Blue Dog backs schoolgirl sport

A new nationwide campaign to encourage schoolgirls to take an interest in sport is to be launched in December, with branding by London group Blue Dog Design.

Blue Dog was commissioned by Nike UK and the Youth Sports Trust to create the identity for the Girls in Sport campaign, which will run for the next four years.

A campaign pack, containing a video, research evidence supporting the reasons for the campaign and an educational manual introducing physical education teachers to new ideas about teaching sport to girls, is to be sent out to schools across the country.

Research by Nike UK suggests that girls are interested in sport, but want the emphasis to be placed on fun, varied and non-competitive activity. The campaign is aimed at girls aged between 12 and 15 years.

Following a paid, three-way creative pitch, Blue Dog was briefed to create an identity that would encourage girls to participate in sport, giving them something to aspire to, rather than intimidate them.

“We deliberately made it look like it wasn’t a sports campaign,” explains Blue Dog managing director Sandy Mitchell.

“It was developed on the basis that Nike’s brand borders both sport and fashion. We felt that fashion is not as threatening as sport, and that it is something which girls can aspire to.”