FCB Inferno’s This Girl Campaign campaign for Sport England has extended its reach to the women left behind by traditional exercise. 2.9 million women aged 14-60 were active for less than 30 minutes a week, according to This Girl Can campaign research and evaluation including the TGC Tracker Survey in November 2017. The new ad, Fit Got Real, shows everyday women using practical, inventive and unconventional ways to fit exercise into their lives – running with their child in a pram, hula hooping at home, jumping into the sea, trampolining with friends or teaching themselves how to swim using YouTube.

This could all be very instructional, appealing only to the head. It’s not. Director, Georgi Banks-Davies, has captured the joy and camaraderie of exercise. Barbara Streisand had added the emotional boost, with her song, Don’t Rain On My Parade.

Georgi Banks-Davies noted, “The goal was to show the realities and challenges of everyday exercise for real women. My mates know that I box, because it’s ‘cool’, but they have no idea that when I’m away travelling, I do ‘Davina’s 15 min workout’ in hotel rooms in my knickers, getting carpet burns on my elbows from planking. That’s my reality. I want the audience to be inspired to celebrate their own reality, and to feel proud of that.”

https://youtu.be/bLrASQJi7KA

Both a 30- and 60-second version of the film will run across digital and social media, supported by campaign partners and national PR. This Girl Can’s social channels will feature new women talking about how they fit exercise into their lives, why they like it and the negative perceptions and barriers they overcame to be more active; and the website is being updated to make looking for an activity more intuitive and reflective of women’s real lives. 

Jennie Price, chief executive of Sport England, commented, “There are some stark inequalities when it comes to different levels of exercise amongst women in England. Many of the pressures of modern life do not make it easy for women to have the confidence and motivation to be active. The health and wellbeing benefits of being active should be available to all women, and that is why we have a new message – Fit Got Real – to celebrate the creative and often unconventional ways many women are fitting exercise into their busy lives.”

Sharon Jiggins, executive vice president at FCB Inferno commented, “Conventional exercise and the conventions around it, such as having the ‘right’ kit and clothing, can be a big barrier for a lot of women and girls. So too is the lack of time, money and energy. We wanted to smash all these conventions with this next phase of This Girl Can and show the honest and uplifting truths about how exercise can be possible for every woman – even those juggling busy, hectic lives. Director Georgi Banks-Davies was able to brilliantly capture these insights of women’s real lives on camera and help motivate others. We want our audience feeling inspired and believing that no woman should ever be made to feel judged over whatever way they choose to get active. That’s why Barbra Streisand’s Don’t Rain On My Parade is the perfect anthem for this phase of This Girl Can.”

Credits

Advertising Agency: FCB Inferno

Executive Creative Director: Owen Lee

Creatives: Ali Dickinson & Jack Walker

Head Of Broadcast: Nikki Chapman

Agency Creative Producer: Bridie Scriven

Executive Vice President: Sharon Jiggins

Account Director: Alice Poole

Chief Strategy Officer: Vicki Holgate

Strategy Director: Laura Pirkis

Strategist: Tom Lindo

Production Company: Skunk

Director: Georgi Banks-Davies

DOP: Todd Banhazl

Executive Producer: Kate Taylor

Producer: Cathy Green

Editing: Ellie Johnson @ Tenthree

Colour: Simone Grattarola @Time Based Arts

Post House: Unit

Audio: 750 Mph

Sound Engineer: Ben Gulvin