May saw Suncorp release an emotive campaign called ‘Team Girls’ to act as a rallying cry to inspire Australian teen girls to stay in sport.
The new marketing programme, developed in harness with agency Leo Burnett Melbourne, gives a voice to 38 teenage Australians: a confidence rallying call.
Echoing sports motivational traditions and leveraging the power of a collective voice, the initiative explores themes such as teamwork, leadership and confidence both on- and off-court and it highlights how they all result from playing team sports.
The idea is that sport and its benefits have a positive impact on young girls future well-being: including career and financial prospects and so Suncorp is setting out to ‘change the score’ when it comes to the high rate of girls leaving sports.
The campaign launched during a 26 May live televised performance by the teenagers (accompanied by musician Thandi Phoenix) during half-time at the Suncorp Super Netball Melbourne Vixens match against the NSW Swifts: a Melbourne netball derby at Margaret Court Arena.
Following this live launch, the campaign continued throughout the Suncorp Super Netball Season and was spearheaded by an emotive 60 second TVC featuring the Team Girls chant.
The chant lyrics are:
“Hey, you got this girl
We know you do.
We know our goals
We rep ourselves
Confident to our core
Check the score
You can’t ignore
We Team Girls
And we want more
[All the girls CLAP]
R – E – S – P – E – C – T
We about it and we get
[A force of the other 18 opposite them in the circle chant back:]
S – U – C – C – E – S – S
You know that’s how we spell success
We…AHHH…team…YEAH…girls…AHH…dream…YEAH
[The chant becomes quieter]
We Team Girls, we’re here to play
We Team Girls, we’re here to stay
[Begin to get louder and louder, projecting their voices with every line repetition]
We Team Girls, we’re here to play
We Team Girls, we’re here to stay
We Team Girls, and we want more
We used to whisper, now we ROAR!”
It urged the nation to “Get ready for Australia’s most powerful and supportive sporting team. A team of teenage champions with one goal on their mind: to keep more girls in the game. Please welcome, Suncorp Team Girls. Let’s build a nation of confident girls. Let’s change the score.”
‘Team Girls’ spans live game events, broadcast television, social and a broader public relations campaign.
The creative also aims to drive viewers to find out more about the programme on its digital hub at www.suncorp.com.au/teamgirls
This hero spot was helmed by independent director Claudia Sangiorgi Dalimore, her music team, her all-female principle crew, agency and client team and the girls themselves.
Behind the marketing is a rounded ‘Team Girls’ program that includes a range of prominent speakers, sports stars and mental health experts who provide tips, advice, inspiration, tools and all round support for the girls and their parents.
This group of ‘athluencers’ includes retired netball star Liz Ellis, current netballer Ashleigh Brazill, former Australia netball captain Laura Geitz, rugby star Alicia Quirk and teen Agony Aunt, podcaster and author of ‘Game On! A Team Girls Guide to Getting Active’ Rebecca Sparrow.
“When we saw the stats we knew we needed an impactful campaign that could make a difference,” commented Leo Burnett Melbourne creative director Jess Lilley.
“We wanted it to be led by the voices of girls themselves, supported by fearless and visionary women who champion change. We were thrilled when Claudia Sangiorgi Dalimore and her team came on board. Her creative vision and inclusive philosophy are completely aligned with our mission to encourage teenage girls to stop doubting themselves, support each other, get out there and change the score.”
Suncorp executive general manager brand and marketing Mim Haysom added: “The latest Team Girls creative concept was developed to address the 2019 Confidence Report’s important findings surrounding today’s teens, as part of Suncorp’s ongoing commitment to change the score and keep young people motivated.
“Suncorp is proud to work with Netball Australia to encourage teen girls to continue to play team sport today and build more confident women tomorrow.”
While director Claudia Sangiorgi Dalimore added: “There’s joy and inspiration in this for me, watching how much the girls come alive when they perform the chant. This is why is it was so important to have the input and feedback from girls when writing this – so it felt representative and authentic of their voices.
“That inclusivity extends to all girls, with real diversity in terms of culture, gender identity, age, body type — anyone and everyone has to feel represented. The collective power of girls is what makes me believe in the possibility of change and I hope the film demonstrates that.”
Comment:
This creative blends a fearless chant with powerful choreography and echoes pre-match motivation rituals.
‘Team Girls’ evolved out of new research showing that around 50% of Australian girls are turning their back on sport by the age of 17 – even though two-thirds of them acknowledge that sport can make them feel more confident.
The report also shows that more than half of all Australian parents are concerned about their daughters’ self-esteem.
Links:
Suncorp
www.suncorp.com.au/teamgirls
https://www.facebook.com/suncorpAUNZ
https://www.youtube.com/user/suncorpinsurance
Leo Burnett
https://www.leoburnett.com.au/
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