Dove’s 2026 Big Game Ad: Why ‘The Game Is Ours’ is the Soundtrack for a New Generation

While most ads will focus on beer and snacks this Super Bowl Sunday, Dove will spotlight a much more serious “fumble”: the rate young girls are dropping out of sports they love.

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In a world where appearance-based scrutiny has become normalized, the joy of the game is often the first thing to go. According to Dove’s latest research, one in two girls who quit sports have been criticized for their body type. By age 14, nearly half of all girls walk away from the court, the field, or the pool—not because they’ve lost interest, but because they’ve lost their confidence.

The Message: Joy is Louder than Criticism

Dove’s new Super Bowl commercial, titled “The Game Is Ours,” is a bold, movement-driven masterpiece. Developed with Ogilvy and directed by Savanah Leaf, the spot features over 90 young athletes across a variety of disciplines—from MMA and American football to swimming and track.

The ad is unique because of its soundtrack: There is no pop song or celebrity voiceover drowning out the action. Instead, the “real sounds” of girls’ bodies in motion—the sneakers squeaking on hardwood, the heavy breathing of a sprint, the splash of a dive—create a rhythmic symphony that eventually drowns out the whispers of negative body talk.

“Now more than ever, (girls) deserve environments and support systems that celebrate who they are and what they can do – not what they look like,” says Marcela Melero, chief growth officer at Dove, in a release. “This campaign is about more than a single moment. It’s part of an ongoing, long-term effort to remind every girl that her joy and her love for sports is louder than any criticism she faces.”

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Basketball coach Dawn Staley supports the goals of Dove’s Body Confident Collective. Courtesy of Dove

The All-Star “Body Confident Collective”

To ensure the message resonates off the screen, Dove has expanded its Body Confident Collective, a powerhouse group of mentors and leaders who have lived these challenges themselves. The 2026 roster includes:

  • Kylie Kelce (Field Hockey Athlete and Coach)
  • Billie Jean King (Sports Icon and Equality Champion)
  • Dawn Staley (National Championship Basketball Coach)
  • Mia Hamm (Soccer Legend)
  • Alyssa Thompson (Soccer Standout)
  • Odessa Jenkins (Coach and Women’s National Football Conference Founder)
  • Victoria Mboko (Rising Tennis Star)
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Field hockey coach Kylie Kelce is among the new and returning Body Confident Collective partners. Courtesy of Dove

The Mission: #KeepHerConfident

The Super Bowl commercial serves as a high-profile invitation to the Dove Body Confident Sport program. Launched in partnership with Nike, this first-of-its-kind, scientifically proven set of coaching tools is designed to help coaches and parents build body confidence in kids ages 11–17.

Every Dove purchase directly supports these initiatives, providing no-cost resources to schools and sports clubs globally.

Watch the full 30-second campaign film below and join the movement using #KeepHerConfident.

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