“Globally, girls face complex cultural and social barriers, and they also enter sports later and drop out of sports earlier. Our partnership with Dove, and unique focus on coaching through body confidence, aims to change that. By shifting the conversation from what their bodies look like to what their bodies can do—so more girls can stay in sports and experience the benefits—we believe we’re creating the next generation of female leaders and changemakers who will move the world forward.” says Vanessa Garcia-Brito, VP and chief social and community impact officer of Nike, Inc.
Marketers, remember to ensure that you both enter a partnership with the same objectives in mind. For example, if your prospective partner doesn’t have a track record of committing to diversity, equity and inclusion efforts, why are they interested now? Are you better off tackling the problem alone? Or, in the case of Dove and Nike, is working together going to result in a bigger and better impact?
How can you tackle the problem together?
Dove and Nike embarked on the journey to develop Body Confident Sport by grounding themselves in research and understanding the consumer. They partnered with the Centre for Appearance Research and the Tucker Center for Research on Girls & Women in Sport. The brands co-developed this work for over two years, including input from girls and coaches globally in France, India, Japan, Mexico, the U.K. and the U.S.
According to the study commissioned by both brands, we now know that:
- In the US, 48% of girls dropping out were told they don’t have the right body for sports.
- 51% of girls dropping out were told that they were not good enough.
- Yet 69% said they would be more body confident if they had stayed in sport for longer.
With these findings, the brands were able to embark on the impact they wanted to make together. Marketers, remember that partnering to find the right insights is critical for a successful partnership. Without aligning to key consumer insights you want to address, it will be difficult to bring this partnership to life.
How will you invest in bringing this partnership to life?
Both Dove and Nike were willing partners to invest in this partnership. The research they commissioned became the basis for what they would bring to the marketplace. Each brand brought key influencers to the partnership—Dove with Venus Williams and Nike with Laurie Hernandez.
Finally, the Body Confident Sport program is the culmination of the partnership. It provides coaches with the materials they need to increase girls’ body confidence, body image and self-esteem through sports. And keep girls from dropping out of sports. The program consists of three online interactive modules you can complete at your own pace: Introducing Body Image; Tackling Negative Body Image; Promoting Body Image. The brands aim to upskill any caring adult who is invested in helping young people succeed on and off the field. Coaches can include volunteers, teachers, parents, guardians, caregivers and siblings.
