Due to the unpredictable nature of the Women’s World Cup, wherein the United States was eliminated early and a first-time champion was ensured, major global marketers like Adidas and Nike are being forced to act quickly in order to adjust to consumers’ swift changes in tastes and demand.

Despite time zone variations that make it difficult for many Europeans and Americans to watch, FIFA anticipates watching figures of around two billion for the tournament in Australia and New Zealand, making it one of the most watched solo women’s sporting events ever.

Significant product expenditures have been made by brands like Adidas and Nike as well as merchants like DICK’S Sporting Goods and Fanatics.

According to GlobalData, the value of all sponsorship increased to at least $349 million from $342 million in 2019, with many businesses aligning themselves with themes of women’s empowerment.

More than two-thirds of the 76 items of clothing and merchandise associated with the 2023 U.S. Women’s National Team that were available online at DICK’s on Monday, including jerseys, t-shirts, and hoodies, are marked down by 25% to 35%.

Nike’s pre-Women’s World Cup advertising featured a football fan telling her father that “the competition is better than ever,” with cameos from a number of past and present stars, including American players Megan Rapinoe and Alex Morgan, French player Grace Geyoro, and Barcelona forward Asisat Oshoala.

Prior to their opening game, the American Women’s National Team wore a piece of clothing created in partnership with Martine Rose and sold by the retailer. The Nike swoosh was featured on tailored pieces like pants, a suit jacket, and a trench coat in the collection. A slip-on mule that looked like a football cleat was also featured.

According to a Nike press release, the collection “dissolves the boundaries of men and women’s football styling,” and the majority of the items are currently out of stock.

Only 8% of the women’s team merchandise for Nike, which sponsors the U.S., England, and other teams, has been completely sold out so far during the competition, according to data gathered by Centric Pricing and Refinitiv.

During the same competition in 2019, 13% of Nike’s women’s team merchandise sold out, according to the data.

competitor Adidas has sold out 21% of its women’s team items so far this tournament, up from 8% in 2019. Adidas sponsors both Sweden and Spain, the teams who will face off in Tuesday’s semi-final.

Adidas produced twice as many Germany women’s team jerseys for this World Cup as it did for the last one, and it was just about to run out of stock when the squad was eliminated early. Adidas spokesman Jan Runau remarked, “That tells you something about the exponential expansion of the sport.

Yvonne Henderson, CEO of the UK-based trade group Women In Football, claims that one in three supporters of women’s football are new to the sport in general. She described the fanbase as being distinctive, diversified, young, and strongly pro-progressive.

Because of this, marketers need to be aware of the possibility that the sport’s expanding fan base would perceive their support as hollow. According to Bob Dorfman, creative director at Pinnacle Advertising, “their message must appear sincere and must be supported by action and long-term commitment as opposed to just 30 seconds of bluster that ends when the event is over.”

goalie Mary Earps, for instance, criticised Nike, the team’s sponsor, for not making a replica goalie jersey.

That was a mistake, according to Adidas, whose company does not make women’s custodian jerseys for the teams it supports. CEO Bjorn Gulden added that the entire industry is on a “learning curve”.

In contrast, Adobe’s World Cup campaign featuring Germany’s Bayern Munich women’s squad included a voiceover that declares: “Our game is proudly different.” Orange, a French telecom firm, attempts to explicitly confront the idea that women’s football is less technical or thrilling than the men’s game.

According to Sabina Strasser, Senior Director, Brand Experience EMEA at Adobe, the advertisement also featured the community women’s football teams Peaches FC and Baesianz FC from London to recognise the importance of grassroots teams in generating interest in women’s football.

More than 475 U.S. women’s team products are available for purchase at sporting goods shop Fanatics this year, up from roughly 175 in 2019, the firm told Reuters. Overall, sales of women’s football gear on Fanatics increased by more than 80% in the month before the commencement of the competition compared to the previous Women’s World Cup in 2019.

But with the two-time champions’ unexpected early exit, it had to change strategy and start hawking goods that weren’t directly related to the American squad. One of the top-selling items in FIFA World Cup Gear as of Monday was the generic Adidas Women’s World Cup football.

(Adapted from Reuters.com)