We’ve always believed marketers should think like a girl, but right now it’s time to kick like one too. It’s no secret that the live broadcast of the women’s AFL game last Saturday rated higher than the following men’s AFL game, with the match peaking at 501,000 viewers. Australia’s sporting domination hasn’t faded - it has simply swapped genders.
Our female cricketers, the Southern Stars, just attempted reclaiming the sacred Ashes and gave the poms a damn good thrashing in the process. It is also the second time they have ranked No.1 across Test Match, ICC and T20 formats – a feat accomplished by no other men’s or women’s cricket team to date. The Matilda’s recently became the first ever team, female or male, to win a knockout stage match at a World Cup. If this wasn’t enough to regenerate fresh patriotism, the Diamonds beat New Zealand to claim their third consecutive Netball World Cup and basketballers the Opals have secured their spot at the 2016 Olympics.
Along with women lauding this prowess over their male counterparts in pubs, clubs and on couches across the country, these incredible successes will get the ball rolling for new sponsorships, more airtime for women’s sports and of course, some newly coveted advertising spots that will be appearing by 2016. With women making roughly 70% of household purchases, the commercial opportunity of the ad space available during women’s AFL matches could be just as golden as our recently accumulated medals.
It is common marketing knowledge that women are, on a whole, more health conscious than their male counterparts. Just a quick look at some of the brands populating the current ad space during AFL ad you’re assaulted with a bevy of booze, fast food, betting and big blokey cars. If female AFL takes up more broadcast time, health and fitness brands could find themselves with a seriously fine, fit and captive female audience only too ready to take up the latest wealth of wellness offerings.
Any media strategist worth their salt can envision these healthy alternatives. Pizza delivery could be wiped in favour of pharmacy discounts, betting agencies will be replaced with barre body workouts and even the 4x4 utility will be sideswiped by the Soccer Mum SUV. Australia’s biggest health, vitamin, wellness and weight management brands could be pitching for stitching onto female AFL jerseys for invaluable screen time, big game presence and a fresh crop of female ambassadors.
When these games appear next year on the televisions before the eyes of eager and energetic young girls, an entirely new generation of the active female demographic will most likely follow. We can only hope that with big advertising and sponsorship bucks backing more female teams and the advertising this will generate, we will see our female champions finally taking home some pay for the games they so passionately play.
Abbey Jane
Senior writer
Girl