For the first time in history, the ratio of female participants at the 2020 Tokyo Olympics was set to reach almost 50%. The global conversation around redefining gender roles and equality has never been louder – and the uproar found its way to the social media feeds. Inspired by this, Twitter and EyeSee took a deep dive to uncover the impact of (non)traditional gender representation in sports ads on brand perception and their consumers. While sticking with the same campaigns with male athletes might seem risk-free, ads featuring sportswomen in non-traditional roles win on social media by a long shot and ads with men in traditional roles fail to connect with viewers! Overall, a non-stereotypical portrayal of men and women in sports campaigns yields better purchase behavior results.
Even when ranked No.1 in the world, the US women’s soccer team was still fighting for equal pay in 2020 – making it clear that the road to equality is still a long one. But apart from the prevalent wage gap, this disparity is also present in the media – despite the athletic achievements sportswomen deliver, the focus still tends to shift on their physical appearance, family life, femininity (or lack thereof), age, sexual orientation, etc.
Twitter’s previous research showed ¼ of the consumer’s purchase decision is based on a brand’s cultural and societal involvement. Just over the last few years, there’s been a 93% increase in conversations regarding gender issues in campaigns. This research specifically, might help brands feel the pulse of their consumers and ultimately contribute to the growing conversation of gender equality and gender roles, especially in sports.
The study was conducted on a total of 2400 respondents, out of which 1800 were exposed to Twitter timelines with embedded tested advertisements. A combination of implicit and explicit methods measured ad visibility and emotional engagement with two behavioral methods – eye-tracking and facial coding. In order to get the full behavioral picture, we used virtual shopping to see whether the advertised brand will be bought in a highly competitive environment, and which tested ads stimulate the purchase. Finally, respondents concluded the study with a Reaction Time measurement test followed by a survey.
Sportswomen in ads are taking the lead
Four different ad categories were tested in the study – two featured female athletes, and two male athletes, each portrayed in traditional and non-traditional roles. Campaigns centering around traditional roles included common stereotypes around gender – women were shown as caring, family-oriented, elegant, whereas men took up more masculine and powerful roles. On the other hand, ads that focused on non-traditional representation highlighted women’s stamina, strength, and participation in male-dominated sports, and showed men as nurturing, emotional, and paternal.
We found that adsstarring female athletes outperformed campaigns with male athletes on many advertising KPIs.
All tested ads had staggering visibility metrics and notably high engagement. However, these ads were all positioned on the top of the feed and featured famous athletes, elements of humor, passion for sport, and some were also emotionally charged – all adding to the great performance. Moreover, all campaigns pushed purchase behavior in a positive direction. There was an increase in no. of shoppers, no. of bought items, and consequently, the amount of money spent – compared to control cells that weren’t exposed to test creatives.
Ads with male athletes are missing the mark
The seen-before ads with action-packed plots saturated in vibrant colors and loud music do keep the viewers’ attention. And male athletes in traditional roles do ensure high brand recall and emotional response – but completely fall flat when it comes to favorability, credibility, and comprehensiveness. Sportsmen in both traditional and non-traditional roles were deemed as less credible and lacked the sense of empowerment making it hard for viewers to relate.
Interestingly, male athletes in non-traditional roles failed to drive interest or improve brand perception yet still had a bigger impact on the shopping behavior of female viewers than sportsmen in traditional roles. Our previous research showed that purchase intent tends to grow when the viewer and the protagonist are of the opposite gender, which proved to be true as ads with sportswomen had a more significant impact on the shopping of the male audience.
Sports are still a field dominated by men, which is why women athletes in ads contradict stereotypes by default. Even when the emphasis is on their gracefulness and elegance – they’re seen as strong, skillful, and persistent, making ads more empowering and memorable, compared to those with male athletes.
Take action in 2021 with your sports campaigns
A majority of people (65%) are expecting culturally relevant ads for the postponed Tokyo Olympics, according to a Twitter study. Here are EyeSee’s tips for advertisers to make winning campaigns for the coming year or any other sports event:
- Break the typical social media patterns – introduce non-traditional creatives to your brand to stand out in the busy feeds
- However, don’t force it – viewers will see through dishonest campaigns so opt to create a believable context that is in line with the advertised product and target group
- Think outside of the gender box – don’t be afraid to explore the whole continuum of possible non-traditional roles
- However, avoid going into extremes – viewers have a hard time relating to these types of scenarios
