Sporty & Rich — How a sportswear brand can launch a skincare line: a lesson on having a strong brand persona

Here’s what Emily Oberg, founder of Sporty & Rich said about why she’s confident launching a skincare line as a sportswear brand would work:

“It’s the simple fact that it’s Sporty & Rich. I always say that we don’t sell products — we sell a lifestyle, a world people want to buy into and be part of. That product could be anything but people want it because of the world around the brand that we have created.”

She continues:

“All human beings have a deep and essential need to feel a sense of belonging and connection. It was always my goal to create this and I think we’ve succeeded.” (via Vogue Business)

By looking at the Sporty & Rich brand strategy, we delve into the power of a strong brand persona and how it allows a sportswear brand to create a universe beyond the closet.

Understanding the Sporty & Rich Persona

Let’s unpack that.

Emily Oberg created a clear brand persona. It’s easy to envision who Sporty & Rich would be as a person:

• She cares mostly about health and wellness.

• Her closet reflects her active lifestyle and how much she loves the 80s/90s.

• She works hard to achieve the lifestyle she envisions for herself.

• She’s not materialistic, she invests in long-lasting quality pieces.

• She lives in the moment and prioritizes her happiness.

• She’s inspired by Princess Diana on her way to work out

• She loves the way Parisian men dress.

Building a Brand Universe

The entire brand universe of Sporty & Rich is created around this identity. The way the brand looks, sounds and feels aligns with its core persona.

This is even simpler to achieve when your brand is an extension of you, like Emily Oberg said:

"The aesthetic identity of Sporty & Rich is well, me." (via Pauw)

From Sportswear to Lifestyle

She has created a universe beyond the sportswear she sells, so that Sporty & Rich isn’t a product seller, its a lifestyle promoter. It then becomes easy to sell skincare because the brand’s core persona is mainly about wellbeing and self-care. The products merely support the lifestyle and universe created by the brand, and become a stepping stone to being part of that world.

Building Brand Connection

But now that we understand the Sporty & Rich persona, Emily Oberg talks about humans’ need for a sense of belonging and connection. How does she achieve that connection with her target audience?

By shaping her brand persona around the relationship she wants it to have with its audience. Sporty & Rich has a relatable (deep appreciation for health and wellness — ”we are the same”) and aspirational (luxury aspect — ”you can be me”) relationship with its ideal customer.

Once you’ve crafted your brand persona and understand the relationship you want to have with your audience, it’s easier to create guidelines for how your brand looks (visual identity), sounds (verbal identity/tone of voice), and feels (customer experience and interactions) so that it aligns so well with your ideal customer that they naturally become die-hard fans.

Crafting Your Brand Persona

Okay so how can you create your own brand persona? Here are the core elements you’ll want to develop:

1. Brand values (what you stand for) — For Sporty & Rich, its health, wellness, kindness, sustainability

2. Brand pillars (what you focus on) — For Sporty & Rich, its timeless pieces, educational information to support people on their wellness journey, and products that fashionably accompany people as they carry out a healthy lifestyle

3. Brand personality (your brand’s vibe and archetype/s) — For Sporty & Rich, its personality keywords are classic, understated yet sophisticated, timeless. At its core, Sporty & Rich is the Everygirl archetype because of the brand’s relatability and down-to-earth qualities. The Ruler adds a layer of aspiration with the focus on achieving a desired lifestyle, while the Creator infuses the brand with a touch of individuality and self-expression through the 80s/90s influence and the connection to personal style.

4. Brand tone of voice (how you communicate all of the above)

Free Resources to Build Your Brand Persona

Click here to download the free workbook. It walks you step-by-step through creating a brand persona, packed with exercises, prompts, and real-life examples. By the end, you'll have a clear persona and be ready to showcase your brand the way you envisioned. 🍋🪄