Lacoste “Life is a Beautiful Sport” Comes Back to Life
Source: Lacoste
This week, Lacoste came back home with a heritage power move unlike any other.
The brand just launched a new campaign and visual identity that some are touting as new, but it isn't new at all. It's a return serve.
Founded by René Lacoste on the tennis courts of France, the brand built itself on luxury, movement, and the joy of play. While the brand did experiment at times through the years, it never abandoned its true self. Now it's planting itself firmly back where it all started.
The campaign anchors around a new film that captures the essence of what Lacoste has always been, along with its spokesperson. “Life is a beautiful sport,” a line that the brand used years ago and is bringing back now in the same spirit in which it was originally intended.
Love. So rich, so unique, so Lacoste.
Accompanying the film is a new visual identity. Crisp and clean, totally Lacoste as well.
Source: Lacoste
There’s also a new print and outdoor campaign that brings the brand’s movement to life, and makes you want to join in. No reinvention required.
Source: Lacoste
Source: Lacoste
Here's what's strategically smart about this complete ace move:
First: Restraint.
There's real discipline in not chasing "hip" and "next gen." Lacoste could've rebranded into Gen Z hype or digital-first aesthetics. Instead, they stayed true to their core and never broke serve. That consistency is comforting to Gen Z right now. The restraint equals confidence. The world needs confidence right now.
Second: Nostalgia as Trend.
Gen Z is making old things new again. They're mining the past for authenticity that feels scarce in the present. Lacoste taps into this not by trying to be retro but by simply being itself. That's the difference between chasing a trend and being one.
Third: Doubling Down on Tennis.
Through ups and downs, Lacoste has owned tennis. They didn't break serve when it went soft. They didn't chase other sports. And right now, tennis is having its moment. So ride it as the brand that never left the court.
That's great branding. Knowing who you are, staying there, and letting the world catch up.
Set. Match.
What's your experience? JIM