Empowering Women Through Sport

This summer, the FIFA Women’s World Cup Final between the USA and Japan attracted a total TV audience of 25.4m in the US. Not only was it the most-watched football game in US history (the final of the men’s event in 2014 attracted 18.2m), it also out-performed the 2015 National Basketball Association (NBA) Finals. If anyone still needs proof that women’s sport has the ability to attract mainstream audiences this was it.

In branding terms, the big beneficiary was Nike, which first got involved in US women’s soccer back in 1993. At the 2015 event, it sponsored 11 teams including the USA team. A good indicator of how Nike benefited from this came from marketing firm Amobee Brand Intelligence, which tracked tweets connected to the event. According to ABI, for the duration of the event Nike was 121% more associated with the World Cup than Adidas. When you think about how that plays into the global battle for voice between the world’s leading sportswear giants, it’s no surprise to learn that Adidas, Puma and Under Armour are also placing increased emphasis on targeting the female demo.

Until recently, only female tennis and Olympic stars seemed capable of attracting mainstream brands. But more and more sponsors around the world are waking up to the fact that women’s sport can make a difference to their businesses.

In the UK, for example, energy firm SSE recently signed a four-year multi-million sponsorship deal to become title sponsor of the Women’s FA Cup competition. The deal includes a commitment to invest in the women’s game, with significant funding to create a countrywide programme of girls-only football around FA Women's Cup events. Commenting, Alan Young, SSE managing director of Corporate Affairs, said: "We’re entering this partnership with one simple ambition - to make a difference to the future of women’s football and sport. SSE’s investment will help drive the women’s game forward, giving thousands more girls regular access to the beautiful game.”

SSE isn’t the only brand to have made a major commitment to women’s sport in recent times. In 2014, car manufacturer Kia extended its involvement with cricket by signing a two-year deal with the ECB to become the official car of England women’s cricket. This ground-breaking deal was the first ever stand-alone commercial arrangement for the England women’s cricket team. Under the terms of the agreement Kia is sole title sponsor of England women’s home Test matches for two years. It also has sponsorship and marketing rights around the England women’s team, including in-ground activation at matches in England. Contracted England women’s players are also being provided with Kia Sportage cars during the deal.

It’s clear that Kia doesn’t see this relationship as a stunt, but as the start of a wider movement towards integrating women’s sport into the marketing fold. In an interview with www.womanthology.co.uk, Kia events and sponsorship manager Maaike De Vries said: “The partnership with the ECB and the investment into the women’s cricket team is a pioneering development for women’s sport and sponsorship. We expect that this investment will serve as a ‘proof of concept’ of the commercial credibility and viability of the women’s game, internally at ECB, among the game’s stakeholders and, most importantly, in the wider sponsorship industry. Kia is just proud to be one of the first.” [For more of this interview visit http://www.womanthology.co.uk/proof-of-concept-for-sponsorship-of-womens-sport-challenging-stereotypes-by-investing-in-the-england-womens-cricket-team-maaike-de-vries-events-sponsorship-manager-at-kia/.]

Other pioneers in women’s sponsorship including Continental, which became the lead partner of the FA Women's Super League in 2011; All Nippon Airways, which partners the Ladies Professional Golf Association (LPGA); Microsoft, which supports the Women’s Sports Trust; and Investec, which signed a five-year sponsorship deal with the England and Great Britain women’s field hockey teams in 2011. Like most of the above brands, Investec was not a sponsorship novice when it signed the England/GB hockey deal. So it was clearly bringing a good deal of science with its decision to enter women’s sponsorship.

Commenting at the time, Investec global head of marketing, Raymond van Niekerk said: “We began sponsoring the South African women’s team last year and have expanded our backing of the sport as it symbolises commitment, enthusiasm, skill and personal development. Support goes from grassroots kid’s hockey all the way to the senior national teams.”

One sport that has seen a lot of sponsorship engagement is netball. Going back a few years, the Co-operative backed Netball’s attempt to be included at the 2016 Summer Olympics. More recently, brands including insurance group Vitality, car manufacturer Fiat, sports equipment company Asics as well as Endsleigh, Freya Active, Mrs Crimble’s and ZEO have all made significant investments in the sport. Fiat seems to have benefited considerably, with UK sales figures on its popular Fiat 500 model rising significantly since it became involved with the sport as a sponsor of the Fiat Netball Superleague.

Some of the market’s recent women’s sports sponsorships have an impact that stretches well beyond commercial objectives. Global investment management firm Newton, for example, has been sponsoring the Women’s Oxford Cambridge Boat Race for the last five years – but it was only this year that the women got to race on the same course as the men.

Commenting, Newton CEO Helen Morrissey said: “It is hard to believe that five years ago the Women’s Race had no financial support, and that the athletes had to cover the high costs of their participation. The Women’s Boat Race had taken place in Henley since 1977 and both clubs had long dreamed of racing the same legendary Tideway course as their male counterparts. Today, the men and women receive equal sponsorship and this year were able to race the same course on the same day – not only a pivotal moment in the history of this iconic British event, but also a breakthrough for diversity in sport more widely.”

Morrissey, who is also playing a leading role in efforts to put more women in corporate boardrooms, used the 2015 Women’s Boat Race as an opportunity to make an explicit link between the work being done in sponsorship and the role of women in wider society: “We are proud to have been actively involved in the evolution of this great race, and we believe that the rags-to-riches story of the women at the Oxford and Cambridge Boat Clubs is only the tip of the iceberg of opportunities to put men’s and women’s sport on an equal footing. We hope this breakthrough for diversity in sport will be felt far beyond the river, the track and the playing field. Diversity is key to innovation and success in business, and we believe that encouraging more women and young people to take part in team sports is fundamental to equipping them with the vital life skills they need to succeed in the workplace.”

This thinking is implicit in the UK Sponsorship Awards’ decision to launch a new Award category for Empowering Women Through Sport. “It is our hope that companies that have a good story to tell will enter the new Award, thus providing best-practice examples for other brands to learn from,” says UKSA organizer Rosemary Sarginson. “For further details on entering the Awards visit http://www.sponsorship-awards.co.uk.”

The new category is supported by Women in Sport - https://www.womeninsport.org/womens-sport-network/

Six Reasons For Sponsoring Women’s Sport

Increased Media Visibility: As the FIFA Women’s World Cup ratings demonstrate, there is a growing audience for women’s sport – which means great visibility for brands. With more and more mainstream broadcasters such as the BBC, Sky and BT Sports giving airtime to women’s sports, this situation can only get better for brands. For background, try also reading Repucom’s free report on changing trends in behaviour around women and sport: http://repucom.net/women-sport/.

Ability To Target An Untapped Audience: Sport has a history of neglecting the female audience. So demonstrating a genuine commitment to women/girls in sport is a way of reaching out and engaging with this under-served audience segment.

Grass Roots Impact: Some of the biggest benefits to brands come at grass roots level, with female-focused sponsorships providing a safe platform for communicating with girls.

Marketing Cost-Effectiveness: At a time when the rights to elite male sports properties cost a fortune, women’s sport is a real opportunity to achieve brand engagement at a lower cost. As things stand, around 0.5% of sport sponsorship money is spent on women’s sport, which suggests there’s a big opportunity for brands willing to do their research.

Strong Support Network: The campaigning nature of the women in sport agenda means there are bodies that can support your activities and advise on the best way to a) empower women/girls and b) achieve business objectives. Outfits like Women In Sport (www.womeninsport.org) and the Women’s Sports Trust (www.womenssporttrust.com) are a mine of information about female sport and fitness activities. 

Improved Brand Perception Among Key Stakeholders: The perception that you are a brand that takes women seriously has numerous possible upsides. It can make female employees feel more valued and help with the recruitment of top female talent (at entry level and beyond). Given the growing number of women in high-level decision-making functions, it could also add a new dimension to your corporate hospitality strategy.