Gap Inc. in recent years has turned around its namesake brand through more culturally relevant marketing, delivering 10 consecutive quarters of comparable sales growth and shoring up appeal with young shoppers. The company is now trying to translate some of that revamp magic to Athleta with a fall 2026 campaign that doubles as a launchpad for the activewear retailer’s next chapter — one that aims to prioritize purpose-led, emotional storytelling over transactional messaging.
Debuting Tuesday, “My World. My Rules.” features cinematic ads, bigger bets on social-first marketing and a sponsorship of singer Olivia Rodrigo’s first Daisy Chain Fields Festival. A new hero spot centers on three women who have made their mark in typically male-dominated fields. The soaring video shows archer and artist Sagg Napoli, martial artist and stunt performer Jewelianna Ramos-Ortiz and motorsport athlete Jordan Rand as they practice their craft against a stark Icelandic landscape to the soundtrack of “Selfish Soul” by Sudan Archives.
“We think that this is the clearest and sharpest point of view that we've really had around who we are and how we want to show up in the world,” said Erika Everett, a longtime Gap Inc. executive who stepped into the Athleta CMO role last October. “We are thinking about this campaign as that first glimpse into what's to come.”
A bolder approach
Athleta, which previously developed some of its larger platform work in-house, partnered with Invisible Dynamics on the campaign. The brand transformation consultancy is also behind Gap’s comeback. Athleta went through months of transformation work to arrive at “My World. My Rules.” and is investing more in building out its internal creative teams as well, Everett said.
While Athleta has long marketed around women’s empowerment, “My World. My Rules.” seeks to bring a more defined edge to its sense of purpose. Earlier marketing efforts designed to revive Athleta, such as a multiphase “Find Your Movement” from 2024 that similarly centered on empowerment, failed to realize a meaningful bounceback in growth.
Everett acknowledged Athleta’s past approach played things safer but the brand sees the current moment — a time when purpose-driven messaging has come under fire due to divisive politics — as calling for “more celebration of how incredible women are.”
“It is a little bit more bold than where this brand's been in the past. It's a little bit more provocative,” Everett said of the campaign.
In its mission to realize a “female-first world,” Athleta is also paying closer to aesthetics, refocusing on depicting people in nature — hence the on-location shoot in Iceland for “My World. My Rules.” — and moments that will get social media users to stop mid-scroll.
“We have a point of view that deserves to be seen, that I believe will stand out, but you have to be pretty relentless and persistent on how you're tackling that message, and you have to show up in a way that is visually arresting and visually interesting,” said Everett.
Sharpening focus
Athleta’s growth narrative stands in contrast to sister brand Gap. Comparable sales, an important measure of retailer health, declined 11% for the quarter ended May 2 while Gap’s rose 10% over the same period. Gap Inc. last year brought on Nike veteran Maggie Gauger as global brand president and CEO to help steer Athleta’s turnaround and has described 2026 as a “rebuild” period for the activewear purveyor.
“While we recognize that it will take time for our actions to translate into an improved growth profile, Athleta remains an important brand in our portfolio, and we are focused on rebuilding it for long-term growth,” Gap Inc. CEO Richard Dickson said on a call discussing the most recent earnings.
An ambitious brand evolution for Athleta comes as other activewear players, including Lululemon, contend with a tough macroeconomic environment, organizational pressures and shifting consumer tastes. On the assortment front, Athleta’s fall campaign looks to bridge the gap between everyday and performance attire, highlighting items like pleated pants alongside technical outerwear and workout gear. Some competitors have struggled with their bets to push outside of the performance category, but Athleta sees an advantage on a few key fronts.
“We're one of the only brands at our size and scale who's really focusing strictly on women and girls,” said Everett. “I absolutely think there's opportunity to take [market] share.”
Athleta is also eyeing different marketing tactics to reengage existing customers while connecting with new audiences. Rodrigo’s Daisy Chain Fields Festival, which is slated for Aug. 29, boasts a lineup of breakthrough female artists spanning multiple generations, such as Chappell Roan and Stevie Nicks. The Athleta World experience onsite will offer attendees an area to cool off, participate in activities like guided meditation and pick up exclusive merchandise.
“We see this brand is playing a huge role in community, in collective power, in how women are coming together and what that means,” said Everett.
As Athleta takes bigger gambles on its marketing, it’s received sign-off from founder Scott Kerslake, who sold the company to Gap nearly 20 years ago. Athleta’s alignment with Kerslake on its future vision is another differentiator from rivals that have butted heads with their founders as they attempt to again find their footing following business setbacks.
“What [Kerslake] said was, ‘This is the brand that I built,’” said Everett. “To me, that's how I know that we're in the right zone.”
