Super Bowl Hot Take: Dove's Message About Girls in Sport Doesn't Miss a Beat

THE AD: Dove’s 2026 Big Game commercial, "The Game Is Ours," created by Ogilvy, opens with a young athlete looking in the mirror as text reads: "One in two girls who quit sports are criticized for their body type." As the young girl claps, Dove declares: "But our joy is louder." What follows is a montage of girls playing sports, including basketball, swimming, and football, creating a catchy rhythm through movement and celebration.

MY TAKE: After airing a simple dialogue-free ad in 2025, Unilever-owned Dove brought some noisy swagger to Super Bowl 60, encouraging joy and confidence at a time when half of girls quit sports by age 14 due to low body confidence.

The real sounds of athletes’ bodies provided the soundtrack for the campaign, and their crescendo cut through the testosterone-heavy action on the field.

This focus on sound was so simple yet cleverly executed, with echoes of Nike's 2025 "One of A\Kind" campaign, which depicted girls hand-clapping to lyrics about the greatness of athlete A'ja Wilson.

Where many have fallen off the purpose wagon, Dove is a brand that continues to walk the walk when it comes to encouraging self-esteem and body positivity.

The brand’s "Self Esteem Project,” an education initiative founded in 2004, has reached more than 137 million young people across 153 countries since 2004.

Now, Dove’s message just reached another 140 million viewers at home.

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