Objective

Establish Gold Bond as the go-to authority in body skincare by leveraging a bold, culturally relevant partnership that delivers measurable sales growth and brand awareness. To drive true brand transformation, Gold Bond needed to engage target consumers in a powerful, memorable way—boosting visibility, relevance, and bottom-line impact.

Strategy

Gold Bond’s partnership with Sports Illustrated Swimsuit for its 60th anniversary was a bold move to redefine body skincare, bridging generational beauty and self-care. The campaign, “Legendary Tips For All Your Summer Skins,” leveraged iconic models Christie Brinkley, Jasmine Sanders, and Chanel Iman, alongside celebrity makeup artist Sir John, to showcase Gold Bond’s full line of high-performance moisturizers and creams. By tapping into cultural icons, the campaign challenged outdated perceptions of the brand while driving relevancy and consideration across all age groups.

Plan of Action & Execution

Gold Bond executed a multi-platform, multi-touchpoint approach that engaged consumers across digital, social, experiential, and print media:

• Sports Illustrated Print Feature – Gold Bond placed a premium print ad in the 60th Anniversary Sports Illustrated Swimsuit Issue, positioning the brand at the heart of an iconic cultural moment.
• Social & Digital Content Integration – SI Swim talent starred in a branded content series, where they shared personal skincare routines, product usage tips, and their take on timeless beauty. These assets were amplified across Gold Bond, SI Swim, and talent-owned channels.
• Influencer & Ambassador-Led Engagement – Supermodel Jasmine Sanders and makeup artist Sir John acted as both coaches and brand advocates, further extending credibility and reach.
• Experiential Consumer Activations – Gold Bond created immersive brand touchpoints during SI’s high-profile Consumer Launch Week in Hollywood, FL, and the Red Carpet Launch Party in NYC, engaging 2,600+ attendees with product sampling and brand education.
• Product Integration at SI Swim Photoshoot – Gold Bond products were used behind the scenes, reinforcing real-world application among SI Swim models.
• Amazon Storefront & E-Commerce Integration – A reskinned Amazon Storefront provided a seamless digital shopping experience, allowing consumers to purchase featured products instantly.

Challenges & How We Overcame Them

1. Breaking Gold Bond’s Outdated Perception
   • Gold Bond was still largely known for its foot powder rather than its moisturizing and skincare solutions.
   • Solution: Unified messaging across all platforms emphasized Gold Bond’s innovation, premium formulas, and relevance in full-body skincare.
2. Appealing to a Younger Demographic Without Alienating Loyal Consumers
   • The brand needed to attract younger, skincare-conscious consumers (18-34) while maintaining its core audience (35+).
   • Solution: The campaign leaned on SI Swim’s multi-generational appeal and talent from different age groups to create an inclusive message.
3. Cutting Through a Crowded Skincare Market
   • The body skincare category is highly saturated, making it difficult to stand out.
   • Solution: By leveraging SI Swim’s 60th anniversary, Gold Bond embedded itself in a major cultural moment that no competitor could replicate.

What Made This Work Unique?

This campaign was more than a sponsorship—it was a fully integrated brand collaboration that leveraged influencers, media partnerships, and digital-first storytelling to transform Gold Bond’s cultural perception. By seamlessly integrating brand, talent, and media, the campaign not only amplified awareness and engagement but also drove tangible business impact. Gold Bond and SI Swim proved that when two legendary brands come together, they can redefine beauty, skincare, and cultural relevance in a way that spans generations.

Results

The Gold Bond x Sports Illustrated Swim campaign exceeded expectations across every key objective, proving the effectiveness of a multi-platform partnership in driving brand relevance, perception, and sales.

Brand Awareness & Buzz: Gold Bond achieved a 70% increase in brand buzz, successfully shifting perceptions and embedding itself in cultural conversations. This milestone validated the campaign’s ability to capture younger audiences (18-34) without alienating loyal consumers (35+). The younger, skincare-obsessed audience has substantial purchasing power in the category and is drawn to products that deliver advanced, high-performance results. Engaging this group was essential to building Gold Bond’s relevance in an industry that frequently focuses on newness and innovation.

However, Gold Bond also had to retain its longstanding, loyal consumer base, who seek straightforward, effective solutions for skin health.This dual audience required balancing youthful appeal with a message of timeless credibility and efficacy—a challenge in a category crowded with trend-driven brands.

Quality Perception & Credibility: The campaign delivered an 11% lift in quality perception, demonstrating the impact of leveraging trusted influencers like Jasmine Sanders and Sir John to reposition Gold Bond as a premium body skincare brand.

Sales Impact & Business Growth: The campaign drove a 5% improvement in sales trends, effectively cutting six months of double-digit sales declines in half. This proves that strategic, influencer-led partnerships can directly impact revenue and consumer behavior.

The campaign’s seamless execution across print, digital, social, and experiential activations ensured deep consumer engagement. Ultimately, Gold Bond transformed its perception, proving that when a legacy brand taps into the right cultural moment, it can drive awareness, trust, and real business impact.

Media