Nike and Adidas launch major campaigns for women's UEFA Euro 2022

Nigel TAYLOR

Опубликовано
8 июл. 2022 г.

There was a time when these sorts of campaigns were reserved for the men’s professional game. Showing just how far (and how important financially) women’s professional football has come, sportswear giants Adidas and Nike have both launched Uefa Women’s Euro 2022 campaigns this week.

The event takes place in England  this month, the country having been unchallenged in its bid to host the Euros. And it looks like a good move with the focus on the tournament being huge and underlining the welcome development of the women's game being taken very seriously.

That has meant to big sports brand names are pulling out all the stops.

To start, Adidas has revealed four murals celebrating the competition’s stars as the biggest European women’s sport event in history begins.

Created in collaboration with female artists from the UK and revealed in four London locations, the murals celebrate the personal goals and achievements of Mapi Leon, Millie Bright, Vivianne Miedema and Wendie Renard. Each mural features a design that visualises the player’s story, framed by their goals.

The murals are part of Adidas’s campaign “which celebrates the incredible players taking part, with the aim of inspiring young football fans to pursue their own goals”. 

The goal frame design “represents the goals that the players have achieved in their lives so far, and the goals they continue to pursue – from world-firsts in football, to working with young people”. 

Each of the murals also features a QR code that links to a short film charting the player’s journey.

Claus-Peter Mayer – SVP Brand, adidas Europe, said: “Our focus for Uefa Women’s Euro 2022 is to ensure the players get the spotlight that their incredible talent deserves. We are so proud to work with a group of players who are inspiring the next generation on and off the pitch. For people who know the players well already, the murals will be a source of great pride, and for those new to the game, we hope this will be an inspiring introduction to some of the modern stars of the game.”

On the pitch, Adidas has created kits for the national teams of Belgium, Germany, Northern Ireland, Spain and Sweden. The company is also an official partner with Uefa Women’s Football from 2021-2025, where adidas is the Official match ball provider for a number of major women’s tournaments.

Over at rival Nike, the US sportswear giant has marked the tournament with ad showing off speed and technical ability of footballers such as England’s  ‘Lioness’ captain Leah Williamson, as well as girls from grassroots teams across Europe.

The campaign 'Never settle, never done' is celebrating what Nike is calling the "outrageous confidence and skill" of women to mark the tournament.

The film opens with a girl watching football on her laptop and then moves to a woman trying to get into a ground to play a game. As the music intensifies and an upbeat track starts to play, there are shots of women and girls playing football. The campaign is running across TV, online and social across Europe. 

Nike said: “Celebrating the athletes and the game today, whilst working for changes that will improve the future of the game need not be mutually exclusive concepts. The level of football has never been higher – investment, media coverage and crowds are at record levels – and more girls are involved in grassroots football than ever before. These achievements cannot be overlooked or diminished.

“But basking in the glory of the heights the game has reached cannot create complacency, we must never stop seeking more. More professional opportunities for women in football, more investment and access at all levels of the sport and more visibility through media coverage.”