To promote equity in women’s sports, Ally Financial has pledged equal spending in paid advertising across women’s and men’s sports programming over the next five years. To mark the 50th anniversary of Title IX, Ally will turn its 50/50 media spend pledge into action. It will launch “Watch the Game, Change the Game,” a national advocacy initiative spanning broadcast, digital and social media channels with the hope of rallying viewership of women’s competitions.
The 50th anniversary of Title IX
Fifty years ago, Title IX opened the door for women athletes. Many of them developed into strong leaders on and off the field. Research shows a strong link between sports and women’s success as business leaders. According to reports by EY and espnW, 94 percent of women executives have a background in sports, with over half having played at university levels, Decades later, despite record-breaking viewership, women’s sports are still underrepresented in media.
“Investing in women’s sports offers outsized returns for our business when it comes to growing brand affinity and love. The push for equity and parity in sports elevates all of us,” said Andrea Brimmer, chief marketing and public relations officer for Ally. “These world-class athletes deserve platforms to showcase their talents. We are making this commitment to increase representation and inspire the next generation of business leaders.”
“Watch the Game, Change the Game”
The initiative will support the drive for equity with a new TV spot and marketing campaign. It will feature female athletes at the top of their game, rally scarves for fans to show their support, and takeovers of field signage at National Women’s Soccer League and Women’s International Champions Cup games.
This initiative intends to act as a call to action. Ally believes that more representation in media will help create long-term sustainability for women’s sports. It will also drive fandom, followership, and deepened engagement with core audiences for the brands that invest.
“We want to create change, and our pledge is an example of putting actions over words. We hope other brands follow,” added Brimmer.
For more information on “Watch the Game, Change the Game,” visit watchtochange.com.
About Ally Financial
Ally Financial Inc. is a digital financial services company with a promise to “Do It Right” for its consumer, commercial and corporate customers. Ally is composed of an independent auto finance and insurance operation, a digital direct bank, a consumer credit card business, a corporate finance business for equity sponsors and middle-market companies, and securities brokerage and investment advisory services. Our brand conviction is that we are all better off with an ally. We focus on helping customers achieve their strongest financial well-being. For more information, please visit www.ally.com and follow @allyfinancial.
For more about supporting women’s sports in media, read The Business of Women’s Sports: Viewership, Sponsorship and Leadership on Lioness.
Add Comment