If women’s sports were a relay race, for a home Rugby World Cup to pass the baton to a Cricket World Cup is a unique moment in time.

The unique culture and energy of this moment affords the England and Wales Cricket Board a unique opportunity to propel women’s cricket into the mainstream. An opportunity that the lively launch campaign shows the organisation is grasping with creative flair.

The campaign, created by House 337, is creating a new blueprint for ambitious sports marketing, with an aim to not just build hype for a one-off marketing moment but build lifelong fans. 

The hero TV spot features world-class players Ellyse Perry (Australia), Hayley Matthews (West Indies), Lauren Bell (England) and Richa Ghosh (India), as well as an Easter Egg appearance from cricket legend and TV personality Andrew Flintoff.

The global campaign successfully embraces accessibility and creative quirkiness. One memorable outdoor execution features a player knitting their own batting pads. 

Charlotte Meijer, Senior Marketing Manager at The England and Wales Cricket Board (ECB), lifted the lid on the passion behind the campaign. She explained: “For me, it is so important to be able to make work that makes a difference and makes a genuine change. It is so rewarding to be able to platform women’s cricket in this campaign.” She continues: “The reason I took this role is that I was able to platform women's sport. It is actually making change and moving things forward. When you are doing something you care about, you never accept good enough, you are always looking at what more you can do.”

In a wider business ecosystem in which female leaders still face the sharp edges of the negative stereotype of ‘caring too much’ the details of this creative execution underline that caring about what you do is the ultimate competitive advantage.

Jen Vile, Marketing Director at the ECB, explains: “Next year is our moment to propel women’s cricket into the mainstream. Catch the Spirit is designed to capture the infectious energy and excitement that fans feel when a World Cup arrives on home soil. This campaign invites fans to be part of something truly memorable, and we believe this tournament has the power to ignite a lifelong passion for women’s cricket.”

Josh Green, Chief Creative Officer, House 337, added: “When a World Cup lands on home soil it doesn’t just live in the grounds, it takes over everything; the streets, the pubs, the kitchen table. Cricket becomes impossible to ignore. That’s what we wanted to capture. This isn’t just about selling tickets - although that’s hugely important - it's about showing that when history arrives, you either feel it with everyone else, or you miss it.”