True Religion debuts its brand platform, “Own Your True” during Super Bowl week with a campaign featuring Latin pop star Anitta. The Forbes 30 Under 30 honouree and two-time Grammy nominee has a Netflix documentary coming out.
True Religion debuts its brand platform, “Own Your True” with a campaign featuring Latin pop star Anitta.
“Own Your True” as part of True Religion’s corporate commitment to encourage consumers to embrace their individuality and express themselves. The campaign’s hero video features Anitta narrating her own journey and embracing her true self. “When you know who you are, nothing can stop you,” she shares in the video. “If I didn’t love myself, nobody else would…so walk your path and own your true.”
The campaign comes shortly after private equity firm Acon Investments and its strategic partner SB360 Capital Partners acquired a controlling stake in True Religion.
“‘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,” says True Religion CEO Michael Buckley in a statement. “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.”
“As I said in this magical campaign, ‘when you know who you are, nothing can stop you,’” explains Anitta. “My personal ‘true’ religion is loving myself and embracing everything that makes me who I am. I have always loved the True Religion brand and was thrilled to work with them to encourage people to never give up on their dreams, and to live their truest, most authentic selves.”
Culturally Relevant Strategies that connect with the young, urban consumer
True Religion is leveraging culturally relevant strategies that connect with their young, urban customers. While the Anitta video has launched on streaming platforms, the brand will also roll out additional activations at the Super Bowl, Coachella in April; NBA All-Star Weekend; and throughout Black History Month. The company has hinted at other collaborations with well-known artists and athletes who embody the brand ethos.
Streaming platforms include Paramount+, BET, MTV, and Samba TV. Audio marketing will scale this season with SoundCloud, SiriusXM, Pandora and podcast partnerships for new customer acquisition. A Live Nation collaboration will further connect True Religion with Anitta’s fans.
Collaborating with talent is integral to the True Religion ethos. The holiday campaign featured Grammy Award winner Megan Thee Stallion and rapper Hunxho in a multi-channel effort that tapped into the brand’s popularity in hip-hop culture. True Religion’s “Team True” ambassador program partners with about seventy celebrities and creators across sports, music, fashion and entertainment, including NFL stylist Kyle Smith and WNBA star player Lexie Brown, who will amplify “Own Your True” through their own content.
True Religion debuts its brand platform, “Own Your True” with a campaign featuring Latin pop star Anitta.
“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,” explained Kristen D’Arcy, chief marketing officer at True Religion. “Consumers will experience ‘Own Your True’ across every one of our touch-points, from our product assortment to our content, collaborations and strategic activations, with a few talent surprises to come in the months ahead”
At a time when brands are seeking deep consumer connections, a platform like “Own Your True” represents a strategic and cultural evolution. The platform is more than mere fashion—it’s a statement. As the brand accelerates toward $1 billion in revenue, one thing is clear: True Religion is back and it is owning its true identity like never before.
The move follows US-based private equity firm Acon Investments and its strategic partner SB360 Capital Partners acquiring a controlling stake in True Religion in January 2025. “With their expertise and resources, we are poised to enhance our digital and retail capabilities, accelerate our international growth and continue innovating our apparel,” said True Religion CEO Michael Buckley at the time.
5 Things You Didn’t Know About True Religion
True Religion is a lifestyle apparel and accessories brand that focuses on high-quality denim and sportswear that is worn by athletes, musicians, and artists worldwide to express their individual style. Born from the belief that denim is a universal fabric, its mission is to transcend boundaries of faith, class and orientation.
True Religion Revolutionised Denim Stitching
True Religion introduced a five-needle, two-stitch-per-inch process, which allowed for stronger and more durable jeans with a distinctive look. This innovation set the brand apart from competitors in the 2000s.
The Buddha Logo Symbolises Enlightenment
The smiling Buddha playing a guitar represents happiness, spirituality and enlightenment—core themes that True Religion wants to associate with its brand identity.
It Went Bankrupt and Made a Comeback
Despite its early success, True Religion filed for bankruptcy in 2017 due to declining sales. However, the brand made a comeback by embracing streetwear collaborations and social media marketing.
Hip-Hop Culture Helped Boost Its Popularity
True Religion became a staple in the hip-hop scene, with rappers like 2 Chainz, Chief Keef and Jay-Z mentioning the brand in their lyrics. This association cemented its status as a luxury streetwear staple.
It’s More Than Just Jeans
While True Religion is known for its premium denim, it expanded into a full lifestyle brand by offering hoodies, t-shirts, activewear, footwear and accessories.
True Religion debuts its brand platform, “Own Your True” with a campaign featuring Latin pop star Anitta.
Jasmeen Dugal is Associate Editor at FashionABC, contributing her insights on fashion, technology, and sustainability. She brings with herself more than two decades of editorial experience, working for national newspapers and luxury magazines in India.
Jasmeen Dugal has worked with exchange4media as a senior writer contributing articles on the country’s advertising and marketing movements, and then with Condenast India as Net Editor where she helmed Vogue India’s official website in terms of design, layout and daily content. Besides this, she is also an entrepreneur running her own luxury portal, Explosivefashion, which highlights the latest in luxury fashion and hospitality.
