The Women's World Cup kicks off on Friday and runs through July 7, and big brands are finally making an effort to highlight the power and potential of women in sports by making the event their next big ad placement.
With FIFA's prediction that this year's event is expected to reach an audience of 1 billion, big names like Nike, Visa and Qatar Airways have invested some serious time and money to create branded content for the Women's World Cup. The response has been remarkable — most ads have gone viral and more than 70 million people have watched them across all social media platforms, AdAge reports, with Nike and Visa creating two of the most-viewed videos of the month.
Following 10-year-old soccer player Makena Cooke as she is introduced to the world of professional women's soccer, Nike's "Dream Further" ad features cameos from dozens of soccer's biggest names. As Cooke jumps from the field to the sideline, to the locker room and back on the field, she is influenced by powerful players until she gets to be the star of the game herself — all to the lively soundtrack of Joan Jett & The Blackheart's "Bad Reputation."
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On the more sentimental side, Visa's "One Moment Can Change the Game" is a celebration of women's soccer as well as the power of sports as an unifying passion. The video follows different characters as a girl finally scores in a boys-only game, a father buys his daughter a pair of cleats, little girls unite to play together and a full stadium cheers for a women's team. Visa's video racked up the most views from all the ads.
To watch more of the Women's World Cup promotion, check AdAge.