Secret Deodorant's Super Bowl Ad Contains a Powerful Message About Gender Equality
by Philip EllisIt's become de rigeur for brands to pack a social message into their ads during the Super Bowl, and this year Secret Deodorant appropriately used the medium of sport to tell its story, and make a statement about gender inequality. Scheduled to air during the Super Bowl Pregame Show on Sunday , 'The Secret Kicker' shows a tense moment during a football game, with fans on tenterhooks, leading up to a triumphant winning kick.
Then, plot twist! The kicker and their teammate remove their helmets to reveal that they are, in fact, women. Specifically, they are soccer players Carli Lloyd and Crystal Dunn, both of whom have received numerous honors for their accomplishments on the pitch. The aim of the ad campaign, say Secret, is to get audiences thinking about "kicking inequality" during Sunday's game.
"More than two-thirds of girls believe that society doesnt encourage women to play sports," reads the brand's message, which accompanies the video. "So we are setting out to change this notion by spotlighting fierce female athletes specifically two major womens soccer players in 'The Secret Kicker,' which is aimed at defying conventional expectations and championing equal opportunities for women."
The inclusion of Lloyd in particular is apt, given the speculation that she could become the first female athlete to play in the NFL after a video of her kicking a field goal during an Eagles practice session went viral last year.
"There's definitely the potential," Lloyd told CNN . "Obviously, I'm kind of in the thick of things right now and this year with soccer and Olympic qualifying at the present moment, and then going to the Olympics... I would want to put myself in a position where I've kicked several thousand kicks prior to doing this with the right equipment and perhaps some men rushing at me and limited steps. But we'll see what happens. I'm not closing any doors at the moment."
This year will see the first female, openly gay athlete coaching at the Super Bowl: Katie Sowers , head coach of the San Francisco 49ers, whose win against the Green Bay Packers means they'll be competing in the championship game on Sunday.