In a nationwide event centered around men, women held much of the spotlight in the advertisements for Super Bowl LIX. This year’s ads were very in tune with the rise of women’s sports, spreading highly impactful messages in an incredibly short amount of time.
The NFL, Nike and Dove had very strong spots that put women in athletics at the front of the conversation. The advertisements were inspiring and empowering, but they also challenged many of the notions and language surrounding women’s sports. Too many expectations are set on girls and women; how to behave, how to feel, how to look, how to do or be anything.
Nike’s spot hit the bullseye of representation and empowerment in its inclusion of Jordan Chiles, Sha’Carri Richardson, Sophia Wilson, Aryna Sabalenka, Caitlin Clark, A’ja Wilson, Sabrina Ionescu and JuJu Watkins, and narrated by recent Grammy winner Doechii. Serving as the new brand anthem, “So Win” upholds the standard of defying expectations and ignoring limitations.
This push to defy expectations mirrors the explosion of women’s sports and the unstoppable force they’re becoming. The resilience of women in sports has been overlooked for years as they fought for visibility and equity, only to be met with continued hardships in a male-dominated industry.
Airing right before Kendrick Lamar’s halftime show, this ad was the first time Nike had a spot during the Super Bowl since 1998. The final words of the campaign will undoubtedly instill confidence in female athletes everywhere; “Whatever you do, you can’t win. So win.”
Dove has surrounded its brand with female empowerment and instilling confidence in young girls for over 20 years. The Keep Her Confident campaign made an impact during the Super Bowl with an ad highlighting that one in two girls who quit sports have been criticized for their body type. The main message is that we should “change the way we talk to our girls.”
The NFL used its spot to promote the goal of bringing girls’ flag football to all 50 US states, the ad humorously challenging the stereotype that “girls don’t play football.”
These ads made statements that reflect the rapid rise of women’s sports and the cultural shift toward giving female athletes the recognition and respect they deserve. Taking advantage of this specific stage to amplify messages of empowerment, resilience and confidence only solidifies women‘s place in the sports world.
Nike highlights Chiles and her mentality that winning isn’t always about medals. For some, overcoming barriers and exceeding expectations when told it’s impossible is the embodiment of power. Female athletes are constantly pushing the boundaries of what’s expected, proving that confidence, winning and success come in many forms.
This story was written by Lilly Peacock. She can be reached at lilly.peacock@marquette.edu or @lillypeacockMU on Twitter/X.