Opportunity For Marketers Down-Under: Women's World Cup 2023
The opportunity for Australian and New Zealand brands to sit alongside unforgettable FIFA Women’s World Cup moments
The moment USA women’s soccer player, Brandi Chastain dropped to her knees and revealed her 6-pack of abs to celebrate her winning penalty in the 1999 Women’s Football World Cup has been etched in my mind for twenty years. I was watching it with my dad at our family home on the North Shore in Auckland and it inspired the next decade of my life.
When the 2023 FIFA Women’s World Cup kicks-off, Australians and Kiwis will get to experience first-hand the unforgettable moments that this world-class tournament produces and these will stay with them long after the 6-week event ends. Brands Down-Under have an opportunity to sit alongside these unique moments and cannot underestimate the impact that having a Women’s World Cup on home soil will have on people.
The scale of the FIFA Women’s World Cup
Once upon a time the FIFA Women’s World Cup may have been seen as a second-tier event to the Men’s World Cup but there is no denying how big the FIFA Women’s World Cup has become - on and off the field.
Over 1 billion viewers tuned in to the tournament in France last year with another million fans watching the games in person. England’s semi-final against the USA attracted over 11million viewers and was the BBC’s most watched programme for the year. In the US, it was estimated broadcasters pulled in a whopping USD$96 in Ad Sales, which was more than double their initial forecasts of USD$43m with TV spots in the final going for over USD$500,000. The Australian and New Zealand governments are fully behind it, committing over USD$75m between them. 138 full time staff will be employed and thousands more volunteers will take part.
It’s not just the bottom line that will be impacted either, as moments during the month-long tournament last year dominated headlines and conversation. There was Alex Morgan’s controversial tea-sipping goal celebration, social media spats between Donald Trump and vocal striker Megan Rapinoe about visiting the White House and then there were the chants of ‘Equal Pay’ that erupted at the stadium upon the tournament’s final whistle.
With the momentum women’s sport is gaining and the region set to become a capital for women’s sport in the coming years with the Cricket World Cup, Rugby World Cup, Basketball World Cup and IWG Women and Sport World Conference all taking place Down-Under before the Football World Cup, one can only imagine the level of interest by July 2023 when the tournament begins.
New football fans across Australia and New Zealand
Interest and exposure for women’s football and women’s sport in general in the coming years and beyond is going to reach unprecedented levels. Female athletes are going to inspire the nation and become household names and the brands that are alongside these heroes and events have an opportunity to win the hearts of Australian’s and Kiwis.
When the Football Ferns kick-start the World Cup on 10 July 2023 both nations will not be able to escape getting caught up in the euphoria of the six-week entertainment spectacle. Whether people attend one of the games at one of the eight Australian stadiums or five arenas in New Zealand, watch at home with family, at the pub with mates or are just part of the water cooler conversation with colleagues they will be part of the moments on and off the field that will inspire a generation and create fans that live on long past the tournament.
Opportunity for brands around the Football World Cup Down-Under
The opportunity for Marketers to increase brand love and consideration lies not just in this one-off event but in women’s sport as a whole as female athletes, teams and codes across the region benefit from the halo effect in the lead-up, during and after this pinnacle event.
Those brands that do get involved have huge brand building opportunities. Women’s sport not only encompasses the usual attributes of men’s sport, consisting of passion and connection but according to Nielsen has the added values of being seen as more clean, more family-orientated and more progressive and inspiring than its male counterparts.
Combine this dream set of values with wider audience appeal through an even male to female split (51% / 49%) in interest for women’s sport, an uncluttered environment, all often at fair prices, and the opportunity for Marketers is wide open.
For those brands who specifically want to be around football and the World Cup there are a number of opportunities to be a part of the action:
1. Football
There are some big hitters globally in women’s football including VISA who signed a landmark 7-year deal with UEFA, rumoured to be worth over €10.5m Nike is another big player as well as Barclays in England and Budweiser and Secret Deodorant in the USA.
Westfield has been the dominant player in Australia women’s football as sponsor of the Westfield Matildas, Junior and Young Matildas as well as Australia’s top-flight Westfield W-League. Other supporters include Hyundai, Rebel, Telstra, Qantas and Pantene which ran their 'Ribbon of Strength' campaign that featured youth sensation Ellie Carpenter and focused on female empowerment with the hope of getting more girls and women into the sport.
The opportunity across the ditch in New Zealand is fairly, if not completely untapped. NZ Football, especially on the women’s side have a fairly uninspiring record of meaningful partners. While the Football Ferns are yet to make it through to the second round of a World Cup, a home advantage and a strong squad will give them a good chance of doing this in 2023.
There will be a surge in football participation as a result of the World Cup so there will be opportunities across the board be it at grassroots and local level or national team level. With a clear strategy and well executed activations and content there is an opportunity for brands to have a big impact in football across ANZ.
2. FIFA Women’s World Cup
FIFA currently have six global sponsors that sit across all of their tournaments and include VISA, Wanda, Hyundai/Kia, Coca-Cola, Qatar Airways and Adidas. These global deals are done by FIFA in Zurich and estimated to be in the tens of millions so not a likely option for most Australasian brands.
There will be approximately another six ‘National’ or in this case, Trans-Tasman sponsors that are tied specifically to the Women’s World Cup Down-Under and these will be negotiated by the Local Organising Committee. They will be open to brands outside of the existing global sponsor categories and are likely to cost around AUD$1-2m depending on the package. Last year's world cup saw French sponsors; SCNF, Orange, Proman, EDF, Arkema, Credit Agricole take up these available slots.
The biggest opportunity here is for a Brand that has a strong presence in both Australia and NZ and can host clients and create an idea and content that works across both markets while sharing the cost between country budgets.
3. Players
Globally there are just a few names that are getting deals that may compare to some male players. 2018 Player of the Year, Ada Hegerberg reportedly earns €400,000 playing at French club, Olympique Lyonnais and has just signed a lucrative 10-year Nike deal reportedly for upwards of €1m. Other brand favourites include USA’s latest mum Alex Morgan, activist striker Megan Rapinoe, England’s Lucy Bronze and Australia’s own Sam Kerr who would all be pulling in up to hundreds of thousands in commercial deals. A few others would be able to command decent money but most women’s players are on average salaries at best with the odd ‘Influencer’ campaign here and there at standard rates.
Matilda and football powerhouse, Sam Kerr who sits alongside Christiano Ronaldo in having a boot custom-made for her by Nike will likely be the key face for the World Cup. She has nearly 400,000 Instagram followers and her commercial value will only increase in the build-up to the tournament.
20-year old Australian Young Player of the Year Ellie Carpenter, who is part of Visa and Nike’s roster has over 115,000 Instagram followers is certain to make an impact on the field come 2023. Likewise Caitlin Foord, Steph Catley, Alanna Kennedy and Haley Raso all have impressive brands and on-field talent.
Football Fern and dual American-Kiwi citizen, Ali Riley is the best in the New Zealand team at the marketing game with 36,000 Instagram followers and savvy brand integrations and athletic striker Hannah Wilkinson has a dedicated following and unique style. Rosie White was the star of the U-17 Women’s World Cup when it was in New Zealand in 2008 and will likely be a crowd favourite again while centre back Rebekah Stott could be one of the best players at the tournament.
4. Other opportunities
It will be no surprise if the media rights are shared across multiple networks in both Australia and NZ, in turn presenting a wide reaching opportunity for a broadcast partner. At a minimum, brands will have an opportunity to buy ad-packs for the tournament and appear around various content in the lead-up.
A smart scenario for brands would be to sit across a number of these opportunities in the coming years. Regardless of how Marketers may look to get involved, the brands that approach the women’s game on its own merits and with its unique set of values and audience in mind will be the ones to come out on top. In saying that, first and foremost these women are strong, talented and inspiring athletes and any ‘purpose-led’ component is secondary - campaigns seen as too worthy will lose points.
My son will be five when we watch the opening match of the FIFA Women's World Cup at Eden Park, just a short drive from my original family home. New heroes and unforgettable moments will be created and etched in his mind alongside the rest of Australia and New Zealands for years to come so make sure your brand is a part of them.
Rebecca Sowden is a former New Zealand Football Fern, USA Division 1 soccer player and Founder of Team Heroine.
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