Amazon Promotes UEFA Women’s Football Partnership & New Online Store Via ‘The Grit’ Of the Grassroots Game

Amazon championed the grittier side of grassroots football when it activated its UEFA Women’s Football partnership through a campaign called ‘The Grit’ which boosted awareness of the tie-up while showcasing related products and its new online store launched to support female footballers playing, training, recovering and celebrating.

Objective

Drive awareness of the brand’s new UEFA Women’s Football sponsorship and the launch of its women’s football online store, while championing the rise of the women’s game and the benefits it offers to those who play.

Activation

This sponsor kickoff, multi-channel, pan-European campaign – developed by creative agency adam&eveDDB, sees real players take centre stage as they show their passion, tenacity and camaraderie. The idea is built on the insight that playing football unleashes female confidence and self-assurance both on and off the pitch.

The campaign spans broadcast TV, Video On Demand, cinema, online video and social channels, as well as having a Digital Out of Home strand.

The hero launch spot, ‘The Grit’, seeks to encapsulate how women and girls bring true grit to the beautiful game, while showing how Amazon plays a supporting role by offering a wide selection of products to support and enhance their game (from shin guards and training vests, to mouthguards, tape and even cold compresses).

The gritty, grassroots, muddy pitch action footage in the spearhead spot features a series of sharp, energetic cuts is juxtaposed against the 1950’s track ‘Sweet Old Fashioned Girl’ by Teresa Brewer.

The 30-second anchor ad, ‘Amazon x UEFA Women’s Football 2024’, is supported by 20- and 6-second cut down spots and the content rolled out after International Women’s Day from 11 March.

The ad debuted in the UK on 11 March and the early media flight including airing during primetime sports-linked spots such as during the 6 Nations’ England v France match on ITV on 16 March.

The evolving campaign will also see Amazon unveil an extended 60-second UK edit during the FA Cup Quarter Final on 16 March.

The campaign will then roll out nationwide across Austria, Belgium, France, Germany, Ireland, Italy, Netherlands, Spain and UK through the end of May.
The campaign was created by agency adam&eveDDB where it was created by Matt Gay and Feargal Balance, while Bafta-nominated ‘How to Have Sex’ Director Molly Manning Walker shot the film, her commercial debut, through Rogue Films.

According to the agency and the brand, to ensure the authenticity of the content the team worked with a team of authentic, relevant experts. Director Molly Manning Walker, for example, is a co-founder of UK based football team Babe City FC. While former professional turned on-screen sports consultant Andy Ansah also advised on the project. The marketers also worked with This Fan Girl, a football creative consultancy agency, to ensure authenticity and a diverse European cast of grassroots players with different skill levels.

“Across Europe, we have seen the huge surge in support for the women’s game, from record crowds to an upsurge in grassroot sign-ups. The excitement around the game is palpable, and we recognise the halo effect that this has on women and girls, helping unleash their confidence, on and off the pitch. Our campaign aims to elevate the players, and emphasises talent over adversity, highlighting that while the items they pick are essential for powering the game play, it’s the player’s dedication and passion that make the game what it is.”
Amazon VP Global CCO Jo Shoesmith

“Football has impacted every area of my life and made me the confident person I am today. Being a leader in my business, knowing how to work in a team, and the social life I have – I credit all of that to what I’ve learned on the pitch, so it’s really exciting to be part of Amazon’s campaign celebrating that spirit of the women’s game.”
Amateur Footballer Lauren Heria (who featured in the campaign)

“Women’s football means a huge amount to me – I’ve played my whole life and am madly passionate about it. To have the opportunity to translate that passion as a film-maker and to transfer that authenticity to the screen was crucial to me and vital for our footballing community.”
Director Molly Manning Walker

The campaign also promotes Amazon’s launch announcement of its all-new Women’s Football Store. Female footballers in Belgium, France, Germany/Austria, Italy, Netherlands, Spain/Portugal and UK can shop a wide selection of products needed to train, play and recover from leading sporting brands. According to the online retail behemoth, the sub-brand online storefront features over a thousand quality products from shin guards to sports nutrition, training vests to trophies, and sports tape to cold compresses, with the selection curated by an all-women team, for women and girls.

The campaign was briefed in by and created for a client brand, marketing, retail and partnerships group at Amazon which included GM Ed Smith, Head Of Brand Laura Downey, Chief Creative Officer Jo Shoesmith, Executive Creative Director Philip Griffiths, Strategist Alexa Caldecott, Campaign Manager Grant Goodwin, Program Manager Lindsey Cockle, Producer Paul Lewis, Art Directors Martin Tso and Matt Wood, Creative Javed Jasani and Head Of Partnerships Laura McDonnell.

The team at agency adam&EveDDB included Chief Creative Officer Rick Brim, Creative Directors Matt Gay and Feargal Balance, Creatives Mark Shanley and Molly Johnstone, Head Of Production Sally Pritchett, Agency Producers Rebecca Treloar and Hazel Corstens, Chief Strategy Officer Martin Beverley, Head Of Planning Will Grundy, Planning Director Stuart Williams, Chief Experience Officer Simon Adamson, Chair Tammy Einav, Chief Executive Officer Miranda Hipwell, Business Director Jo Lorimer, Business Director Adam Patel, Account Director Phoebe Swan, Account Manager Becky Kilner, Design Director Scott Silvey, Project Director Abi Ripley, PRs Femke Pusey and Shehneal Dhaliwal, plus Legal Advisors Tom Campbell and Candice Macleod.

Production was run by Rogue Films with Director Molly Manning Walker, Director Of Photography Harry Wheeler, Executive Producer Kate Taylor, Producer Maddy Easton and Production Manager Natalie Isaac.

With additional production by King Henry with Designers Scott Silvey, Martyn Goh, Karl Bewick and Dave Robinson, plus Studio Manager Dave Callow.

Further work was done by Monkey Films’ Director Jacques Snow, Executive Producer Phillip Killingbeck and Producer Ruan Nel, while post production and VFX was handled by Time Based Arts, Untold Studios and Cain&Abelddb.

Editorial was by The Assembly Rooms and music and sound by 750mph.