The work, 'Invisible Sponsoring' by HSV X Deloitte, emerges within a pivotal cultural, social, and political climate, addressing the pressing issue of gender representation within the sports industry. In recent years, there has been a notable societal shift, with amplified voices advocating for gender equality and inclusivity, particularly in sports. Women's football, despite its growth, continues to grapple with deep-rooted challenges such as unequal pay and limited commercial visibility. This initiative takes a significant stride within this context by spotlighting these disparities. It comes at a time when conversations and movements advocating for gender equality have gained momentum, aligning with the growing demand for change. As society becomes increasingly aware of gender biases and inequalities, 'Invisible Sponsoring' holds great significance. It represents a concerted effort to challenge existing norms and drive progress, contributing to a more equitable and inclusive landscape for female athletes within the larger societal discourse on gender representation.

The concept of 'Invisible Sponsoring' redefines brand representation in women's football by discreetly placing logos inside the jerseys. This transformative initiative sheds light on the visible issues—unequal pay, commercial challenges, and substandard conditions—confronting female athletes. Strategically embedding brand sponsorships within the fabric of the game emphasizes values like Courage, Trust, and Support. By creatively challenging the typical visibility of brands on jerseys, the focus shifts to underlying gender-based issues. Through the absence of visible endorsements, the initiative paradoxically draws attention to existing gender inequalities. Beyond introducing a new revenue stream, this innovation strategically reshapes discussions on gender representation in sports. It serves as a catalyst for change, engaging audiences and stakeholders in advocating for gender equality and a more inclusive future for women in sports.

The strategy for 'Invisible Sponsoring' revolved around leveraging Deloitte's prominent B2B influence. To kickstart the initiative, our focus was on internally launching and promoting the partnership via LinkedIn, utilizing our organic reach to engage our stakeholder network. This served as a catalyst to inspire global companies and brands to join the movement. Our primary targets encompassed B2B stakeholders within our network and potential collaborating entities globally, aiming to drive interest from organizations committed to advancing gender equality in sports. The approach involved a dual strategy: prioritizing our B2B network for initial engagement while simultaneously pursuing mainstream visibility through extensive PR efforts. This approach aimed to foster broader conversations on gender representation in sports, utilizing our professional network's influence and external PR to drive engagement and participation.

In the 23/24 season, we initiated sponsorship for the HSV Women's soccer team by embedding our logo inside their jerseys. This move served as an introduction to a new sponsorship format designed for global brands. We strategically approached this through two key avenues. First, leveraging Deloitte's extensive B2B network, we introduced and showcased this innovative sponsorship format. Secondly, we capitalized on the powerful PR effects, which yielded successful outcomes, garnering significant attention and engagement. This initial step not only established our brand's support for the team but also set the stage for a broader initiative aimed at reshaping sponsorship norms globally.

The impact of "Invisible Sponsoring" extends beyond its initial buzz and media coverage. Notably, it has attracted the attention of one of the world's largest sports marketing agencies, which has adopted this unique sponsorship format and is currently introducing it globally to brands. More significantly, several DAX Companies have reached out, expressing their interest in joining this movement. While the PR effects and the impressive 82.1 million reach, along with 2.1 million media equivalents, mark a successful start, the initiative's influence goes beyond these metrics. It sets the groundwork for a larger movement, aiming for sustained growth, increased commercial viability, and better conditions for women in football, marking a pivotal moment in the sport's history. By catalyzing the interest of major players and initiating partnerships, the initiative's potential for a meaningful and widespread impact is clearly evident.