Launched to leverage the end of Pride Month 2021 and to support Las Vegas Raiders’ player Carl Nassib (who became the first ever active player to come out publicly) and promote its backing of The Trevor Project, the National Football League (NFL) launched a social spot called ‘Football Is Gay’.
The typography-driven ad, created by agency 72andSunny, opens with white type on a black screen with a series of lines illustrating how inclusive the league is.
Football is gay.
Football is lesbian.
Football is beautiful.
Football is queer.
Football is life.
Football is exciting.
Football is culture.
Football is transgender.
Football is heart.
Football is power.
Football is tough.
Football is bisexual.
Football is strong.
Football is freedom.
Football is American.
Football is accepting.
Football is everything.
Football is for everyone.
“If you love this game, you are welcome here. Football is for all. Football is for everyone. The NFL stands by the LGBTQ+ community today and every day.”
The video, launched on the league’s social channels, then closed with a rainbow-colored version of the NFL logo and promotes its support for The Trevor Project: a non-profit dedicated to preventing suicide among LGBTQ+ youth.
If you love this game, you are welcome here. Football is for all. Football is for everyone.
The NFL stands by the LGBTQ+ community today and every day.
For more information on how you can help the @TrevorProject, visit https://t.co/YtauzLAHIF pic.twitter.com/bkdWkAZ3vF
— NFL (@NFL) June 28, 2021
“This spot is about celebrating Pride, and the importance of inclusion,” said NFL EVP and Chief Marketing Officer Tim Ellis. “It’s imperative that we use our voice and leverage the NFL platform to drive positive change, which includes supporting what our players care about and what they stand for.”
The 30-second spot, which was inspired by Nassib, was part of the NFL’s full communications and support strategy for Pride Month.
“We were incredibly inspired by Carl and his bravery and honesty, and he is the impetus behind the spot where we channeled his inclusivity and boldness,” said an NFL statement accompanying the launch of the online video. “This spot ladders up to our broader mission to always support and stand behind causes that are most important to our players – like the Trevor Project for Carl.”
2021 saw the NFL repeat the 2020 debut of a bespoke Pride at NFL website which also showcased its commitment to supporting LGBTQ employees, fans and players, while the league also worked with Pride on a National Coming Out Day PSA.
“We still have a lot of work to do, but by partnering with organizations like the Trevor Project and GLAAD, we’re working towards letting the LGBTQ+ community know football is for them and we’re committed to making the game inclusive for all,” added NFL Senior Director Of Diversity, Equality & Inclusion Sam Rapoprt.
Comment:
On 21 June, the Raiders’ defensive end Nassib announced on Instagram that he was gay and publicised his personal $100,000 donation to The Trevor Project.
This campaign and personal player statement both promote inclusion and representation in sports.
According to recent research by The Trevor Project, LGBTQ young people who were less ‘out’ about their identity were more likely to participate in sports (one in three LGBTQ sports-active youth were not open about their sexual orientation compared to 1 in 5 stghe ports-active youth who had made their sexual orientation public). But also found that young LGBTQ athletes reported nearly 20% lower rates of depressive symptoms compared to those who didn’t participate in sports.
The simplicity of the creative approach emphasises the point with clarity and conviction (in a similar way as some previous Nike work such as its ‘For Once, Don’t Do It’ and its 2017 ‘Get Out & Run’).
“We wanted to make it clear for everyone – especially LGBTQ+ youth – that the NFL both accepts and welcomes you to football so we put it in black and white,” said the NFL.
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