Orange - WoMen's Football
Orange, a French telecom brand and long-term partner of the French Football Federation, sought to highlight its commitment to all forms of football, especially women's. The client aimed to challenge widespread prejudices against the French Women's National Team among football fans ahead of a major international competition, ultimately increasing appreciation for their skill.
Creative Idea
The campaign deceptively showed women's football as men's, then revealed the powerful truth.
Orange used VFX to create a viral compilation of "men's" football highlights, only to reveal they were actually incredible plays by the French women's team. This clever deception aimed to dismantle gender bias in sports and showcase Orange's commitment to all football.
Creative Strategy Deconstructed
Company
Orange leveraged its deep partnership with French football and technical expertise in VFX to create compelling content.
Category
Football advertising often reinforces gender divides or overlooks women's skill, leading to unexamined biases.
Customer
Football fans often held unconscious biases against women's football, dismissing its quality without truly engaging with it.
Culture
A major women's football competition created a timely cultural moment to challenge pervasive gender stereotypes in sports.
Company
Orange leveraged its deep partnership with French football and technical expertise in VFX to create compelling content.
Category
Football advertising often reinforces gender divides or overlooks women's skill, leading to unexamined biases.
Strategy:
Challenge unconscious biases in sports by demonstrating skill transcends gender, fostering appreciation for all athletes.
Customer
Football fans often held unconscious biases against women's football, dismissing its quality without truly engaging with it.
Culture
A major women's football competition created a timely cultural moment to challenge pervasive gender stereotypes in sports.
Strategy:
Challenge unconscious biases in sports by demonstrating skill transcends gender, fostering appreciation for all athletes.
Results
+ 91 countries PR coverage, + 2 Billion impressions, + 200M organic views, + 50M likes. The ad became "the most viral French ad ever" and is now considered "an educational tool" giving young girls new models to admire. It received praise from TIME ("Women's soccer can be just as exciting as men's"), ESPN ("A genius commercial"), The New York Times ("A groundbreaking new world cup commercial"), and The Independent ("A powerful gender statement").
+2 Billion
impressions
+200M
organic views
+50M
likes
Strategy Technique
Attack a Cultural Blind Spot
The campaign directly confronted the widespread, unacknowledged prejudice against women's football. By exposing viewers' unconscious biases, it forced a re-evaluation of female athletes' capabilities.
Explore Technique
Creative Technique
Reverse Expectations
The campaign deliberately presented women's football as men's, then revealed the deception. This unexpected twist challenged viewers' preconceived notions about the skill level of female athletes.
Explore Technique
Craft Breakdown
This campaign's craft is exceptional due to its brilliant strategic idea, executed through seamless visual effects and precise copywriting to create a powerful, deceptive narrative that challenges ingrained biases.
The face-swapping is executed with such meticulous precision that the initial footage of 'Les Bleus' is utterly convincing, ensuring the dramatic reveal lands with maximum force.
The succinct and impactful on-screen text, particularly the pivotal reveal ('But that's not them you just saw'), is perfectly timed and worded to deliver the campaign's surprising twist and profound message.
The campaign's magic emerges from the profound synergy between a groundbreaking idea, flawless visual effects, and strategic copywriting, all combining to create an emotionally resonant and thought-provoking experience that transcends typical advertising.
