Women in Sport
Spotlight /
Creative Spotlight
For the launch of the Premiership Women's Rugby brand, an all‑female team came together to co‑create a set of studio portraits unlike any other.
Insight meets individualism: authentic representation in action
Featuring 10 fabulous female players from the world of UK rugby, Getty images provided a collaborative and supportive environment, backed by deep creative expertise and research to ensure that this shoot 'Powered Differently' connects with the next generation in sport.
"I think it's fair to say that, historically, there have been a lot of stereotypes around the sport. What was really important today was to try and break some of those."
Belinda Moore, CEO Premiership Women's Rugby.
In a changing world, how we can continue to tell stories in a way that’s relatable and helps drive more participation in women's sport?
Getty Images VisualGPS research found that seven in 10 consumers want sports organisations to do a better job of promoting female athletes. A majority of respondents (65%) would like to see female athletes portrayed in an authentic way that focuses on their skill and athleticism rather than their looks. The findings also shows that the top sports imagery motivators for consumers involve showing women of all ages and body types engaging in sport, while over half want rights‑holders and brands to do more to promote the diversity of players.
By applying Getty Images VisualGPS insights and our visual expertise on authentic representation of women in sport, photography, editing and curation were all centred in the female athlete's gaze.
Featuring 10 fabulous female players from the world of UK rugby, Getty images provided a collaborative and supportive environment, backed by deep creative expertise and research to ensure that this shoot 'Powered Differently' connects with the next generation in sport.
"I think it's fair to say that, historically, there have been a lot of stereotypes around the sport. What was really important today was to try and break some of those."
Belinda Moore, CEO Premiership Women's Rugby.
In a changing world, how we can continue to tell stories in a way that’s relatable and helps drive more participation in women's sport?
Getty Images VisualGPS research found that seven in 10 consumers want sports organisations to do a better job of promoting female athletes. A majority of respondents (65%) would like to see female athletes portrayed in an authentic way that focuses on their skill and athleticism rather than their looks. The findings also shows that the top sports imagery motivators for consumers involve showing women of all ages and body types engaging in sport, while over half want rights‑holders and brands to do more to promote the diversity of players.
By applying Getty Images VisualGPS insights and our visual expertise on authentic representation of women in sport, photography, editing and curation were all centred in the female athlete's gaze.
Player portraits rooted in the player voice
Driving participation to new audiences through changing the stereotypical visual representations of female rugby players was key to this shoot for Belinda Moore CEO of the Premiership Women's Rugby: “A generation of women and girls growing up can look at these women and go 'That could be me. They look like me. They are like me.' And I think that’s an extraordinary, powerful thing for the sport to be able to do.”
As architects of how they wanted to be to bring their authentic selves to their visual representation, the players chose everything from their outfits to the staging to the final curation. The result is a body of visuals the players are proud to share with the world because the shots reflect how each of them chose to be depicted.
Beyond advocating for the Premiership Women's Rugby brand, they’re also helping shift wider perceptions of what these women—and the sport they play—are all about.
Driving participation to new audiences through changing the stereotypical visual representations of female rugby players was key to this shoot for Belinda Moore CEO of the Premiership Women's Rugby: “A generation of women and girls growing up can look at these women and go 'That could be me. They look like me. They are like me.' And I think that’s an extraordinary, powerful thing for the sport to be able to do.”
As architects of how they wanted to be to bring their authentic selves to their visual representation, the players chose everything from their outfits to the staging to the final curation. The result is a body of visuals the players are proud to share with the world because the shots reflect how each of them chose to be depicted.
Beyond advocating for the Premiership Women's Rugby brand, they’re also helping shift wider perceptions of what these women—and the sport they play—are all about.
“A generation of women and girls growing up can look at these women and go 'That could be me. They look like me. They are like me.' And I think that’s an extraordinary, powerful thing for the sport to be able to do.”
As the world wakes up to the importance of representation, there’s clearly opportunity to do much more of this. At Getty Images, we passionately champion the authentic and inclusive representation of women and girls in sport. Bringing transformative equity forward for women and girls in sports requires work on a multitude of fronts. We believe media companies, brands and sports rights holders can change the perceptions of women sport by changing the visuals they use.
To help lead change, we have put together practical Women & Girls in Sport Guidelines to help creatives, editors, art directors, marketers to create and select visual content for unbiased, inclusive visual storytelling.
To help lead change, we have put together practical Women & Girls in Sport Guidelines to help creatives, editors, art directors, marketers to create and select visual content for unbiased, inclusive visual storytelling.
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