Rhone’s “Head in the Game” campaign redefines the narrative around Mental Fitness by using the universal language of sports to inspire action and elevate understanding. Featuring professional athletes and Rhone ambassadors Kevin Love, Lilia Vu, and Lauren Hartlage, the campaign celebrates the resilience required to excel both mentally and physically.
Through dynamic TV spots highlighting Rhone’s partnerships with the NBA and LPGA, the campaign connects deeply personal moments with striking visuals of athletes and amateurs preparing, focusing, and pushing their limits. By showcasing the inner battles of mental fitness alongside their physical preparation, the campaign resonates with a wide audience—amateurs, professionals, and everyday individuals alike.
The campaign reclaims the phrase “get your head in the game,” transforming it into a positive call to action. Its primary goals are to increase public awareness of Mental Fitness as a proactive health practice, destigmatize the topic, and inspire conversations that motivate individuals to prioritize their mental well-being. By blending storytelling, powerful visuals, and authentic voices, the campaign amplifies Rhone’s mission to make mental fitness as integral as physical fitness.
From concept to campaign, Rhone worked with global creative agency IMA to bring the integrated campaign to life. The campaign rolled out across prime-time television and high-impact Out-of-Home (OOH) locations, including New York's Times Square, starting November 12, 2024. Additionally, the 15s and 30s TV spots aired nationwide across linear television and premium streaming platforms such as Peacock, Hulu, and Amazon whilst an extended 60s brand version went live, and is still available, on Rhone's channels, in addition to the OOH activations across New York City. The campaign extended across retail stores, digital, and social media platforms, driving engagement and interaction with Rhone's community directly.
Another key element lies in the artistic collaboration with film director Nicholas Woytuk. Known for his ability to capture intimate moments, Woytuk worked closely with Rhone and IMA to bring the brand vision and mission to life. His approach brought a blend of authentic yet cinematic visuals and intimate storytelling, underscored by a deep emotional connection between athletes and their game.
In addition to the TV and OOH spots, Rhone prioritized social-first storytelling. Beyond simply posting the spots to Rhone’s social channels, Rhone created behind-the-scenes content featuring athlete ambassadors—Kevin Love, Lilia Vu, and Lauren Hartlage. Rhone leveraged this content for social media and Rhone’s 1 ON 1 series, ensuring a cohesive omnichannel narrative across earned, owned, and paid media. To further bring the campaign to life, Rhone collaborated with community ambassadors, amplifying the message through user-generated content (UGC), social media engagement, and Rhone’s Mental Fitness content hub, which provides expert advice, inspiring personal stories, and resources to make Mental Fitness an accessible conversation for Rhone’s audience. Additionally, since the November launch, Rhone has hosted a series of Mind & Muscle events—an immersive combination of physical movement and mental conditioning—reinforcing the belief that our minds need training just as much as our bodies. These ticketed events, held in New York City, Los Angeles, Boston, and Connecticut, not only engaged the community but also supported Rhone’s partnership with the Kevin Love Fund, with proceeds helping expand the nonprofit’s mental health curriculum.
The “Head in the Game” campaign effectively raised awareness and generated significant exposure around the importance of Mental Fitness. At launch, the campaign drove a notable surge in website engagement, with desktop navigation increasing by +740% and mobile by +270%, highlighting its strong impact in directing traffic to Rhone’s site.
Additionally, the campaign resulted in 14 pieces of media coverage, garnering an impressive 6,607,360 impressions, reaching diverse audiences across influential outlets. Highlights include coverage in Ad Age, Marketing Brew, and WWD, which amplified the campaign’s message and positioned Rhone as a leader in championing mental health in sports and performance. Notably, Ad Age’s Jon Springer and Marketing Brew’s Alyssa Meyers published trend pieces exploring the broader intersection of Mental Fitness, sports, and performance, sparked by the campaign. These stories validated Rhone’s relevance in shaping critical conversations in the wellness space.
The coverage effectively highlighted Rhone’s partnerships with Kevin Love, the NBA, the LPGA, Lilia Vu, and Lauren Hartlage, reinforcing our brand’s authenticity and commitment to Mental Fitness. The diverse media representation—from marketing-focused publications to fashion and lifestyle outlets—expanded the reach and impact of our message.
Through strategic storytelling and impactful visuals, “Head in the Game” resonated with audiences and encouraged meaningful dialogue about Mental Fitness, further cementing Rhone’s role as a thought leader in this critical space.
