This Girl Can

Question 1

Who created the national campaign ‘This Girl Can’?

Answer 1

Sports England

Question 2

What is the purpose of the campaign?

Answer 2

to break down primary barriers holding women back from participating in sport (fear of judgement)

Question 3

Who is the target audience of the campaign?

Answer 3

‘active women who are doing their thing, whatever that may be, no matter how well they do it, no matter how they look or even how red their faces get’

Question 4

Who funded the campaign?

Answer 4

national lottery

Question 5

Is there a commercial aspect to the campaign?

Answer 5

No

Question 6

How many fewer women aged 14-40 partake in sport than men?

Answer 6

2 million

Question 7

How many women said they want to participate in sport?

Answer 7

13 million

Question 8

How many women are currently active?

Answer 8

6 million

Question 9

How many women started exercising as a result of the campaign?

Answer 9

1.6 million

Question 10

Which company mimicked this campaign shortly after it was released?

Answer 10

Nike (‘Better for it’) - portrayed a more real side to fitness

Question 11

What ideology does the campaign challenge? (2)

Answer 11

That women are the weaker sex so should not partake in sport.

Challenges sexism and male dominance in sport.

Question 12

How is the campaign different from commercial sporting brands?

Answer 12

Its main aim is not to make money and express the raw reality of sport with no glossy finish.

Question 13

According to Propp’s Theory, how are women represented? What common character role are they subverting?

Answer 13

‘Heroes’ - they are aspirational role models that can accomplish anything they put their minds to.
Subverts the conventional ‘princess’ narrative theme - the narrative is being rewritten.

Question 14

What is the preferred reading of the campaign? Why?

Answer 14

Women should resonate with the dominant female in the image so that they can assess whether their fears are appropriate.

Question 15

Title analysis: ‘This Girl Can (3)

Answer 15

1) “girl” is an all-encompassing term that represents the whole female population like they are a united front.

2) Possibly a response to negative comments such as “throw like a girl” to reverse the narrative and make it positive.

3)However, women over a certain age may feel disconnected from the campaign.

Question 16

Image analysis:

Answer 16

1) The central striking image is inviting and suggests confidence

2) The woman being in her mid thirties makes it more relatable especially since she is not a celebrity

Question 17

Dress codes analysis:

Answer 17

1) the woman is wearing unbranded clothing promoting how sport is accessible to all.

2) her hair is scraped up into a ponytail and she is sweating a lot, demonstrating how she is comfortable within her own body.

Question 18

Narrative analysis:

Answer 18

1) the dominance of this image suggests she is the protagonist of this narrative (‘hero’) as she is embracing sport

Question 19

Written text analysis: (6)

Answer 19

1) the mantra - “sweating like a pig, feeling like a fox” could correlate with how a mantra is a sacred utterance in Hinduism and in this scenario could empower women and highlight the campaigns significance.

2) taken a derogatory term and made it positive

3) historically it was considered unladylike to sweat as it was unattractive but now it has been flipped to show that exercise can make you healthier and more attractive

4) the oxymoronic language suggests that society is confused about how to embrace sport so fears it instead.

5) the name of the brand has connotations of determination

6) if you are unaware of this brand, the limited text will encourage you to do further research online.

Question 20

Iconography:

Answer 20

1) the #thisgirlcan connects readers to the campaigns social media where females can interact to create a sense of social cohesion

2) logos of the producers are small to not distract the audience from the visuals

3) there is also a youtube video of the advert to showcase more positive representations of females in sport