HERosport: Social Media as a Tool to Connect with "Her"

Let's look at how one retailer, Eurosport, has carved out a social media space that communicates to the female soccer player (or fans). The retailer's HERosport project is using social media to drive demand for its soccer merchandise while building a movement that is quickly becoming famous as the voice for the female player.

The balance of male and female players participating in the USA is about 50:50 depending on the age demographic. Yet a quick look at the soccer market gives a different perception, with most products and point of sale marketing focused on "him" rather than "her". Eurosport took notice of this lack of connection with the female segment of the soccer market and in 2011 launched "HERosport" as a platform to engage directly with "her". HERosport speaks to "her" through Facebook and Twitter accounts, as well as an online store and dedicated pages in the traditional Eurosport print catalog. For this posting, we'll focus on the HERosport-branded social media platforms and dig in to why this is proving to be an effective tool.

Drive sales
We'll get right to the retailer's ultimate goal, which is to drive sales. HERosport delivers fresh, extremely relevant content for the female soccer player with the ultimate goal to create transactions with them. Keep in mind no one likes feeling like they're being sold on something. Having said that, it's not always easy for "her" to find all the gear she needs on and off the field so the fact that HERosport's Facebook page makes it easy by making a direct link to their online store is oddly refreshing. The offering shows it takes "her" soccer seriously and includes an unequaled selection of soccer merchandise from the major brands. Even after a transaction is made, HERosport remains the go-to source for soccer news, and succeeds in retaining that customer, who will more than likely need new gear again at some point.

Referral Network
Thanks to the nature of social media being extremely shareable, HERosport has a built in referral network. Friends can easily "like" or re-post to their own Facebook or Twitter timeline their favourite stories or exciting new product shots, creating a collective promotional strength and word-of-mouth that can rival large paid advertising.
  
Inspire
At the heart of the HERosport strategy is inspiration/aspiration. HERosport relates to "her" in a personal, one-to-one way building long-term relationships with her and increasing the likelihood of converting her into a customer. The name "HERosport" is a spin on the retailer's name "Eurosport" specifically calling out and celebrating "HER". The name also includes the perhaps unintended inclusion of the word "HERO-sport". They do a great job of showcasing heroes, both everyday heroes and her favourite players (with a big focus on the USWNT), as you can see here below.

Consumer Insight
A byproduct of relationship building through social media, is the consumer insight you can get in return by asking simple engagement questions. The HERosport Facebook and Twitter pages give a voice to the female soccer consumer. It has become a channel that allows "her" to cast her vote (by "liking", re-tweeting or commenting) on soccer relevant news or clicking through to the online store to purchase product. Brands like Nike, adidas, Under Armour, Umbro that sell soccer product can glean insights by listening to the chatter that is generated around product campaigns - it's a great way to get instant, direct feedback that can identify opportunities. By asking questions, HERosport invites "her" to engage, allowing brands to get inside the head of a female player to better understand her needs. See examples here below.

HERosport is more than just a place to shop for gear, it's a community of like-minded soccer players and fans that provides a platform to share a passion for soccer.