the challenge.

Sports England faced a notable gender gap in sports participation in the UK. According to their research, fewer women engage in regular sports activities compared to men, by every metric. Two million fewer women aged 14 to 40 participate in sports compared to their male counterparts, even though 75% of women express a desire to be more active. Their challenge was to help inspire and motivate these women to get active and have fun.

the insight.

Jennie Price, chief executive of Sport England explained, "Before we began this campaign, we looked very carefully at what women were saying about why they felt sport and exercise were not for them, Some of the issues, like time and cost, were familiar, but one of the strongest themes was a fear of judgment. After their careful research, they found. The primary barrier preventing women from participating in sports is the fear of being judged by others. This fear encompasses worries about their appearance, their abilities, or the fact that they are prioritizing time for themselves over their families. Addressing this fear was identified as crucial to closing the gender gap in sports participation.

The insight team recognized mothers as a key target audience for the campaign. Research shows that although many mothers want to exercise, the fear of being judged for prioritizing themselves is a significant obstacle. An overwhelming 81% of mothers with children under 15 choose to spend time with their families rather than focusing on fitness, and 44% feel guilty when they take time for themselves. While men often have 'hobbies' that are encouraged, women may pursue 'me time,' which can easily be dismissed as an 'indulgence.'

the idea.

Sports England teamed up with FBC Inferno, Creative Agency, to create the manifesto, ‘Women come in all shapes and sizes and all levels of ability. It doesn’t matter if you’re rubbish or an expert. The brilliant thing is you’re a woman and you’re doing something,’ as they began shaping This Girl Can. By promoting a realistic portrayal of women and exercise in England, the team developed a campaign aimed at inspiring and supporting women, helping them break free from the judgments that hinder their participation.

Some of the tools they used were:

• Premiered their This Girl Can ad during a Monday night Coronation Street break in January 2015.

• Maintained an active social media presence on platforms like Facebook, YouTube, Twitter, Pinterest, and Instagram to spark conversations and engage with women online.

• Targeted consumer media outlets such as Mail Online, Grazia, and Stylist.

• Utilized billboard, cinema, and additional TV advertising to reach women in their everyday routines between January to March 2015 and again from May to June 2015.

• Recognizing the impact of self-identification on behavior change and the sense of community within the growing This Girl Can movement, we also developed a This Girl Can app. This app enables women to create personalized This Girl Can posters, featuring campaign mantras like "I kick balls. Deal with it" and "Hot and not bothered."

• Additionally, the This Girl Can website offers helpful advice and resources for women looking to become more active.

the impact.

2.8 million women aged 14-40 were more active (e.g. tried a new type of exercise, or increased the amount of time spent exercising) as a result of seeing the campaign. Of those, 1.6 million started or re-started exercise (e.g. got back into exercise after a break) as a result of seeing the campaign. (Sport England’s This Girl Can Survey – Kantar Public, November 2015)

Looking at overall physical activity levels in England:

• The number of women playing sports and getting active once a week, every week increased by 250,000. (Sport England Active People survey results, October 2016)

• The increase in women’s participation occurred while men’s activity levels remained the same.