True Religion launches new brand platform with pop star Anitta

US lifestyle and denim brand True Religion is looking to ignite a “cultural movement” embracing individuality and self-expression with the launch of its new ‘Own Your True’ platform to help the brand reach its 1 billion US dollar goal.

Michael Buckley, chief executive of True Religion, said in a statement: “The company is now well positioned to embark on this exciting new chapter with cultural leadership at the forefront.

“‘Own Your True’ isn’t just a campaign; it’s a statement of who we are now and where we’re headed as a cultural force in the world of lifestyle brands. As we aim to build True Religion into a billion-dollar brand, we expect this new platform to be a driving force behind our growth strategy.”

True Religion debut its ‘Own Your True’ strategy over the Super Bowl week with a multi-faceted paid media approach, including a campaign fronted by Brazilian pop star Anitta, featuring the singer’s journey to inspiring audiences “to embrace their authentic selves”.

Kristen D’Arcy, chief marketing officer at True Religion, added: “We felt the time was right to ignite a bigger cultural movement. True Religion has always stood for disrupting the status quo and now the ‘Own Your True’ platform gives our community an outlet to confidently claim and express their individuality and their true selves.

“Consumers will experience ‘Own Your True’” across every one of our touchpoints, from our product assortment to our content, collaborations and strategic activations, with a few talent surprises to come in the months ahead.”

The platform is being billed as more than a campaign but a strategy that will “evolve over the coming months” with new collaborations, artist partnerships and activations at cultural events. This will include collaborating with creators who are making an impact in fashion, the arts and entrepreneurship during Black History Month, coverage of the NBA All-Star weekend, an activation at Coachella, and in-store and social media consumer activity celebrating self-expression.

The move follows US-based private equity firm Acon Investments and its strategic partner SB360 Capital Partners, a retail investment firm led by American Eagle chief executive Jay Schottenstein, acquiring a controlling stake in True Religion in January.