This Girl Can

Overview of “This Girl Can”

  • “This Girl Can” is an advertising campaign launched by Sport England in 2015.
  • The campaign aims to tackle gender inequality in sport, encouraging women to break free of societal pressures and participate in physical activities.
  • The campaign adopts a feminist perspective, challenging traditional stereotypes of women in sport.

Key Features of “This Girl Can”

  • The campaign utilises real, everyday women, as opposed to celebrities or athletes, showing them participating in various sports and physical activities.
  • There is a strong focus on body positivity and diversity, with an array of body types, ages, and ethnicities represented.
  • The tone is upbeat, empowering, confident and fun.
  • The campaign is multi-platform, with adverts being shown on TV, posters being placed in public spaces, and an extensive presence on social media.

Media Language in “This Girl Can”

  • The visuals are unpolished and gritty. They celebrate sweat, exertion, and even failure, to further the campaign’s aim of realism and relatability.
  • The soundtrack is ‘Get Ur Freak On’ by Missy Elliott, a song with themes of confidence and standing out, mirroring the campaign’s message.
  • Fast-paced editing gives a sense of energy and captures the thrill and effort involved in participating in physical activities.

Representations in “This Girl Can”

  • The campaign challenges traditional portrayals of women in media by representing women as strong, capable, and unapologetic.
  • It also tackles the issue of body shaming; women of all shapes, sizes, and appearances are shown enjoying sports without fear of judgement.
  • The campaign sends a powerful message that activity is not about looking good, but about enjoyment and health.

Target Audience

  • The campaign is aimed at women of all ages, backgrounds, and fitness levels, especially those hesitant to exercise due to fears of judgment or scrutiny.
  • Its tone is motivational and celebratory, aiming to inspire women to become more active.

Industries

  • The campaign is the result of a partnership between Sport England and various sporting institutions, showing the interconnectedness of different media industries.

Social, Cultural, and Historical Context

  • The campaign came in response to a study conducted by Sport England, which revealed a significant gap between men and women’s participation in sport.
  • At that time, a broader societal conversation around body positivity and female representation was taking place.
  • “This Girl Can” reflects and influences societal attitudes towards women’s involvement in physical activity.