Volkswagen’s advert for Eurocup: “Not Women’s Football”

Volkswagen’s advert puts the focus on language to avoid changing perception when we talk about equality in sport.

The European Football Championship held in England is beginning to bear fruit in terms of visibility. Brands are turning to support women and women’s football and in the process wage the battle for equality. This was the case of the “Not Her Problem” campaign or the recreation of the “Oliver and Benji” intro by the Spanish players.

Now it is Volkswagen that intends to increase gender equality in this sport; emphasizing the language we use to refer to women’s sports.

“Not Women’s Football” is the title of Volkswagen’s advert for Euro 2022. Under the hashtag #NotWomensFootball, the brand intends to put the issue of equal opportunities in sports on the table.

And it does so from a basic premise that has been extended over the years. According to the brand: “Adding the word ‘women’s’ at the end of the term ‘soccer’ gives the impression that it is not real football, while the men’s teams simply play ‘soccer’ and not ‘men’s football’. This represents a linguistic intensification of perceived preconceived ideas”.

The aim of Volkswagen’s advert and advertisement is to change the use of language in society. According to footballer Alexandre Popp, captain of the German national team: “The discussion about equal opportunities in professional sports is gaining ground all over the world. It is good that Volkswagen drives the discussion in football. It is an important step towards recognizing the great performances produced by all female footballers, whether they play at an amateur or professional level.”

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