Tag: Heineken

I AM THE 12TH WOMAN – new equality campaign ahead of Women’s Euro’s

One passion, one tournament and one subtle name change to a familiar football phrase that is being substituted by Heineken®

  • Ellie Taylor, Harry Redknapp, Karen Carney, Jermaine Jenas, and AJ Odudu show fans of all genders how they can show their passion and be the ‘12th Woman’ for the UEFA Women’s Euro 2022.
  • The unlikely group star in a new campaign from Heineken® that urges all fans of football to declare themselves the ‘12th Woman’ – starting with this summer’s UEFA Women’s Euro 2022 tournament.
  • Heineken is releasing an official ‘12th Woman’ tournament t-shirt – as worn by its celebrity squad – for public sale. Fans can wear the t-shirts to show their support at home, in pubs and at UEFA Women’s Euro 2022 matches.
  • All profits from the 12th Woman t-shirts will be donated to Women in Football, an NFP that supports the women’s game.
  • The 12th Woman is part of a wider campaign entitled ‘Passion Knows No Gender – Cheers To All Fans’ where Heineken® is challenging bias and promoting equality in football, on and off the pitch, across all male and female UEFA competitions.  

You’d look twice if you saw them enter a pub together for the big match, so what do Ellie Taylor, Harry Redknapp, AJ Odudu, Karen Carney and Jermaine Jenas all have in common? They’re passionate fans of football and for this summer’s UEFA Women’s Euro 2022 they are all showing their support for the beautiful game by becoming the ‘12th Woman’.

This eclectic all-star squad was enlisted by Heineken®, Official Partner of UEFA Women’s Euro 2022, to be ambassadors for its new ‘12th Woman’ campaign. Throughout the tournament, Heineken is rallying fans of all genders to get behind their national teams by displaying a twist on the term usually associated with collective, passionate fan support: the 12th man.

The ‘12th Woman’ is part of an ongoing campaign by Heineken® which shines a light on bias and challenges stereotypes in football culture.

Stephanie Dexter of Heineken® commented, “For so long football culture and fandom has been influenced by the men’s game. So, while the women’s game has grown massively, a legacy of terms such as ‘man on’ and the ‘the 12th man’ continue to dominate.

“Meanwhile the ‘12th woman’ is relatively unheard of. We want this campaign to help close the gender phrase gap in football language, but also invite a conversation about the entrenched bias and inequality that persists across football culture.”

The ensemble of Taylor, Redknapp, Carney, Jenas, and Odudu officially issue Heineken’s invitation in a new film wherein they all declare themselves to be ‘12th Women’. In the video they bring attention to the decades-long gender imbalance in football language and encourage other fans to join the 12th Woman movement in time for the UEFA Women’s Euro 2022.

The film shows Harry at the wheel of a van as he rounds up the celebrity fans to watch a tournament match at Wembley. Along the way the famous five question the unconscious bias in football terminology before exiting the van, walking down Wembley Way and proudly revealing their t-shirts – all emblazoned with the slogan ‘I Am The 12th Woman’.

But said Tees aren’t being reserved for the all-star cast – the good news for fans is that they’re being made available for public sale on Amazon for a price of £12.00 here with all profits donated to the NFP Women in Football.

Throughout the tournament supporters are encouraged to wear them in a show of allegiance, wherever they may be watching the action.

Karen Carney, who played 144 times for England said: “There are 11 women on the pitch who are giving everything to win for their country.

“Knowing that fans are cheering them on in the stands, at homes and in pubs across the country makes a difference and that’s why being a 12th Woman and saying it aloud really matters. Football fans’ approach to this tournament could be a major stepping-stone to real change in terms of how we all talk about football.”

Harry Redknapp said: “When I was playing professionally it really was a man’s game – women were banned from playing football in 1921 and the Women’s Football Association wasn’t even established until 1969.

“Thankfully times have changed, and in a big way, and I’m really proud to be a 12th woman and to wear the T-shirt for all to see. Some people could be confused by the term the ‘12th Woman’, they might have to stop and think. But that’s the whole point, that’s what Heineken is trying to do with this campaign.”

Yvonne Harrison, CEO at Women in Football said: “We’ve been really impressed by Heineken’s commitment to addressing gender inequality in football.

“That’s what Women in Football is all about too, so it’s fantastic to team up with them on the 12th Woman campaign.Every action that supports our work and amplifies our message helps to level the playing field and make football a fairer and better place.”

With two-thirds of women in football having experienced gender discrimination*, Heineken® is on a mission to evolve its sponsorships in the sport by addressing harmful stereotypes which are perpetuated by an outdated footballing phrasebook.

It’s time to tackle gender inequality in the beautiful game by interrogating the unconscious bias in the songs we sing, match reports we write and even the encouragement we give.

Stephanie Dexter concluded: “In its aim to be the most inclusive football sponsor, Heineken® is inviting supporters to confront the bias and promote equality.

“We’ve created this campaign and, with the support of our ambassadors, we hope that the UEFA Women’s Euro 2022 is the first step in changing the way we think and speak about sport. We can see a future where football is just called football, no matter who is on the pitch or in the stands.”

Heineken®’s first move in correcting the gender bias in football was to address inaccurate statistics present across the internet that are often the source of the prejudice.

‘Fresher Football’ is a webpage in partnership with GOAL that provides correct responses to the most popular questions asked online about the UEFA Champions League. It includes key data and statistics on the women’s game, which are often overlooked.

The aim of Fresher Football is to encourage search engines and fan sites to recognise, amend and update their current information to give accurate answers, regardless of gender.

Jermaine Jenas, BBC presenter and former England footballer said: “The profile of the women’s game has risen massively over the past 10 to 15 years and players such as Lucy Bronze and Karen Carney have rightfully taken their places alongside some of the greats of the men’s game.

“But the culture and language attached to the women’s game still lags behind. Women’s football has inherited male-oriented terminology – phrases like ‘man on’, and, of course the ‘12th man’.

“I’m extremely proud to be part of a campaign that celebrates the women’s game and the UEFA Women’s EURO 2022, but also one that addresses issues of gender inequality around our national sport.”  

Presenter AJ Odudu, said: “The brilliant thing is that anyone can be a 12th Woman.

“I can’t wait for the tournament to start and I can’t wait to put on my 12th Woman Tee, head to the pub and enjoy what should be a true festival of football.”

TV comedian and writer, Ellie Taylor said: “It’s not every day you get recruited by the national treasure that is Harry Redknapp to join a cohort of fabulously talented people all committed to re-engineering an outdated football phrase – and celebrating the women’s game.

“Harry had me at hello to be honest. In all seriousness, I love watching big tournament football and I’m thrilled to be a 12th Woman. It might not be a thing, yet. But it will be”.

Scotland 1 England 0!

= Scottish legend Ally McCoist gets One over on England rival Jermaine Jenas In a hilarious stitch up ahead of the England v Scotland game =

= Heineken joins the hugely anticipated UEFA EURO 2020 England v Scotland clash with a wind-up that leaves Jermaine in hysterics =

  • England legend Jermaine Jenas believed he had been invited by Heineken to model a bespoke commemorative suit to celebrate 60 years of the European Championship
  • The tailor-made suit was unveiled at a photoshoot, with Jermaine thinking it was being presented ‘live’ by Scottish TV sports reporter Emma Dodds
  • What Jermaine couldn’t see was the jacket switch orchestrated by his Scottish rival and fellow pundit Ally McCoist to bear a giant Scotland flag on the back
  • The surprise twist on Jermaine was released today from Heineken, Official Partner of UEFA EURO 2020 to celebrate fans of England and Scotland finally back together to enjoy the fun in rivalry when the two nations compete on the 18th June https://youtu.be/nJZREon4_98

England v Scotland is the oldest and most intense rivalry in the history of international football. The last time the two sides met in the European Championship was at Wembley in 1996, which was an epic encounter that saw England win 2-0, on the day. With the rival sides set to meet again at Wembley on 18th June, Scots fans will be desperate to get a victory over the ‘Auld Enemy’. 

To celebrate the impending clash and bring to life the fact that football isn’t half as fun without your rivals, official UEFA EURO 2020 Partner Heineken teamed up with Scottish football legend Ally McCoist to stitch-up England rival and fellow pundit Jermaine Jenas into the ultimate friendly wind-up – posing in a tailor-made suit emblazoned with The Saltire across the back.

Ally is the passionate Scot who scored Scotland’s last goal in a Euros tournament and was on the field when England beat Scotland in 1996. His mate and fellow pundit Jermaine is the stylish former England international, who seamlessly crossed over into the world of broadcasting. 

Ally teamed up with Heineken to convince Jermaine that he’d been given the honour of modelling a specially made commemorative suit to mark the 60th anniversary of the European Championship.

What Jermaine was not to know was that Ally was directing the suit design, photo shoot and a fake live broadcast behind the scenes. In classic Scottish style, Ally enlisted fellow Scot, sports presenter Emma Dodds, to host a ‘live broadcast’ of Jermaine’s glossy photoshoot.

The ruse began with a fitting at a renowned Savile Row tailor, where Jermaine was measured by an over-assertive tailor, played by an actor. Having obtained Jermaine’s measurements, Ally briefed the tailor to provide the surprise addition to the beautifully cut suit – a giant Saltire (Flag of Scotland) embroidered on the back.

Jermaine has been the subject of many a fashion shoot but became increasingly unsettled and distracted by the peculiar behaviour of the tailor on set and by the questions fired at him by Emma. With Jermaine distracted, he had no idea that the jacket had been switched, resulting in him obliviously posing in Ally’s Scottish masterpiece. 

When Emma asks Jermaine to check out the back of the jacket on the monitor, he instantly realises he’s been duped, which is the cue for Ally, accompanied by a piper playing Scotland the Brave, to storm the set. At the end, Jermaine, Ally and Emma celebrate the moment by sharing a Heineken and having a laugh together as they look ahead to the hugely anticipated clash.

Jermaine Jenas said: “I was very flattered to be asked to model the anniversary suit, it was made by a brilliant Savile Row tailor. I like my fashion and nothing seemed out of the ordinary about the shoot until I realised that I was being broadcast with the flag of our biggest rivals spread across my back!

“When Ally appeared out of nowhere, the penny dropped as there were a few other Scottish references throughout the day. Hopefully, England will take the victory on 18th June and that might keep even Ally McCoist quiet!”

Ally McCoist said: “Jermaine is a dapper fellow who can strike a pose even better than he could a football. We just knew he wouldn’t be able to resist the offer of tailor-made suit and a photoshoot.

“Everyone present could see what was on his back apart from him and I took great pleasure in getting him to model it for the camera. Jermaine’s face was an absolute picture when he realised he’d been stitched up. This is a victory for the Scots and I’ll raise my glass for another one at Wembley!”

Emma Dodds said: “I’ve never had so much fun seeing an interviewee unsettled by the carefully planned comments and distractions going on around. Jermaine is normally so calm and composed in front of the camera, but he looked very confused. Let’s hope that the Scots unsettle England in the same fashion when they meet on the pitch!”

Michael Gillane, UK Marketing Director for Heineken commented: “This is the oldest rivalry in world football and fans of both nations have been enjoying the passion and drama of it for generations.

“We’ve all missed live football and to be able to come back together and enjoy the friendly rivalry once again, really makes the experience all the richer. We’ve had to wait an extra year for the kick-off and as Official Partner for the UEFA EURO 2020 this is a unique occasion for fans to finally come back together, get behind their team and enjoy the rivalry over a Heineken once more.”

The activation is part of a wider global campaign from Heineken, ‘Finally Together’ which recognises the long-awaited reunion with fans, and the rivalries that go alongside – bringing energy and positivity to the sport and fans alike.