This girl definitely can
Whilst the concept of ‘real women’ in advertising is nothing new, it’s incredibly difficult to pull it off effectively and believably.
Don’t get me wrong, Dove’s ‘real beauty sketches’ campaign is lovely (if a little predicable and very American), but the new offering from Sport England, better known as #ThisGirlCan has struck a chord with me – and on more than one level.
Whilst this campaign has been welcomed with open arms by the feminist community, it’s easy to make that initial link. But dig a little deeper, and it’s got nothing to do with feminism. It’s down to research and knowing how to target your demographic.
In the UK alone, 2 million more men exercise and play sport than women. That’s a big gender gap, and a big opportunity to speak directly to your audience.
#ThisGirlCan communicates a simple, effective message. It’s relatable, strong and manages to inject some humour, which is rare for ‘real women’ campaigns that usually play on the audiences emotions.
“Sweating like a pig, feeling like a fox”. Spot on copywriting which conjures up feelings of empowerment – not just in the independent women sense – but in the personal goal sense.
Even for someone who has already taken the big sweaty sneaker step and hired themselves a personal trainer, #ThisGirlCan is the perfect mantra for almost any situation, whether it’s your fitness, personal life or career.
That’s what resonates with me and my jiggly bits anyway. Well played, FCB INFERNO.