In an effort to attract new audiences and capitalize on the recent record ratings for women’s sports in the U.S. and Europe, global advertisers are recruiting more female athletes to star in marketing ads ahead of the Summer Olympics in Paris.
Even while the Olympics have always been seen as the peak of women’s sports, experts said that rising interest in the Games has led to more brands showcasing female athletes in advertisements, focusing on language that is gender-neutral, and increasing their investment on women’s sports.
Jenny Storms, chief marketing officer for entertainment and sports at NBCUniversal, which broadcasts the Olympics in the U.S., said: “What we’re seeing of late is an incredible aggregate of women showcasing skills and breaking records in ways that are generating so much attention.”
The demand for women athletes
GroupM, one of the biggest ad-buying agencies in the world, is currently collaborating with NBCUniversal to develop new advertising packages that will enable some of its brand clients to specifically appear during women’s Olympic events in Paris.
As per the experts, one explanation for the increased focus on women’s sports is the fan frenzy surrounding U.S. basketball player Caitlin Clark. Clark’s success was said to have boosted ratings for the women’s collegiate basketball championship, which were higher than men’s for the first time.
According to data from TV ad measurement firm iSpot, the most decorated gymnast of all time, Simone Biles, is currently starring in multiple advertising campaigns, including those for the diabetic medication Mounjaro and the sports clothing brand Athleta.
Moreover, Olympic swimmer Katie Ledecky, who has won seven gold medals, is also featured in TV ads for the sportswear company TYR and the protein supplement Core Power, as well as an Athleta social media campaign.
However, according to Robert Müller von Vultejus, chief growth officer of sports marketing firm Sportfive, female athletes’ sponsorship deals are still significantly smaller than those of their male counterparts, even though interest in women’s sports is growing.
He stated: “The individual reach of an athlete like LeBron James is so outstanding, it’s not yet comparable on the women’s side… But in a couple years time, it will get there.”
Source: CNA