mcgarrybowen and the
US Tennis Association
enlist Billie Jean King
to encourage fans
to share highlights
of the female athletes
who inspire them
mcgarrybowen and the United States Tennis Association (USTA) have developed a win / win / win situation for female athletes, sports fans, and women around the world. Beginning on Opening Day of the 2019 US Open, they will launch Built for Glory, a campaign for gender equality that encourages everyone to get involved.
Built for Glory is centered around a call to arms. In addition to running spots on broadcast and social channels, it invites fans to share highlights of the female athletes who inspire them via the hashtag #WomenWorthWatching.
The mission is to increase the amount of coverage devoted to female athletes in America, which currently stands at a pathetic 4%. Beginning on September 7, also known as Women’s Equality Day, it features the legendary Billie Jean King as spokesperson.
mcgarrybowen
#WOMENWORTHWATCHING | US TENNIS ASSOCIATION
“The disparity in coverage really caught our attention,” recalls mcgarrybowen Group Creative Director Lara Herzer. “To get these incredible female athletes seen in action by as many people as possible, we mobilized the fans to bypass traditional channels.”
“We felt the US Open could provide a powerful platform to help address the inequalities that still exist in the world today like the unequal media coverage of men’s and women’s sports,” adds Group Creative Director Lee Remias.
The USTA also expanded their partnership with SheIS, a not-for-profit group whose goal is to “leverage the power of women in sports to create a future of, by and for strong women.”
Having worked with SheIs since 2018, the association recognizes the organization as a natural partner for amplifying and extending the reach of the campaign.
“We’re thrilled to partner once again with SheIS to help celebrate women not just in tennis but across all sports and show the world why women are worth watching,” explains Nicole Kankam, USTA Managing Director, Marketing. “Women’s Equality Day coinciding with Opening Day of the 2019 US Open was the perfect opportunity to reaffirm the USTA’s long-standing commitment to gender equality,”
mcgarrybowen
CALL TO ARMS | US TENNIS ASSOCIATION
Women Worth Watching will run during the US Open, August 26 – September 8. The campaign emphasizes social at its core, but will increase exposure by runnin spots and videos on broadcast during ESPN segments. The content will also be live on partner SheIS website and social channels and will be promoted through other sports influencer partners.
CREDITS
Client: US Tennis Association
CMO: Amy Choyne
Managing Director, Marketing: Nicole Kankam
Marketing Manager: Carrie Ehorn
Marketing Coordinator: Noelle Hickey
Creative Agency: mcgarrybowen
Chief Creative Officer: Kurt Fries
Group Creative Director: Lee Remias
Creative Directors: Lara Herzer & Mike Wegener
Head of Production: Steve Ross
Executive Producer: Mark Olson
Music Licensing Supervisor: Libby Morris
Director of Business Affairs: Joann Baker
Business Manager: Karen Blatchford
Group Strategy Director: Chris Robertson
Group Managing Director: Tom Smith
Account Director: Kristen Eglitis
Account Executive: Grace Harding
Production Company: Cinema Libertad
Editor: Robert Stockwell
Editor: Max Gold
Editor: Lindsay Rynne
Assistant Editor: Kathleen Bracke
Finishing Editor: Olivia Curry
Post Production: Nice Shoes
Post Producer: Serena Bove
Color Artist: Ron Sudul
Voice over: Billie Jean King
Hashtag: #WomenWorthWatching #mcgarrybowen
Send your campaign updates to Reel Chicago Editor Dan Patton, dan@reelchicago.com.
