is failing for brands. Right now trust in brands is at an all-time low, especially with Gen-Z, and brands are desperate to rebuild. Athletes, on the other hand, continue to be trusted. They’re viewed as real, relatable, and reliable individuals who achieve their success through hard work and resilience. This makes them effective at driving awareness, affinity, and actual conversion.

A Neisen study found that athlete sponsorships drove an average 10% lift in purchase intent among the exposed fanbase. Female athletes have a more valuable, engaged fan community who are likelier to listen and buy. Research revealed that brands in women's sports are twice as likely to be recalled than those in men’s sports and female sports fans are 25% more likely to purchase the brand sponsor of their favorite sport than men’s sports fans.

“Nielsen also reported that women's sports fans are likely to be more affluent and engaged.”

Nielsen also reported that women’s sports fans are likely to be more affluent and engaged. Gen Z, in particular, shows strong interest, with all demographics consuming content across digital and streaming platforms. 

Fifty-seven percent of people trust that female athletes believe in the product they promote, compared to 50% for male athletes. Eighty-eight percent see female athletes as role models.

On top of this, there’s female fandom. Women are forming their own communities around sports in an effort to feel more connected. While their fandom extends beyond women’s sports (they’re the fastest-growing demographic in fantasy football), they’re forming connections in support of female athletes, and their impact can be felt on viewership. Women’s sports bars are popping up nationwide, creating physical spaces for these communities to flourish.

A lot of this trust is also built upon values, another area where brands are losing right now as more consumers doubt their commitment to impact. Investing in women's sports aligns with broader consumer trends valuing authenticity, diversity, and social responsibility, particularly among Gen Z. Brands supporting women's sports can forge deeper connections with these consumers, enhancing brand loyalty and advocacy. The rich narratives of perseverance and empowerment in women's sports offer valuable content for marketing. Beauty brands partnering with female athletes can promote empowerment, diversity, and inclusivity, resonating with Gen Z's commitment to social justice and gender equality. 

Athletes like Naomi Osaka, who openly discusses her multicultural heritage and advocates for social justice, provide compelling stories that resonate with modern consumers. Similarly, gymnast Simone Biles, who has been vocal about mental health and body positivity, offers a powerful narrative that aligns with the values of many contemporary beauty brands. Dove's Real Beauty campaign with Megan Rapinoe exemplifies this successful alignment, celebrating real beauty and challenging conventional standards. Notably, 71% of Women’s World Cup fans believe sponsors demonstrate a commitment to gender equality, boosting brand loyalty and sales.

Game Plan: The Playbook for Brand Activation in Women's Sports

It all starts with the goals. Rather than saying, ‘We want to partner with athletes’ or, ‘We want to launch sporty products because everyone is doing it,’ think: what do we want to achieve? Is this about growing awareness, driving sales, or signaling values to build brand love and trust? 

Brands can explore three distinct avenues for brand activations: leagues, teams, and athletes. Each lane offers unique opportunities, requires different strategies, and delivers different results.

League Partnerships

Partnering with leagues gives brands access to broader media rights and TV placements. This can mean significant exposure through televised games, league-wide campaigns, and even digital streaming platforms. 

A great example of this that has been done well is Glossier’s partnership with the WNBA. What began as a way to highlight their Body Hero collection four years ago has been renewed and expanded, with players from across the league featured in the campaign assets online, OOH, and of course, on social. Players were even asked to curate sets for sale. Glossier is also sponsoring podcasts featuring players who’ve been involved in the collaboration since 2020. It’s clear this campaign is driving sales and doing important values signaling for the brand, and rightfully so; it’s a long-term play, something other brands should pay attention to. In the same way that apparel brands have cultivated long-term relationships, beauty brands can and should consider doing the same. 

Team Partnerships

When brands choose to partner with individual teams, they can take advantage of in-stadium activations and more localized marketing efforts. This might include arena-based promotions, special events, and targeted community outreach.

For instance, NYX’s partnership with Angel City FC allowed direct fan engagement and unique in-stadium experiences. Retailers like Ulta Beauty also see this as an opportunity to drive awareness and sales in key markets, exemplified by their partnership with the Chicago Red Stars.

Athlete Partnerships

Traditional pathways to endorsements have predominantly favored male athletes, but the rising prominence of women's sports presents a fresh and lucrative opportunity. Female athletes are not just competitors; they are influencers, storytellers, and dynamic marketers with the power to engage audiences in meaningful ways. Partnering directly with athletes offers brands direct access to their own fanbase. One of the best examples of a single-athlete collaboration is e.l.f. Cosmetics’ sponsorship of Katherine Legge, the only female race car driver in this year’s Indy 500. Not only are they the primary sponsor (and have branding on her uniform and car), but they’ve also created an event called the Lip Oil Change, which they will also activate in Roblox and on-site. Their message? They want to see more women “in the driver’s seat,” a clear signal of the brand’s values to drive affinity and sales. It’s a little gimmicky, but the brand walks the walk, so it works. 

Getting it Right: Tactics for Authentic Brand-Athlete Partnerships

Beyond clearly defined goals and objectives, when collaborating with leagues, teams, and athletes, brands need to prioritize authenticity, thoughtful storytelling, and inclusivity. Successful campaigns prioritize genuine connections and shared values between the brand and the athlete. Audiences can easily detect and reject inauthentic partnerships. Powerful, relatable stories are key to engaging audiences and building emotional connections. Brands must allow athletes to tell their personal stories and create content THEIR way. 

Brands must ensure their campaigns are inclusive, representing diverse athletes and sports. This is more than just an opportunity for the highest visibility or highest earners. Think about how an athlete’s personal story and cultivated audience will drive this for your brand and how you, in turn, will help drive this for them. 

Brands should be looking for organic fandom from these women, regardless of the product promise and how it relates to their sport. Rather than jumping to develop a new product, first look at where affinity is already.

A multi-channel approach is essential for effective engagement. Brands should leverage digital platforms, social media, and experiential marketing to highlight female athletes’ stories. Collaborations can include co-branded products, content creation, and community engagement initiatives. Celebrating diverse definitions of beauty and strength can resonate more deeply with consumers and reflect the true spirit of women’s sports.

Beauty brands gain enhanced brand image, access to an engaged audience, and opportunities for authentic storytelling. Engaging with women’s sports allows brands to tap into new consumer segments, fostering long-term loyalty and advocacy. With built-in communities and multi-platform engagement possibilities, partnering with women's sports isn’t just smart—it’s essential for brands looking to captivate new fans and drive future success. Conversely, female athletes receive financial support, increased visibility, and opportunities for personal branding and career sustainability. 

The Victory Lap

The beauty industry's foray into women's sports isn't just a fleeting trend—it's a game-changer. As brands invest, they're not just boosting the bottom lines; they’re fueling a revolution. Enhanced funding translates to better training, state-of-the-art facilities, and expanded opportunities for female athletes. The result? Peak performances that captivate audiences and convert casual viewers into die-hard fans. It’s a virtuous cycle.

That cycle keeps the momentum: stellar athleticism draws more eyeballs, attracting additional sponsors and media coverage. It's a win-win where athletes become icons, and brands become legacy-makers. As this partnership between beauty and women's sports continues to evolve, we're not just watching a new marketing strategy unfold—we're witnessing the dawn of a new era in sports and culture.

The future of beauty isn't just skin-deep—it's got game.