‘You bring the grit. We bring the stuff’.

This simple message sits at the heart of an uplifting European brand campaign for Amazon from Adam&EveDDB, highlighting the confidence and self-assurance which comes from playing football. 

The multi-channel campaign is rooted in the insight that playing women’s football unleashes confidence and self-assurance, on and off the pitch for girls and women. The first spot ‘The Grit’ is Amazon’s first above the line campaign to mark its first ever major pan-European sports sponsorship of UEFA Women’s Football.

A first which serves as a powerful reminder to the industry that there is still a long way to go to close the sponsorship investment gap.

The first spot powerfully underlines the strength of that first-mover advantage for Amazon. ‘The Grit’ celebrates the grassroots game, as well as promoting a strong product-focused message. Amazon is playing a supporting role to the women changing the game by bringing a wide selection of products that they need to play, train, recover and celebrate.

The 1950s track ‘Sweet Old Fashioned Girl’ by Teresa Brewer provides the upbeat soundtrack to the spot, which features a cinematic series of sharp, energetic cuts, from free kicks to tackles, and exasperation to celebration. 

From the pitch to the halls to the locker room, players take centre stage. While Amazon’s wide range of products, from shin guards to training vests, tape to cold compresses, and even an ice bath, playing the humble supporting role.

The campaign marks the first work from Adam&EveDDB for Amazon. In keeping with the list of firsts the spot is also the commercial advert debut from BAFTA nominated director Molly Manning Walker. 

A genuine commitment to lived experiences sits at the heart of the campaign. Amazon worked with experts in their field, with Manning Walker, who is also co-founder of UK based football team Babe City FC, Andy Ansah, former professional player and sports-on-screen consultant, and This Fan Girl, a football creative consultancy agency, to show the breadth of the game across Europe, with a diverse casting of players across levels of skills.

“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,” explained Jo Shoesmith, VP Global Chief Creative Officer at Amazon.

She continued: “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.”

Lauren Heria, who featured in the brand campaign, added: “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.”

The power of lived experience

The campaign underlines the importance of lived experience in the creative process to truly recognise the unique culture of the women’s game. As research from Kind underlined women’s football is in the midst of a marketing revolution. A shift which means it is vital for brands to move on from empty empowerment messaging and embrace the vibrant culture and opportunity of the game at all levels.

Director, Molly Manning Walker, said: “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.” 

Rick Brim, Chief Creative Officer, at Adam&EveDDB added: “This is our first campaign working with Amazon and we couldn’t be happier with the result – a campaign which shows women’s football in all its confident grit and glory, supported by an incredible range of Amazon products from shin pads to ice baths. It was a pleasure and a privilege working with the entire team, and we look forward to seeing the sponsorship evolve.”

In the U.K, the advert will be live nationwide from March 11. It will have primetime spots including 6 Nations: England vs France on ITV on 16^th March and will run nationwide across Austria, Belgium, France, Germany, Ireland, Italy, Netherlands, Spain and UK through the end of May across Broadcast TV, Video On Demand, Cinema, Online Video, Social and Digital Out of Home. Amazon will also unveil an extended 60-second edit during the FA Cup Quarter Final on March 16^th.

The brand campaign comes as Amazon announces the launch of its all-new Women’s Football Store. From today, female football enthusiasts and players in Belgium, France, Germany, Austria, Italy, Netherlands, Spain, Portugal and the UK can shop a wide selection of quality products needed to train, play and recover from leading sporting brands. 

The dedicated store 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. In addition, later this year, Amazon will become home to the first Official UEFA Women’s Champions League online store, including tournament merchandise.

Laura Downey, EU Head of Brand, added: “We’re extremely proud to be an Official Partner of UEFA Women’s Football, and we are committed to using our scale to drive even more momentum for the women’s game.”

She continued: “However, we recognise that it is players who make the game what it is, and we want to celebrate that. With the launch of our pan-European brand campaign and our all-new Women’s Football Store we’re dedicated to helping continue to support our customers to access whatever they might need, knowing that they’re shopping a quality selection and that it’ll arrive fast, in time for their next match.”