We’ve been a little bit in love with the #ThisGirlCan campaign since Sport England launched it in 2015 – and now they’re back with a brand new ad.
Though the campaign has been highly acclaimed, scooping up awards left right and centre (including the TWC reader voted gong for ‘Best Women’s Cycling Initiative’) – it received minor criticisms for under-representing some minority groups as well as women over 40.
Sport England, who launched the campaign after research showed fear of ‘looking bad’ stopped women exercising, have addressed that in their brand new ad – launched today.
The 90 second video includes top level athletes, women across a broad range of races, women in their later years, women with disabilities, as well as mums. Plus a very real example of exactly how strong women can be with a glimpse of the ultimate display of strength – giving birth.
The video is set to the words of ‘Phenomenal Woman’, a poem by the late, and very great, Maya Angelou. The full poem is below, but to give you a flavour, it opens with the following powerful stanza:
The new ad has gone down a storm, with compliments raining in from women eager to pay their respects to Sport England, who were able to make the video thanks to Lottery funding…
I absolutely LOVE this! @ThisGirlCanUK ????#girlpower #thisgirlcan ???? https://t.co/4HlKYY5GXd
— Joanna Rowsell Shand (@JoRowsellShand) February 24, 2017
In love with this #ThisGirlCan ???? https://t.co/mosxqmbo4H
— Kimberley Murray (@KimMurray88) February 24, 2017
@ThisGirlCanUK love this! This is what healthy, happy, active women look like. #thisgirlcan #thisgirlwill #thisgirljustdid
— K Richardson-Walsh (@katewalsh11) February 24, 2017