TG4 sponsor the Ladies All-Ireland Football Championship and are enthusiastic promoters of women’s sports, but they have polarised opinion with their latest ad campaign.
Captioned “the most important nine months of a woman’s life”, the image shows a female player cradling a gaelic football as if it was a pregnancy bump.
There has been plenty of positive reaction to the image, with people describing it as powerful and arresting.
This @SportTG4 advertisement for the @LadiesFootball Championship is just fantastic 👌🏻 pic.twitter.com/jvynh9V0cd
— Elaine Buckley (@ElaineBucko) July 21, 2015
@ElaineBucko @SportTG4 @LadiesFootball Completely agree, fab!
— Vivienne Flood (@vivflood) July 21, 2015
Is breá liom an fógra seo ó @SportTG4 #Cliste pic.twitter.com/ICVVFLtX9i
— Sinead Finnegan (@ShinnFinn) July 18, 2015
But many fans of the woman’s game and sport in general, have spoken out against the ad – which they feel focuses on the players primarily as women rather than footballers.
@mitchellnicola Whereas campaigns for men's sport typically focus on …the sport 😊 Just disappointing is all, @SportTG4 are great promoters
— Anne-Marie (@thecailinrua) July 20, 2015
@mary_white33 that's shockingly bad! It doesn't promote the right message at all!!! #lgfa @SportTG4 @TG4TV https://t.co/h4YqNHpBKT
— Leah Barbour (@LeahLuigi) July 20, 2015
@mary_white33 @LadiesFootball disgraceful & inappropriate are the words that come to mind.Really don't know what they were thinking.
— Ann Marie Coleman (@amosc1111) July 20, 2015
Some of the commentators feel that the ad creators meant well, but by focusing the attention back on motherhood they are reinforcing stereotypes.
@scully_d @mary_white33 @LadiesFootball can see why it offends but is it not doin what an ad shud? Get people talking about the topic #lgfa
— john dineen (@rebeldineen) July 20, 2015
@mary_white33 @LadiesFootball @LisaReganPR I see what they were doing… But we're in "lionesses" territory here. No longer clever 1/2
— Deirdre OShaughnessy (@deshocks) July 20, 2015
@mary_white33 @LadiesFootball @LisaReganPR to show women can do *other* things. We know that now!!! 2/2
— Deirdre OShaughnessy (@deshocks) July 20, 2015
There is no doubt that it is a powerful, attention-grabbing image. What do you think?