Women’s Sports and the Business Case for Media Equity

In this episode of Yeah, That’s Probably an Ad, presented by Ally, community editor Luz Corona sits down with Andrea Brimmer, chief marketing and PR officer at Ally Financial.

They discuss Ally’s transformative 50/50 pledge to invest equally in men’s and women’s sports media, the challenges and successes along the way, and how this initiative is driving real business impact.

This is the first part of a three-episode sports marketing series presented by Ally. Listen to the full episode here, on Spotify or Apple Podcasts to hear Brimmer’s insights on being a pioneer in sports marketing equity and creating real change.

5 Key Takeaways

Ask for forgiveness, not permission

Ally’s 50/50 pledge to invest equally in men’s and women’s sports media was conceived spontaneously to commemorate the 50th anniversary of Title IX. Without getting prior approval, Brimmer announced it live, surprising even Ally’s CEO. The bold move resonated deeply across the company.

Involve partners in the brand’s mission

A major hurdle was the sheer lack of available, high quality women’s sports media to purchase to fulfill the pledge. Networks often treated it as an undervalued add-on. Ally worked closely with partners like Disney/ESPN to move women’s content into more desirable time slots.

Be better, do better

Two years into the pledge, Ally is seeing immense brand upside: record positive sentiment (+96%), soaring brand value (+32% YoY) and unmatched awareness and trust growth in the finance sector. A majority (65%) of its new customers are women.

Support the brand ambassadors

Ally carefully vets partners to ensure they align with its commitment to equity, even turning down deals. When the National Women’s Soccer League faced controversies, Ally reaffirmed its support for the players association. Strong relationships are built through authenticity.

Remember the reason

Brimmer shared the legacy she hopes to leave in her mission to drive equity in media: so that no little girl feels she is not worthy of prime time. Looking ahead, Ally will focus on driving systemic change with media partners, supporting emerging women’s media platforms and putting money directly into athletes’ pockets through programs like Team Ally.