Week 8 Participation Activity
tash brown
BosNationCaseStudy1.docxAssignment Preparation Directions:
Since we won’t be meeting in class for week 8, please complete this short case study about marketing and women’s sports. Please upload your response to Canvas by Friday at 11:59pm PST. Please submit your file in .doc or .docx format. I expect your submission to be approximately 1-2 pages in length. Please use 12-point, Times New Roman font, and 1” margins. Please double-space your work.
Assignment Description:
It is evident that Bos Nation dropped the ball, but in what ways? From a diversity, equity, inclusion, and belonging (DEIB) perspective, I want you to write a memo outlining how the roll out of the new National Women’s Soccer League (NWSL) team missed the mark for promoting diversity, equity, inclusion, and belonging. Consider which communities they excluded, how the roll out harmed their brand identity, how harm is embedded in their used imagery and language, how their introduction to the sporting community possibly clashes with the image of inclusion the NWSL aligns with. I am not going to tell you what exactly to analyze and bring attention to, but there is an array of DEI issues to highlight in your memo that align with an array of concepts and theories discussed in this class. A critical aspect of this memo is practicing the art of respectfully clapping back. Do not simply state, “The rollout of Bos Nation is sexist”. No. Explain why it is sexist? Explain what sexism is and how the marketing scheme aligns with the definition and the maintenance systematic marginalization.
For 3-4 paragraphs, you will articulate and analyze how Bos Nation missed the mark of DEIB. Then, for 3-4 paragraphs, I want you to articulate a pathway forward. How can they move past the harm caused (on varying fronts) reengage excitement, promote fan inclusion, and demonstrate that Bos Nation has leaders who can acknowledge their mistakes and actively work to do better. Oftentimes, we focus on what happened, as we should, but now let's really lean into problem solving this DIEB and media firestorm of an issue. Consider what you've learned in other courses about public relations, marketing, event management, etc.
Bos Nation and the agency who created the ad have attempted to remove it from the internet, but the internet is forever. Resources to find the full ad:
1. YouTube Full Video: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DAuTYhHOwOo
3. News media clip: https://www.cbsnews.com/boston/video/bos-nation-soccer-team-apologizes-for-marketing-campaign/Links to an external site.
There are quite a bit of news and think pieces on the matter. Please do your research and consider the outlet you are getting your insights from, like this outlet that is uniquely focused on LGBTQ+ experiences in sport: https://www.outsports.com/2024/10/16/24102850/nwsl-boston-womens-soccer-bos-nation-fc-balls-video-quinn/Links to an external site.
