Thierry Henry and Alex Scott star in Heineken ad tackling football gender bias
Dutch brewer Heineken has unveiled its plans to tackle gender discrimination within football in a series of ads and a brand-new website.
Heineken ad starring Thierry Henry and Alex Scott / Edelman
According to the beer makers, two-thirds of women in football have experienced gender discrimination. Heineken is on a mission to evolve its sponsorships within the sport to address the uneven playing field when it comes to gender by highlighting some of the ways that women are unfairly treated.
In the first spot, titled ‘The Greatest Goal,’ viewers see French striker Thierry Henry watching highlights of the beautiful game from his sofa, as the commentators begin bigging up the Arsenal player who led the club to victory 15 years ago. Smiling to himself, Henry looks over at his trophy and viewers assume it is him the pundits are speaking about. In a twist, the film reveals that it’s actually Arsenal right-back Alex Scott that they have been celebrating this whole time.
“What I love about football is that it brings people together from all walks of life. Everyone has a right to take part in the sport they love, whether they’re a fan or a player,” noted Scott.
“At the end of the day, sport is sport, and no one should be left out. That’s why I’m excited to work with Heineken to challenge the stereotypes. Football should be for everyone.”
Hitting home the message even further is a second commercial cheekily titled ‘Cheers to All Fans, Men Included,’ which shows that anybody can enjoy sport, regardless of gender.
“Heineken is a brand for the fans and we’ve always been passionate about bringing people together to celebrate the things they love,” added Bram Westenbrink, global head, Heineken brand.
“Now, on our journey to improve inclusivity in football through our sponsorships, we’re committed to ensuring the sport is a safe and welcoming space for everyone.”
In support of the campaign, the beer brand has revealed ‘Fresher Football’ – a new web page in partnership with GOAL that provides correct responses to the most popular questions asked online about the Uefa Champions League, where answers tend to overlook key data around the women’s game.
“We are delighted to see our long-standing partner Heineken taking a bold stance with their campaign to support women’s football,” said Nadine Keßler, chief of women’s football at Uefa.
“Uefa has set up the Uefa Women’s Euro and Uefa Women’s Champions League competitions to not only showcase the best of the women’s game, but to engage the next generation of players and fans. Heineken’s campaign will help promote the importance of equality in the sport and we look forward to supporting them with their movement.”
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