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“Everything from the billboards in Camden to the distribution of the magazine at the games, it was incredible to see ELLE and Nike have wonderful visibility throughout the Women’s Euros. A wonderful example of how powerful it can be when our sales and editorial teams work together.”

Kenya Hunt, EIC, ELLE UK

The Challenge

ELLE is the world’s preeminent fashion, beauty and luxury magazine among Women 16-34. As kit sponsors of the host team, England’s Lionesses, at the UEFA Women’s EURO 2022 and an authentic sportswear manufacturer, Nike wanted to celebrate their involvement while also creating a legacy that would live on after the tournament, regardless of who won – to get more women open to the idea of playing football, to raise interest in the sport, and to stimulate attendance and attention on a fan level

The Idea

With the England team being the hosts of the UEFA Women’s EURO 2022, we knew that we had a unique opportunity to highlight the trailblazing work done by those who had been in this field for years.

ELLE wanted to spotlight football’s inspirational personalities, reminding our audience that it truly is ‘everyone’s game.’ By combining high fashion with the latest sports apparel (including the brand-new Lioness England kit), ELLE would bring the worlds of style and sport together in a celebratory moment designed to create a lasting and meaningful impact.

To make our message of growing inclusivity and the importance of representation an enduring one, we featured international players alongside youth grassroots football teams to resonate with the next generation of players and their fans.

At the core of our 360 content plan were three limited edition covers and a 16-page feature for our July/August 2022 ELLE issue. The covers celebrated football at all levels and featured a diverse array of inspiring female players and match officials. Four players from the England women’s national football team – Lucy Bronze, Demi Stokes, Lotte Wubben-Moy and Beth Mead; Chelsea F.C. and Denmark national team player Pernille Harder and Chelsea F.C. and Swedish national team player Magdalena Eriksson; Somali-born British FA football coach and referee, Jawahir Roble.

The striking 16-page feature written by Felicia Pennant, Founder and Editor-in-Chief of Season Zine (a trailblazing football and fashion platform), featured a host of England’s players within a fashion story styled in sportswear, blending high fashion with the new England National Team kit. The limited-edition issues were on sale at selected newsstands and distributed at the first England game at Old Trafford on 6 July and in selected Nike stores.

Additionally, the content lived digitally, and ELLE worked with director Lydia Garnett and Oscar-winning production company Somesuch to produce a bespoke film celebrating the growth and inclusivity in women’s football featuring aspiring young players from Bloomsbury Football and Girls United FA together with the international players. In addition to distribution through ELLE UK’s channels, it was showcased in the brand’s flagship London store window in the heart of Oxford Circus and featured in BBC’s opening montage of the Women’s Euros.

And as the icing on the cake, to celebrate football coming home, as a first for ELLE, we commissioned a team of artists to create a one-of-a-kind mural of the covers in North London seen by hundreds of thousands of visitors and locals alike.

The Results

The campaign’s response was staggering, with millions of impressions, a dwell time nearly twice that of benchmarks, and significant press coverage. Highlights include:

6.5 Million Total Digital Impressions
490 Million Press Impressions
85% Short-form Video View Completion Rate
Two million pre-roll ad impressions w/ VCR 1.4x our benchmark