The NCAA Failed Women, So a Brand Stepped In

I'm not normally one to praise brands, beyond the occasional smart campaign, but I'm happy to make an exception here.

As college basketball players prepared for NCAA March Madness, women's teams quickly noticed a massive imbalance. As Oregon's Sedona Prince noted in a Twitter video viewed 10 million times, women were give one measly weight rack while male players were given a sprawling fitness facility right next door.

As her video generated massive support among fans, it also got the attention of a brand: Orangetheory Fitness.

Stepping in to help fill the gap, Orangetheory has offered to bus women's teams to use its San Antonio locations as training facilities, and the fitness chain offered to deliver equipment for use on site at the tournament as well.

For all the talk brand marketers give to being "a part of the conversation," it's nice to see a company truly stepping up to lead by example. It shouldn't have been necessary, but hopefully that's a lesson the NCAA will learn along the way.

How else have you seen brands stepping in to fill moments of need like this? Let me know at the email below or at @Griner on Twitter.

David Griner
International Editor, Adweek
David.Griner@Adweek.com

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