Rhone, the performance apparel brand founded in 2014, has officially launched its ambitious new campaign, "A Love Letter to NYC." This initiative signifies a strategic shift for the company, moving beyond its traditional performance marketing focus to cultivate a deeper brand identity and connect with consumers on an emotional level. The campaign aims to encapsulate the dynamic energy of New York City and align it with Rhone’s evolving aspirations and progress, according to details shared with Marketing Dive. While Rhone’s flagship store is located in Manhattan’s Flatiron District, its headquarters are situated in the nearby suburb of Stamford, Connecticut.
The "A Love Letter to NYC" campaign represents a significant inflection point for Rhone, marking a transition from its direct-to-consumer (DTC) origins to a more robust retail and wholesale strategy, complemented by an ongoing evolution in its performance apparel offerings. This strategic pivot comes at a time when the brand is experiencing considerable growth and seeks to broaden its market appeal.
From Performance to Presence: A New Brand Narrative
Bethany Evans, who joined Rhone as Chief Marketing Officer in November 2024 after a distinguished tenure of over five years at The North Face, articulated the rationale behind this strategic shift. "We started in the athletic space, and as we’ve grown, we’ve realized performance isn’t just about athletic achievement; it’s about how people navigate their everyday life," Evans stated. "This campaign was meant to reflect how our customers actually live, making it more of a natural evolution of the brand, not a departure from it."
This statement underscores Rhone’s recognition that modern consumers seek apparel that seamlessly integrates into their multifaceted lives, transcending purely athletic or fitness-oriented contexts. The brand’s core product lines – categorized as "move," "play," and "live" – are all intended to be showcased within this new campaign framework. Notably, the campaign deliberately omits scenes of traditional fitness or gym activities, emphasizing instead the application of Rhone’s apparel in a broader lifestyle context.
A Cinematic Homage to the City That Never Sleeps
At the heart of "A Love Letter to NYC" is a captivating 30-second hero video that draws significant inspiration from the beloved romantic comedies of the 1990s set in New York City. The narrative follows a man and a woman on separate journeys through Manhattan, experiencing a series of near-miss encounters on bustling city streets before culminating in a serendipitous, dog-assisted meet-cute in a picturesque park. This storytelling approach aims to evoke a sense of relatable urban romance and the unexpected connections that define city living.
In a deliberate move to enhance authenticity, the actors featured in the video are a real-life couple, accompanied by their own dog, further grounding the narrative in genuine human connection. While the creative direction and execution of the campaign were handled in-house by Rhone, media planning and buying are being managed by Kepler Group, which was appointed as the brand’s first agency of record in 2025. This campaign also represents an experimental foray for Rhone into more upper-funnel marketing activities, a departure from its previous, highly measurable performance-driven strategies.
"We were really focused on performance media for a long time, and I get it: it’s easy to measure, it’s really focused on e-comm," Evans explained. "But our wholesale business is growing and our retail business is also growing, so we had to start taking a more omni-channel approach." This acknowledgment highlights the brand’s strategic adaptation to a maturing market and a diversified sales landscape.
Multi-Channel Engagement: Immersing Consumers in the Rhone Experience
"A Love Letter to NYC" is designed as a comprehensive, multi-channel campaign. Its reach extends across traditional media such as linear and connected television, social media platforms, direct mail, print advertising, and out-of-home (OOH) placements. The campaign also integrates digital experiences and activations within Rhone’s retail locations.
Key OOH activations include the takeover of Citi Bike docks near the brand’s three New York City locations, a strategic placement designed to capture the attention of daily commuters and city dwellers. Further reinforcing its New York City ties, Rhone has partnered with The New York Times for an integration with its popular "Connections" game, a daily puzzle that engages a broad and engaged audience.
Complementing these efforts, Rhone is collaborating with prominent NYC-based photographer Ethan Barber and the popular Instagram account @MeetCutesNYC, further weaving the brand into the fabric of the city’s cultural landscape. In-store, the Flatiron flagship store will host a custom photo booth experience from September 19th to 20th, inviting customers to create their own "love letter" moments and share them.
Expanding Horizons: Sports Partnerships and Purpose-Driven Initiatives
Rhone’s strategic expansion is not limited to its marketing campaigns. The brand currently operates over 20 retail stores across the United States and has significantly grown its wholesale business. A notable expansion in this area includes an enhanced partnership with Bloomingdale’s, which saw an increased presence of Rhone’s women’s wear earlier this year.
The brand has also forged significant partnerships within the sports world, collaborating with esteemed organizations such as the LPGA and the NBA. The NBA partnership, which commenced in October 2024, predates Evans’ tenure as CMO. Initially, the connection might have seemed unexpected, but it gained clarity upon learning that Dave Checketts, the father of Rhone co-founders Nate and Ben Checketts, previously held executive positions with the New York Knicks and Madison Square Garden. This familial link underscores a deeper commitment to the sports ecosystem.
Beyond the familial ties, Rhone leverages its sports marketing endeavors to amplify its purpose-driven work centered on mental and physical fitness. "We’ve partnered with athletes who are really outspoken about the pressures of being a professional athlete – ‘Here’s what I do to keep myself in a healthy mindset’ – and so that’s the angle we’ve taken on it, which feels right for us, versus some kind of logo slap play that doesn’t have a deeper meaning," Evans elaborated. This approach aligns with a growing consumer demand for brands that demonstrate authentic social responsibility and contribute positively to societal well-being.
Cultivating Well-being: The "12 Pursuits" Framework
Rhone’s commitment to fostering better physical and mental health extends internally and externally. The brand’s "12 Pursuits" framework, a condensed adaptation of Benjamin Franklin’s 13 virtues, serves as a monthly challenge designed to encourage goal-setting and personal growth. Originally a family project for the Checketts family, it has since been integrated into Rhone’s corporate culture and offerings.
A key focus for CMO Bethany Evans has been extending the "12 Pursuits" initiative to Rhone’s consumer base. Looking ahead, the brand aims to build upon this foundation by making "12 Pursuits" more experiential. Future plans include the potential for retreats and pop-up events, moving beyond traditional digital communications like emails and social media posts. Crucially, these experiential initiatives are being intentionally designed to be separate from direct sales efforts.
"We’re inviting our community to join us in this, but it can’t be a way to sell clothes, so we’ve intentionally kept it very separate," Evans emphasized. This commitment to a non-transactional approach to community building underscores Rhone’s dedication to fostering genuine engagement and prioritizing well-being as a core brand value, independent of immediate sales objectives. This strategic direction positions Rhone not just as an apparel provider, but as a lifestyle partner committed to holistic well-being.
