It doesn't seem long ago that women's football was barely televised and received little attention from the general public. But a lot has changed. This year's FIFA Women's World Cup is aiming for a massive audience of 1 billion. And big companies are certainly paying attention.
Seasonal holidays and special events are a great opportunity to tailor your marketing to plug into the zeitgeist. By joining in the conversation that everyone's having, you can increase the amount of exposure your campaigns receive. To give you some inspiration for this tactic, let's look at how some of the big brands are using the Women's World Cup in their marketing.
Nike
Nike's video campaign pushes viewers to “Dream Further” as a 10-year-old girl gets pulled through the incredible experiences of the Women's World Cup by some of the tournament's biggest players. This 3-minute video has already received more than a million views on YouTube.
It’s backed by the feminine punk power of Bad Reputation by Joan Jett & The Blackhearts. It ends with the inspirational sentiment – “Don’t change your dream. Change the world.”
What’s great about this ad is that it’s not just inspiring for young girls and women, and not just for football enthusiasts, but for anyone aspiring for something bigger or something different.
Visa
Visa’s World Cup video is all about moments, and how just one can change everything. Whether that’s one pass, one victory, one idol, or one gift. The brand brings itself and its product into this well, with that “one gift” being a pair of football boots from Father to daughter. Paid for with Visa, of course.
The message of this ad rings true on a personal level for anyone watching, but also on a larger scale for the sport. The tagline “One moment can change the game” is perfectly placed within the revolution women’s football is undergoing. Visa is using the hashtag #ItTakesOneMoment to continue the conversation on Twitter.
Lucozade Sport
Lucozade is doing their part to promote the World Cup in stores, too. They’ve released 16 million limited edition Lucozade Sport bottles featuring England players, Steph Houghton and Nikita Parris. Lucozade Sport is an official partner of both the men and women’s teams and has supported players from the men’s team in the past. The eye-catching design of these bottles is a great way to promote the players, the team, the tournament, and women’s football as a whole.
BBC Sport
We all love a good World Cup anthem. And BBC Sport has put one behind their video ad campaign as broadcasters of the tournament.
While it might not be Three Lions, it has some inspiring lyrics for anyone watching and supporting during the World Cup. London rapper, Ms. Banks provides the soundtrack over various creative scenes of England players and other stars of the tournament.
Although there’s still a way to go before it matches the fervour surrounding the men’s World Cup, women’s football has made huge steps in the last few years. And this tournament is sure to boost its status even more. How are you getting involved with marketing during the Women's World Cup?