Sweaty Betty, the global sportswear and lifestyle brand for women, is aiming to reclaim and celebrate the weather forecast with a new marketing campaign for its autumn/winter collection.
“Born for the Storm” is designed to flip the script on how society used to use weather metaphors – like “wild” or “unpredictable” – as insults against women. Instead, Sweaty Betty embraces those descriptions as compliments, celebrating women who refuse to let bad weather slow them down.
In fact, the activity celebrates women who do not wait for clear skies before getting on with it. The women who keep moving when life gets messy. The women who refuse to let a little turbulence get in the way and who never dial themselves down.
Rolling out across film, print, digital, retail, social, CRM, OOH and PR, Born for the Storm celebrates what it means to be a force of nature. And, naturally, the outerwear built to weather it all.
The campaign highlights Sweaty Betty’s signature puffer and true design icon, Nimbus, which is built for days when the forecast looks questionable, but plans don’t. The jacket treats bad weather exactly how it should be treated: as somebody else’s problem.
Alongside Nimbus sits Motion, the waterproof parka for women who are not waiting for perfect conditions. Lightweight, waterproof and designed to keep up, the company argues is proof that a little rain is not a very convincing excuse.
While the brand has used the now defunct House 337 in the past, this campaign was devised in-house by Sweaty Betty’s own brand team, with support from The Romans.
Founded in 1998 by husband-and-wife duo Tamara and Simon Hill-Norton, the company started as a single boutique in London’s Notting Hill, and by 2003, it had expanded to five retail boutiques across London.
In 2006, Sweaty Betty launched its first premium department store concession inside Selfridges, followed later by Harrods and, over the following decade, the company expanded heavily into international markets, opening standalone shops and wholesale concessions across the US, Europe, Canada, and Asia.
In 2021, it was acquired by US footwear and apparel conglomerate Wolverine Worldwide for £300m, and has since broadened its reach by launching on major multibrand platforms like Marks & Spencer.
Sweaty Betty brand president Melissa Mullen said: “People have spent a long time comparing women to storms. We see it as a compliment and Born for the Storm celebrates that spirit. It’s about showing up, getting on with it and refusing to be held back by a little turbulence, whether that’s in the forecast or in life.”
Related stories
Brands urged to act to ensure loyal shoppers feel valued
Brands up loyalty spend as ROI, data and retention soar
Brands crave personalisation but marketers are too busy
Discerning Brits seek value, rewards and personalisation
UK shoppers want retailers to be ‘friends with benefits’
Be the first to comment on "Sweaty Betty ads celebrate women as a force of nature"