8 Women’s Sports Ads & Campaigns That Worked in 2025, and the Brands Behind Them

Quick Facts

• 8 standout women's sports campaigns in 2025 averaged 6.4% engagement rate, with top performers reaching 3–10 times higher than industry benchmarks
• Women's sports fans are nearly 3 times as likely to purchase from a brand endorsed by a woman athlete compared to traditional influencer marketing
• Top-performing campaigns: Nulo Pet Food achieved 9.6% engagement on a single post, LinkedIn hit 4.41% engagement (10x platform benchmark), and ZBiotics reached 404K+ people with rest-day lifestyle content

How brands turned authenticity, purpose, and impact into measurable ROI, powered by female athletes and women’s sports.

2025 marked the year women’s sports moved from momentum to mastery. Brands no longer asked if they should invest in women athletes, they asked how to do it meaningfully. Across industries, companies leaned into athlete-led storytelling, purpose-driven partnerships, and community impact campaigns that outperformed traditional influencer marketing.

At Parity, we work with over 1,100 professional women athletes across 85 sports, building collaborations that prove what fans and data have been telling us all along: authenticity converts, purpose retains, and impact builds brands.

Presented in no particular order, the following campaigns showcased some of our strongest women’s sports activations of 2025:

1. ZBiotics x Parity: Rest Days Are a Marketing Goldmine

ZBiotics sought awareness through lifestyle realism, not the heat of the moment. Partnering with Parity athletes Maggie Steffens, Lexie Hull, and Karlie Samuelson, the pre-alcohol probiotic brand turned “rest day” content into a masterclass on balance.

• 5 Reels | 12 Stories | 1 Production Day
  
• Average Engagement: 2.86% | Total Reach: 404K+
  
  

When Lexie Hull’s concert-day post outperformed her average engagement by over 2x, it confirmed what consumers crave: authenticity over aspiration.

Takeaway: Lifestyle storytelling that celebrates balance, not burnout, builds real trust with women’s sports fans.

2. M&T Bank x Crowley Webb x Parity: Leveraging Ambassadorship with Team M&T

M&T Bank’s Team M&T redefined what sponsorship can mean. Instead of buying signage, the bank invested in athletes as true brand ambassadors and community leaders — Emily Sonnett, Noelle Lambert, and Lois Cook — each embodying the bank’s values of integrity and impact.

Through Parity and Crowley Webb, M&T built a purpose-driven, risk-assessed roster that shifted the focus from impressions to influence.

Positive brand sentiment rose measurably, and audiences saw the bank not just as a financial institution, but as a force for inclusion and leadership.

Takeaway: Values-based sponsorship creates the most durable and evergreen kind of brand equity: trust.

3. Vitacost x Parity: The Official Online Health Retailer of the Parity Community

Vitacost joined Parity to reach athletes who live wellness authentically. Through Sport Certified products and co-created content with athletes like Marlène Boissonnault, Vitacost continues to connect purpose and performance.

Parity athletes have embraced the partnership, reinforcing the value of going straight to the source: the athletes themselves. As one athlete shared, “I was able to place my order and receive my products so quickly — everything arrived fast, and I love all my goodies!” Another added, “I needed to stock up on gels and bars for my European training block, where my usual U.S. brands aren’t widely available. Vitacost had everything I needed, my order was processed immediately, and shipping was fast. I’d 100% use them again.”

Takeaway: When health brands collaborate with athletes who already live their mission, conversion follows naturally.

4. Gainbridge® Assists Powered by Parity: Investing in Access, Not Ads

Now in its third year, Gainbridge® Assists Powered by Parity awarded $222,000 to 32 organizations and athletes across 21 states, doubling 2024’s applicant pool. The program, built in partnership with Parity and the Women’s Sports Foundation, channeled brand dollars directly into equity.

Takeaway: Measurable community impact is the most credible form of marketing ROI.

5. LinkedIn x Parity: Storytelling Converts, Especially When It’s Career-Driven

LinkedIn partnered with 14 Parity athletes to show that storytelling is professional currency. Through Instagram, TikTok, and LinkedIn, athletes like Naya Tapper, Kara Winger, and Lois Cook shared their transitions from sport to leadership.

• Engagement Rate: 4.41% (10x platform benchmark)
• Impressions: 723K+ | Views: 271K+
  
  

Takeaway: Athletes are the new thought leaders. Authentic career storytelling can drive 10x engagement and long-term brand credibility.

6. Minnesota Pork Board x Parity: Local Authenticity Scales Better Than Generic Reach

By uniting Minnesota’s favorite athletes, Alanna Smith, Taylor Heise, and Marlène Boissonnault, the Minnesota Pork Board turned summer grilling into a cultural moment.

• Average Engagement: 2.63% | Reach: 118K+
• Alanna Smith’s cooking reel hit 6.25% ER, topping her profile average.
  
  

Takeaway: Regional storytelling that celebrates shared identity performs better than polished national ads.

7. Sephora x Parity: Identity-Driven Athlete Storytelling 

As part of its “Beauty & Belonging” series, Sephora leaned into athlete-led storytelling with Golden State Valkyries players, amplifying their WNBA team sponsorship while blending beauty, confidence, and women’s sports in a way that felt fresh and deeply human. Parity supported sourcing, negotiations, contracting, and communication with  multiple WNBA athletes, resulting in a mix of highly engaging long-form and short-form content.

The campaign highlighted identity, belonging, and personal journeys rather than product, proving that when women athletes tell the story, audiences connect emotionally and engage meaningfully.

Takeaway: Beauty brands win when they center athlete identity and authenticity, not aesthetics alone.

8. Nulo Pet Food x Parity: #TheyFuelTheIncredible

During Mental Health Awareness Month, Nulo, 15 Parity athletes, and their pets delivered heartfelt tributes to their four-legged motivators.

• Engagement Rate: 1.41%
• Total Reach: 114K | Impressions: 207K
• Top Performer: Kelsey & Oliver Kiel — 9.6% ER, 56K impressions.
  
  

Takeaway: Emotion is the ultimate engagement metric; empathy builds both audiences and loyalty.

Learn More: How Parity Helps Brands Win with Women Athletes

Ready to turn data-driven insight into your next standout activation? Explore how Parity connects brands with professional women athletes for campaigns that perform on every level, from awareness to impact.

Not sure which activation is right for your brand in 2026? Use our 2026 Women’s Sports Activation Decision Tree to find your best-fit strategy.

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About Parity, a Group 1001 Company
Parity is the leading platform for professional women athlete partnerships. With a mission to close the gender income gap in sports and beyond, Parity connects brands with a diverse network of more than 1,100 women athletes from 85 sports. Through sponsorship activations, content collaborations, and strategic advisory, Parity helps brands authentically engage the most trusted voices in sports today. For more information, visit www.paritynow.co, or follow us on Instagram and LinkedIn.