Sports Illustrated Swimsuit Announces Pay With Change Initiative

New standards set for 2022 Issue advertising represent progress towards gender equity.

Today we celebrate the 58th anniversary of our first print issue with the announcement of a new advertising mandate: only brands who are helping drive gender equality forward will be featured in our magazine’s annual print. Our new platform, Pay With Change, will celebrate companies who are creating change for women in the varied ways they need it, and all brands making progress, big or small, can buy in.

To participate, we are changing the cost of doing business from a monetary value to a currency of doing good. All brands who prove they are creating change for women will be certified as a Changemaker, which is defined as a brand who has made, is making and will make progress for women by May 2022 when the annual SI Swimsuit Issue hits stands. Each changemaking brand will then be able to purchase a space within the print edition, which will only feature adverts showcasing the progress each brand is making to build equity for all women. Brands will also be featured across SI Swimsuit’s digital properties including our social media channels.

“Sports Illustrated Swimsuit has been leading the charge in creating change in women’s lives for years, despite what some critics and naysayers would like you to believe,” says SI Swimsuit editor in chief MJ Day. “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.”

“Pay With Change will be our new standard of business moving forward,” says SI Swimsuit general manager Hillary Drezner. “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.”

Additionally, SI Swimsuit 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.

In line with our new publishing approach, we have launched The Swimfluence Network, an inclusive digital community for individuals looking to connect, learn, grow and champion change for the next generation. The Swimfluence Network app features content across all categories including health, wellness, lifestyle, fashion, travel and food and provides opportunities for individuals to create a profile, learn about live events and castings, join a group and engage with the community, SI Swimsuit models and staff. The app also features the brand’s coveted Swim Search platform allowing potential SI Swimsuit hopefuls from around the world to apply to be in the 2022 issue.

To learn more about Pay with Change, please reach out to paywithchange@si.com To learn more about The Swimfluence Network, please visit: theswimfluence.si.com