Nike • What the Football.
2023 • Clothing • United States • North America
Nike did a character-driven campaign showcasing female footballers with unique traits, captivating audiences with entertaining shorts.
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The big idea of the "What the Football" campaign was to highlight the unique skills and personalities of female footballers participating in the 2023 World Cup by creating entertaining character-driven content that would resonate with global audiences. The campaign aimed to make these players household names and to enhance Nike's brand perception and commitment to women and girls in sports.
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The challenge of the campaign was to break away from the typical portrayal of female athletes in the media as a monolith and instead focus on showcasing the unique skills and personalities of each female footballer participating in the 2023 World Cup. Nike aimed to make these players famous for their football abilities rather than other stereotypes often associated with female athletes.
The goal was to create characters that would resonate with a global audience and increase interest and positive perception of women's football.
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The target group of the "What the Football" campaign by Nike was primarily Gen Z women, with an additional positive response from men.
The campaign aimed to resonate with global consumers and create a positive impact on brand perception, particularly emphasizing Nike's commitment to women and girls in sports.
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The "What the Football" campaign was successful in maximizing reach through paid support, exceeding targets by 2x and securing Nike with the highest Share of Voice (SOV) during the tournament. The series resonated with over half of global consumers included in Nike’s brand study, leading to a positive impact on brand perception and Nike’s commitment to women and girls.
The campaign achieved a significant 15:1 positive sentiment ratio (+7x goal) against Nike’s target audience of Gen Z women, with men also responding positively to the content.
As a result of the campaign, 45% of respondents expressed increased interest in football, and on average, 40% had a positive perception of all the athletes featured in the "What the Football" films.
