Increased media interest helped the Lionesses gain parity with their male counterparts earlier this year – but there’s plenty of room for progress
This year, it finally came home. But it wasn’t the Lions who scored that winning goal – it was the Lionesses.
Football fans were ecstatic, and brands up and down the aisle celebrated the Lionesses’ EURO 2022 win, with messages, images, and ads taking up much of social media, billboards, and TV.
It had been 50 years since England last took home a major football tournament trophy, making this a triumph not just for the team, but for the country.
It also marked a turning point in how women’s football is perceived. Across the globe, women’s football is a growing force to be reckoned with, a sport that is increasingly drawing in the crowds. And with this latest win, the Lionesses have proved they deserve a space at the table.
But it wasn’t always like this. In a recent interview, English footballer Jill Scott discussed the Sisyphean struggle of having to galvanize momentum anew for each game. With each tournament, the Lionesses had to work hard to raise energy and attention for their competition – finally, it seems the tides have turned.
With positive sentiment, increased sponsorship, and higher turnouts at games, parity with the men’s team is in sight. When the media, advertising, and imagery play such a strong role in creating and spreading a narrative – in this case, that it’s the same game, the same sweat, tears, and training, with the same levels of investment and interest – what can brands do to continue driving momentum?
The importance of representation
The crowds at the UEFA Women’s EURO 2022 final were record-breaking. As England triumphed over Germany at Wembley Stadium, 87,192 spectators watched on, almost doubling the previous record. Shown worldwide by over 60 broadcasters, TV, out-of-home (OOH), and streaming viewing figures across the world are estimated at 365 million. Articles on the success proliferated, with images of the winning players and excited crowds splashed under headlines and coloring image galleries. Getty Images alone had 83,235 photos dedicated to the event.
This is a striking difference from just over a century ago; in 1921, the women’s game was effectively banned for being ‘quite unsuitable for females’. While the Football Association lifted this ban 50 years later, it wasn’t until 1997 that they finally outlined plans to develop women’s football to the elite level – 26 years after a rebel team participated in an unofficial World Cup in Mexico.
Since then, we can trace a slow yet steady upwards trajectory in popularity from the early 2000s onwards. But the path to equality still lies ahead. It has taken a long time for the Lionesses to truly command the media space and the people’s attention, and it is these images that have the power to inspire more women to step into their potential.
According to research commissioned by LinkedIn, seeing is truly believing. More than half (55%) of women surveyed agreed there was a lack of relatable role models in the workplace, and 43% stated they thought they would be more successful if they had a role model. For those fortunate enough to have an influential figure in their lives, these were instrumental in helping the women learn to believe in themselves (76%) and inspiring them to achieve more (74%). What’s more is that, according to seven in ten women, these role models showed them what people of their gender could achieve, despite societal barriers.
Role models reflect and extend what is possible, inspire ambition and aspiration, and provide a template for the behaviors and mindsets that are necessary to succeed. These images, stories, and narratives are what encourage future generations. Sponsorship, advertising, and sports have long built partnerships that benefit both brands and athletes in terms of coverage, attention, and positive association – and it doesn’t stop at football.
Developing a narrative: from fight to victory
Seven years ago, between 2011 and 2013, only 0.4% of all corporate investment was spent on women’s teams, and women’s sport also only accounted for 7% of total sports coverage. This year, 13 Official Global Sponsors and five National Sponsors, including Visa, Heineken, Lego, and TikTok, made up an impressive list of support. Where less than a decade ago, women had to play on the side of their full-time jobs – such as vet-come-rugby player Sophie Hemming, who had to deliver a calf during a league match – now, full-time contracts are no longer an abstraction.
When there is money to invest in talent – by improving the quality of the pitches, supporting the players, and providing training facilities – this talent is what attracts the audience. Meanwhile, the crowds attract sponsorship, which in turn provides more media interest and bigger platforms that reach bigger audiences.
But this all has to start somewhere. And while it definitely looks like things are getting better, less than half of UK adults (46%) can name a women’s sports sponsor, with many brands still “reluctant to go ‘all in’ on their activation”, according to Jon Long, managing director of national youth charity Onside UK. One 30-year-long US study revealed that as recently as 2019, 95% of total television coverage and highlights focused on men’s sports, with a similar emphasis found on social media and in sports newsletters.
The picture is very similar in the UK too. Measured between January and July of 2022, women’s sport took up a total of 16% of coverage hours on BBC One, BBC Two, Channel 4, ITV, and Sky Sports. This is essential to consider when we know that more girls than ever before (nearly 70%, up from 50% two years ago) dream of becoming elite athletes, but 17% more girls lack the opportunity to do so than boys. Mental and practical barriers still exist, with stereotypes still hampering girls’ success. These girls need something to look up to, to see that women’s sport is supported (58%), their victories are celebrated (54%), diversity prioritized, and pay gaps eliminated.
Championing the underdog
Jill Scott emphasized how important it was to involve men in the conversation, referencing Heineken’s The 12th Woman ad. By bringing well-known, respected, and supportive figures into the spotlight, the campaign sent a powerful message to other men about day-to-day gender bias.
Heineken’s Passion Knows No Gender – Cheers to all Fans campaign also worked to challenge bias and promote equality on and off the pitch, and other brands have used the opportunity to highlight different facets of the conversation. Volkswagen, for example, called attention to the gendered language of ‘women’s football’ in the hopes to put an end to it, while EE tackled the problem of sexist abuse, encouraging men to become allies.
Sports giant Nike is probably the most prominent, long-time sponsor, with agency Wieden+Kennedy delivering a string of emotive, punchy, and successful campaigns, from American Woman in 2015 and Dream Further in 2019, to 2022’s Never Settle, Never Done. Nike also recently teamed up with Rebel Girls to highlight the inspiring stories of women footballers and coaches from around the globe.
Leveling the playing field
The big brands have taken a stand. Now it’s up to other companies to follow suit and actively promote the sport and build an iconic catalog of imagery that will rival the men’s.
Women’s football is only gaining momentum, and by sponsoring and supporting the team, brands can contribute to gender parity in sports. As key contributors to funneling interest, resources, and attention, brands have the power to lead on positive change. And with as many as 82% of consumers prioritizing brand purpose when it comes to informing their purchasing decisions, it’s time for businesses to pair values with action.
Representation, participation, and support are mutually reinforcing. Mediated images and narratives set the agenda for public conversation, and by leading the charge, brands can continue to forge valuable advertiser-brand-sports team partnerships, while simultaneously demonstrating their conviction toward equality.
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