Nike is launching a pan-European marketing campaign that, it says, ‘strives to challenge the limited appreciation of women in sports and inspire a new generation of female athletes’.
Called ‘Here I Am’, the campaign features a mix of female elite and everyday athletes, including Paul Radcliffe, and will run across print adverts and the Bebo social network in the UK, as well as PR and retail marketing executions.
The objectives of the campaign, says Nike, are to stimulate women’s participation in sport and to provoke debate about the coverage of women’s sport. Nike believes more women should realise the importance of sports and the positive impact it can have on their lives.
Says Radcliffe: “Increased confidence and self-esteem gained through sport are some of the many benefits which can translate into successful studies, careers and social lives. I’m pleased to see Nike engaging in a campaign to celebrate girls who play sport, encourage more girls to do so and raise the profile of women’s sport generally.”
“Girls who play sports really are stronger in body and mind,” says Bridget Elliot, marketing manager for NikeWomen in the UK. “Taking part in sport adds mental strength, in addition to the purely physical aspect. That is exactly what we want to express throughout this campaign. We strive to take the average female from the ‘I need to’ state to the ‘I want to’ state.”
