CHICAGO, USA — Rexona believes movement has the power to transform lives, but they know not everyone has the confidence to move however they want. As the world’s number one antiperspirant and deodorant brand, Rexona is proud to make products that keep millions of people staying fresh while on the move. Yet we know that sweat is just one of many barriers stopping people from moving with confidence.
Despite the advances of gender inclusion in sports in recent years, there’s still much to be done to level the playing field for women and girls. Research in the UK suggests that 43% of teenage girls who once considered themselves ‘sporty’ no longer see themselves that way and many decide that they do not belong in sport.Rexona is working to change this.
Knowing football can be a force for positive change, the brand -together with FIFA – is committed to helping get more girls to play football. In celebration of the FIFA Women’s World Cup 2023™, Rexona launched the Breaking Limits: Girls Can football content series. The programme is now live in 9 markets (Australia, New Zealand, UK, US, Brazil, Colombia, Mexico, Argentina & India) and comprises of three, free digital training modules designed to equip coaches, teachers and community leaders with the skills to empower girls with the confidence and opportunities to play football.
Sarai Bareman, Chief Women’s Football Officer for FIFA said, “We are pleased to have the support of Rexona to inspire young girls and women to build their confidence and play football through their Breaking Limits: Girls Can Football series. It is FIFA’s mission to have 60 million women and girls playing football across the globe by 2026. With this year’s FIFA Women’s World Cup set to captivate young people everywhere, having partners undertaking initiatives that are complementary to FIFA’s women’s football objectives will help us to grow the game and showcase the benefits of playing and enjoying football.”
The Breaking Limits: Girls Can Football Series is a continuation of Rexona’s Breaking Limits Programme, a social impact programme launched in 2021 to drive long-term, positive change and encourage movers everywhere to play sports by breaking down the barriers that stand in their way. But we aren’t stopping there.
The launch of the Breaking Limits: Girls Can Football Series is just the start, and Rexona is continuing to take meaningful action worldwide to empower the next generation of female players and inspire more women and girls to get on that pitch and have the confidence to play football. Actions include:
- Album of the Future, Brazil: With the purpose of inspiring girls to continue breaking limits and having the confidence to work towards their dream of becoming professional players, Rexona has created the Album of the Future in Brazil. The limited-edition album uses generative image AI to project onto stickers the faces of girls aged between 7-16 as they will look in the future, so they can visualise themselves and believe in the dream of becoming the stars of tomorrow. The girls portrayed in the album are part of the Breaking Limits Programme which empowers young people in vulnerable situations, promoting and celebrating all kinds of movement regardless of race, gender, or ability.
- The 1% , India: Rexona has also this week launched a new campaign film in India which shines a light on the shocking stat that less than 1% of girls in India play football. The film features real girls from India and their families, as well as Indian National Goalkeeper, Aditi Chauhan to highlight the challenges surrounding equal opportunities in football and help empower more girls with the confidence to play.
- Change the Field, US: In partnership with Degree Deo 2x World Cup Champion and Angel City FC forward Christen Press is working on Rexona (known as Degree in the US)’s Change the Field campaign – a programme offering free training modules that equip coaches, teachers and community leaders with the skills and knowledge to create safe and inclusive environments for girls of colour on and off the field.
- Wider football partnerships: Through Rexona’s long-standing partnerships with Manchester City FC and Chelsea FC, Rexona continues to advocate for new, diverse role models and support local communities. This includes supporting Manchester City’s social programme, City in the Community, and Chelsea FC’s amputee programme to inspire the next generation of movers to play football.
This year’s FIFA Women’s World Cup 2023™ may have finished but Rexona believes women’s football is not done yet; it’s just warming up. Find out more about how Rexona is championing women and girls beyond the FIFA Women’s World Cup 2023™ and inspiring the next generation of female players here.
