Dummies Guide To Women's Sport Jersey Launches

15 Must Do’s: The Dummies Guide To Launching And Marketing Women’s Sport Kits

We saw two women’s sport jersey launch shockers within a month, causing backlash with fans and players. It led me to call ‘game over’ for brands and sport organizations who take a ‘Pink It and Shrink It’ approach to women’s sport kit marketing.

Read My call for brands and organisations to ditch their ‘pink it and shrink it’ women’s sport kit launches.

In response, I created this Dummies Guide To Marketing Women’s Sport Kits with 15 Rules in order to help brands and sport’s bodies avoid damaging their own brands and the women’s sport ecosystem.

This checklist of 15 Must Do’s is by no means exhaustive but should act as a starting point for launching women’s sport shirts and help Marketers avoid having to issue embarrassing apologies in the future.

15 Rules For Launching Women’s Sport Jerseys

England Rugby’s Umbro jersey launch including representation of both men’s and women’s players along with offering match day and training kits in men’s, women’s and kids sizes.

1. One size does not fit all

Produce styles that at least cater to two genders and a range of sizes. This includes lines for both players and fans. If there are commercial constraints, offering pre-orders is a great way to ensure cost viability. As a female fan it’s such a ‘slap in the face’ when you go to buy a supporter’s jersey and there is no option outside of a boldly marked ‘men’s’ (whether it would fit is besides the point) and as a player forced to play in ‘men’s’ clothing, it is an outrage. Obviously there is a broad spectrum of body types and ways people identify but both female and male players and fans should be considered and implemented in design, distribution and promotion whether launching a men’s or women’s teams kit.

2. Create famous faces

Profile the players from both the men’s and women’s teams wearing new kits rather than just the male players who may have a higher profile so fans and potential fans become familiar with the players. If you are going to offer personalisation options like including athletes' surnames on the back of shirts, include both males and female players as options. Where possible include an even split of female and male players in your combined marketing material. 

3. Stamp out cultural appropriation

If you plan or want to consider including any symbols, language or references of any culture, consult the group or Tangata whenua first and include them throughout the process.

The New Zealand Football Fern’s jersey includes the Maori word, ‘Aotearoa’ on the inside of the collar and incorporates the Silver Fern within the design of both the Home and Away kits.

4. Shadow your fans

Make sure you research fans desires, interests, traits and behaviours. Find out what they actually want, would buy, like and don’t like so you not only add value to their world but also help your bottom line with potential sales. Chicago Red Star’s soccer team tapped into the passion that their fans have for their city by launching their ‘Neighbourhood’ Kit where the skyline included the names of Chicago’s 77 neighbourhoods. It was positive fan feedback that also saw the blue stripe design being incorporated.

Chicago Red Stars jersey incorporated a blue stripe after positive fan feedback. It also included the names of the 77 Chicago neighbourhoods to tap into the passion that fans had for it’s city.

5. Knowledge is power

Have a basic level of understanding about the players and team with which you are involved. Be across who the current players are, any previous issues, their successes, other brands etc. As an alternative involve people who have the knowledge and can guide you. This will help maximise everyone's experience, ROI and avoid embarrassing mistakes.

6. Unwanted freebies

Pay women’s players to promote or showcase the product like you would any other influencer or model and recognise their time and effort. Appearances or promotion by athletes can come under existing team or individual contracts but be sure to recognise their time and effort.

7. Double standards

Ask yourself questions like would I expect a men’s team or player to do this? Would we pay a male athlete for this? Would a male star have issues with this idea? Is it good for them as well as us? If the answer to these types of questions is no, then don’t put it to or expect a women’s team or player to be involved in this way.

8. Sexualisation strike out 

Female athletes are first and foremost inspiring, powerful and strong athletes. Their looks, bodies or anything about their appearance (actual or implied) are NOT up for discussion. Do not put appearance be it in design, marketing or distribution at the centre of any campaigns.

9. Diverse representation

One of women’s sport most powerful attributes is it’s inclusiveness. Include a variety of players (and supporters) in your marketing that reflect society and makes everyone feel welcome and included. Avoid just showcasing athletes and fans who you perceive as the ‘best looking’.

10. Ditch ‘Shrink it and Pink it’

Treat women’s sport as its own asset rather than as a ‘bolt-on’ to the men’s. Don’t just roll out a ‘Shrink it and Pink it’ take on the men’s campaigns. Take a bespoke approach by considering it on its own merits with fans and the team at the heart of your thinking.

11. Consider future goldmines

Throw out the dinosaur narrative that women’s sport and their corresponding products are not commercially viable and consider the long-term brand benefits and future markets. Women’s sport is on an exciting growth path so instead of only evaluating the short-term commercial gains, also consider the long-term opportunities and subsequent brand equity and revenue potential.

12. Back a champion

When possible push to have resources specifically behind your women’s team or athletes as this will ensure someone is purely focused on putting them front and centre. If resource does not allow, at least have a dedicated person to champion the women’s side and be responsible for considering the women’s side in all thinking and decisions.

13. Make it rain

Go big when you launch and find clever ways to make noise and get people excited. Utilise all your channels and partners to distribute and promote. A perfect example is Women’s Six Nations sponsor, Guinness making the new Ireland women’s jersey available on their web store and at the Guinness Open Gate Brewery as well as gifting framed and signed jerseys to pubs across the country.

Ireland Women’s Rugby jersey was made available through Six Nations sponsor, Guinness’ channels including pubs, brewery and web store.

14. Be agile and open

Women’s sport is growing at a rapid pace and we are all learning as things change and develop. Be flexible and tweak things as you go and look for ways to improve in the future so you can add even more value moving forward.

15. If you mess up, own it early

While I hope this set of guidelines can help you avoid unforeseen errors or oversight there can be other factors at play and at the end of the day we are human and all make mistakes. If you do mess up, own it and own it as early as possible. Look to fix any issues or concerns ASAP and keep fans and players updated on your progress. Make structural changes and communicate what these are and be sure to improve and get things right in the future.

I would love it if you could share this with players, sport bodies and brands as a blueprint so we can avoid damaging women’s sport in the future.

Better still, follow recent jersey marketing offender, Canterbury and commit to putting women’s sport front and centre moving forward by publicly pledging it! 

Let’s eject ‘Pink It and Shrink It’ marketing fouls from the game and ensure all players win!

For more women’s sport sponsorship & marketing insights, subscribe to my monthly Heroine Hit!