NASHVILLE, Tenn.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Jul 16, 2026--
Today, Journeys announced “ Turn It Up,” its new back-to-school campaign starring Madison Bailey,Anna Cathcart,Sky Brown,Ocean Brown,Samara Cyn and INJI. The latest chapter of the brand’s Life On Loud platform celebrates experimentation, individuality and the journey of self-discovery.
This press release features multimedia. View the full release here: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20260715661991/en/
Rather than telling young people who to be this school year, Journeys is encouraging them to try on as many versions of themselves as they want.
Set inside a school transformed by the unexpected, “Turn It Up” turns familiar back-to-school rituals upside down. Hallways, cafeterias and school buses become spaces for creative disruption as Bailey plays three versions of herself, Sky and Ocean Brown skate through the chaos, and ordinary school-day moments are remixed into something louder, unexpected and more alive.
The campaign responds to a tension facing young people today: despite having more ways than ever to express themselves, teens are constantly being categorized, optimized and served more of the same. “Turn It Up” pushes back against the algorithms, conformity and perfectionism that can stifle exploration, positioning personal style as a space to experiment and Journeys as the place to try on what comes next.
“Young people are constantly being told who they should be and what they should look like,” said Journeys CMO Stacy Doren. “We want Journeys to be the place where they can tune out that noise, try something new and figure out what feels like them. ‘Turn It Up’ is about giving the next generation the freedom to turn up the volume on who they are.”
The cast reflects that idea. Rather than center the campaign on a single spokesperson or one definition of what is “in,” Journeys brought together actors, musicians, creators and athletes whose careers and personal styles resist easy categorization.
“What I love most about Journeys is that it celebrates self-expression without putting you in a box,” said Madison Bailey. “We’re all constantly growing and evolving, and this campaign captures that so well. Playing three different characters was a lot of fun because it reflects the way I express myself through style and how I'm always experimenting with new looks.”
Adidas Ambassador Anna Cathcart sees playing characters on TV as a great way to experiment style without fear. “Getting to play characters is a fun time to try something out,” she said. “It feels like I can be a little bit more courageous and a little bit more fearless.” The campaign is also a full-circle moment for Cathcart, who grew up shopping at Journeys.
The campaign will come to life across CTV, digital, social, retail and experiential, supported by an expanded social content series that takes audiences behind the scenes with the cast, including Bailey’s three characters, Sky and Ocean Brown’s sibling dynamic, original skate content and more.
“Turn It Up” builds on strong momentum for the Life On Loud brand platform and marks Journeys’ biggest expression to date, advancing its position as the place that helps young people move from one version of themselves to the next.
The campaign was created alongside creative agency Anomaly.
This school year, don't just show up. Turn up. Journeys Life on Loud.
About Journeys
Journeys is a multi-branded specialty footwear retail leader operating more than 800 stores across the U.S., Puerto Rico, and Canada. Journeys caters to teens and young adults that want to stand out or fit in, with the latest styles influenced by the spirit of youth culture. It’s the one-stop for carefully curated selections from brands like adidas, Nike, New Balance, UGG, Birkenstock, Converse, Vans, Doc Martens, Puma, and more. The Journeys shopping experience goes beyond the average retail environment, it’s an extension of the teen lifestyle. Every store is designed to welcome, inspire, and include each shopper. Self-expression isn’t just accepted, it’s encouraged through shelves of unique merchandise, exclusive digital content, and a friendly staff that reflects the company’s values. Journeys is a division of Genesco Inc.
L to R: INJI, Sky Brown, Samara Cynn, Madison Bailey, Anna Cathcart
UVALDE, Texas (AP) — Catastrophic flooding in Texas after days of pounding rain forced authorities to rescue dozens of people from rising waters before sunrise Thursday while many more fled to higher ground across a region still recovering from devastating floods just a year ago.
The National Weather Service in San Antonio said a “large and deadly flood wave” was barreling down the same river wrecked by floods last summer when two dozen children and counselors were killed at Camp Mystic.
Forecasters urgently warned “Move to higher ground now!” as rivers rose hour by hour, turning them into fast-moving seas of white water.
There was no immediate word of any deaths or injuries from the flooding. Several tornado warnings were also issued. The Texas Hill Country floods over the July Fourth holiday last year killed more than 100 people.
“It’s crazy happening two times in one year,” said Josiah Rodriguez, who woke to the sound of heavy rain around 2 a.m. Thursday in Kerrville. He navigated flooded roads to help evacuate relatives.
“Last year there was no warning of it,” he said. “It just kind of happened overnight and it took everyone by surprise. This year, a lot more alerts have gone into place, a lot more safety measures.”
The storms and flooding threatened multiple counties close to the border with Mexico and in the Texas Hill Country near San Antonio. City officials in Kerrville urged people to shelter at the highest levels of their homes.
Images along a creek in Kerr County showed propane tanks that had been pushed onto a bridge and a mess of tangled trees.
Floodwaters overran the city of Uvalde overnight, cutting off outside access.
“There’s no way into the city at this point in time. Rescues have been happening overnight,” said Juli Alvarado, a spokesperson for Uvalde police. Multiple people trapped in vehicles were being rescued, she said.
“The good thing is they’re communicating with our emergency dispatch center and we’re getting crews to them quickly,” she said.
Uvalde officials were deploying boats for rescue operations and planned to fly helicopters after daybreak, Alvarado said. Phones buzzed with warnings throughout the night, warning of flash flooding in the morning.
Texas Game Wardens rescued more than 40 people, mostly in the Uvalde County area, according to a Texas Parks and Wildlife Department spokesperson.
The floodwaters were expected to reach a crest similar to last year's flood, the weather service said.
Gauges in some spots along the Guadalupe River showed it rose by more than 30 feet (9 meters) in a matter of hours overnight Thursday.
One gauge outside of Kerrville showed the river had risen 32 feet (9.7 meters) in four hours.
Close to Camp Mystic, which remains shut down, the Guadalupe River near Hunt reached about 20.5 feet (6.3 meters), according to a U.S. Geological Survey gauge, which is just under the level expected to inundate structures and roads.
Volunteer firefighters spent the night helping people evacuate and answering calls about rising water in Ingram, just up river from Hunt, where summer camps dot the shores of the Guadalupe, Ingram Mayor Claud Jordan said Thursday morning.
While the water didn’t rise as high as a year ago, he believes this round of flooding was more widespread and “worse” in his city. “The rural part of Ingram, all the roads are just trashed,” he said.
“There are a bunch of businesses that haven’t reopened from last year. They’re still trying to rebuild from the July 4 floods,” Jordan said. “This doesn’t help.”
By Wednesday, Uvalde police had ordered mandatory evacuations for some parts, with first responders notifying people affected directly. Others were asked to stay vigilant in case more evacuations are needed.
Some people walked out of their homes into the street to see the water growing closer every hour, their faces worried. People living along the Leona River scrambled to pack up their cars and head out, although many did not yet know where they should go. One man threw two kayaks into his truck bed, just in case.
Lightning flashed as clouds darkened, and brown water created large rapids in the typically calm river, which was pushing up against the town’s high bridge and into neighborhoods by Wednesday afternoon.
The Texas Hill Country is especially prone to flash floods because the area’s signature limestone is covered by just a thin layer of soil. During heavy rains, water can quickly shoot downhill before quickly filling the narrow river basins.
The weather service said 10 to 20 inches of rain (25 to 50 centimeters) had fallen in the past two days, with 8 inches (20 centimeters) in just two hours early Thursday.
The deluge dumped nearly a foot of rain in some counties and put people in multiple counties under flood watches, with some were expected to remain in effect through Friday evening.
Texas Gov. Greg Abbott has issued disaster declarations for dozens of counties. As of late Wednesday, six million residents in 57 counties were under a National Weather Service flood watch.
Stengle reported from Dallas. Associated Press writers Christopher L. Keller in Albuquerque, New Mexico; Dave Collins in Hartford, Connecticut; Michael Phillis in Washington; Claudia Lauer in Philadelphia; Kathy McCormack in Concord, New Hampshire; and John Seewer in Toledo, Ohio, contributed.
Mike Erulenfeld and Kala Martin walks back to his truck after watching as the Pedernales River floods near Old Kerr Highway on Thursday, July 16, 2026, in Fredericksburg, Texas. (AP Photo/Joel Angel Juarez)
The Pedernales River floods along State Highway 16 on Thursday, July 16, 2026, in Fredericksburg, Texas. (AP Photo/Joel Angel Juarez)
Mike Erulenfeld and Kala Martin watch as the Pedernales River floods near Old Kerr Highway on Thursday, July 16, 2026, in Fredericksburg, Texas. (AP Photo/Joel Angel Juarez)
The Pedernales River floods underneath State Highway 87 on Thursday, July 16, 2026, in Fredericksburg, Texas. (AP Photo/Joel Angel Juarez)
A small fish is stranded on a sidewalk after flood waters subsided on Wednesday, July 15, 2026, in Boerne, Texas. (AP Photo/Darren Abate)
Reece Noble, left, and Gavyn Steffek, photograph a tortoise they found in flood waters on Wednesday, July 15, 2026, in Boerne, Texas. (AP Photo/Darren Abate)
Members of the Boerne Fire Dept. rescue a woman from flood waters on Wednesday, July 15, 2026, in Boerne, Texas. (AP Photo/Darren Abate)
A flood-damaged car hangs from a fence on Wednesday, July 15, 2026, in Boerne, Texas. (AP Photo/Darren Abate)
Members of the Boerne Fire Dept. prepare to perform a water rescue on Wednesday, July 15, 2026, in Boerne, Texas. (AP Photo/Darren Abate)
