GroupM Bid to Push Ad Dollars to Women’s Sports Exceeds Expectations

variety.com:

Brian Steinberg Senior TV Editor The flow of ad dollars to women’s sports is growing. After launching an initiative earlier in 2024 to double the amount of money its clients spend on women’s sports, GroupM, the large WPP-backed media-investment giant, says it has exceeded its initial goals. “Doubling spend in women’s sports within a matter of months marks a significantmilestone for our company and the industry alike,” said Matt Sweeney, chief investmentofficer of GroupM US, in a statement. “While some clients have long been pioneers in this space, others are now broadening their commitments or making first-time investments.

This surge of momentum reflects more than a passing trend — it’s a full-fledged movement.” In March, GroupM said it intended to create a dedicated marketplace for the programming genre, starting in the industry’s “upfront” market.

Clients including adidas, Ally, Coinbase, Discover, Google, Mars, Nationwide, Unilever and NBCUniversal’s Universal Pictures said at the time that they were interested.

More than 20 different brands took part in the effort, GroupM said Tuesday, expanding investment strategies to “to prioritize and monetize women’s sports.” Among those taking part were adidas, Ally, Coinbase, Danone, Discover, Domino’s, DoorDash, Google, Indeed, method,Nationwide, Target, TJ Maxx, Unilever, Universal Pictures, and others.