Sephora Canada has launched a new marketing platform tied to its role as a founding and official beauty partner of the Toronto Tempo as the Women’s National Basketball Association team begins its inaugural season.
The beauty retailer said the initiative, called “Pretty Badass,” will feature Toronto Tempo players, coaches and Canadian athletes as part of a national campaign aimed at highlighting athletes both on and off the court.
The announcement comes as the Tempo begins play as Canada’s first WNBA franchise and expands Sephora Canada’s involvement with the team through a platform that the company says focuses on individuality and self-expression.
The campaign features Toronto Tempo players Marina Mabrey, Kiki Rice, Nyara Sabally, Isabelle Harrison and Temi Fágbénlé, as well as head coach Sandy Brondello and athletes from communities across Canada.
The company said the campaign is designed to challenge perceptions that women must fit into defined categories and instead highlight multiple aspects of their identities.
“With the WNBA now in Canada and the Toronto Tempo season tipping off, we want to fuel this defining cultural moment across Canada,” said Allison Litzinger, senior vice-president of marketing at Sephora Canada.
“Our platform is rooted in celebrating these elite athletes for both their unstoppable talent on the court and their fierce individuality, expanding how the world sees beauty and showing that how they express themselves is exactly what makes them Pretty Badass.”
As part of the launch, Sephora Canada is opening a national social media nomination campaign to identify women who reflect the themes of the initiative.
From June 4 to June 11, Canadians will be able to submit nominations through Sephora Canada’s Instagram account. The company said selected participants will have their stories featured in a national social media campaign and receive courtside tickets to a Toronto Tempo game.
The retailer said the broader campaign will be distributed nationally across television, online platforms, in-arena placements and out-of-home advertising in markets where the Tempo will play. It will also include social media content featuring nominated participants and product integrations.
Tempo head coach Sandy Brondello said the partnership provides an opportunity to showcase players beyond their athletic accomplishments.
“As someone who works with these athletes every single day, I see firsthand their dedication, their drive, and their authenticity” says Brondello. “Sephora Canada’s partnership is a gamechanger because it helps us celebrate these players for every part of who they are, reinforcing that they don’t have to leave any piece of themselves behind.”
Tempo forward Isabelle Harrison said the campaign reflects broader themes tied to visibility and representation.
“Being part of this moment goes beyond basketball. It’s about how we show up as ourselves and what that represents for the next generation. When Canadians see us on and off the court, they should see possibility, individuality, and a new way of thinking about beauty. That’s what makes this so powerful. It’s about being unapologetically who we are”, says Harrison.
Sephora Canada and CIBC were previously announced as the first founding partners of the Toronto Tempo.
The Tempo was awarded to Toronto in 2024 as the WNBA’s first franchise outside the United States and began play this season as the league’s 14th team.
The “Pretty Badass” campaign is scheduled to roll out nationally throughout the team’s inaugural season.
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