The need for gender equality is at such a critical point that one platform is willing to give up ad dollars to fight for it.

To promote and encourage gender equality, Sports Illustrated Swimsuit announced a new advertising mandate which will only allow brands driving the cause forward to be featured in the magazine’s annual print issue as well as across its digital footprint. The new platform campaign, “Pay with Change,” will celebrate companies who are creating positive change for women in varied ways.

To participate, all brands who prove they are championing women will be certified as a “change maker,” defined as a brand that is actively making progress for women, by May 2022 when the annual issue hits stands. Each qualifying brand will then be able to purchase a space within the issue, which will only feature adverts showcasing the progress each brand is making to build equity for all women. To further demonstrate the change, Sports Illustrated Swimsuit released a one-minute spot showing the steps being made to make the issue a more inclusive space.

“‘Pay With Change’ will be our new standard of business moving forward,” Hillary Drezner, general manager of Sports Illustrated Swimsuit, said in a statement. “It’s our proof of progress, proof of passion and proof of our belief that we must be the change we want to see. Starting now, we’ll turn our advertising and activation space into a place to create change for women. We are committing to this initiative throughout all aspects of our business and are inviting all brands who are demonstrating progress to join us.”

Changing the culture

Many brands, such as Gorilla Rx, Tula and others, have already begun to make efforts towards creating a better culture for women-owned businesses and women-led futures. Although Sports Illustrated Swimsuit is acknowledging the issues in gender equality and creating change within its own culture, more still needs to be done across the industry, especially since the pandemic has exacerbated the inequalities women face.

“However, in a world where women’s bodies are under attack and their value continuously underestimated, we knew we needed to act in a bold, more responsible way. ‘Pay with Change’ is not just a platform to us, it is our commitment to creating greater progress for women,” MJ Day, editor in chief of Sports Illustrated Swimsuit, said in a statement.

Additionally, the brand will invest a percentage of every ad dollar generated by the annual issue to create the Sports Illustrated Gender Equity Fund. The fund will support a non-profit organization which is on the frontlines of helping create an equitable future for all women.