Lidl on the Ladyball with equality campaign in support of women in sport

Sexist, designed to titillate and with more than a whiff of Mad Men, the clever marketing of a pink “Ladyball” has achieved exactly what its backers desired, a debate on the place of women in sport.

The campaign that sent Twitter into a frenzy on Wednesday, starting with the Youtube launch of the Ladyball as “soft touch, eazi play and fashion driven” had feminists in meltdown. On Thursday, the campaign extended to newspapers, with adverts proclaiming the ball a “revolution in evolution”.

Yesterday, the concept behind the provocative campaign was finally revealed — a clever ploy to put the spotlight on women in sport and to raise awareness of the difficulties they face in getting the same recognition as men.

Lidl, who came up with the concept, had the backing of the Ladies Gaelic Football Association (LGFA) and they are set to officially announce a partnership on January 21 next in Croke Park.

“We hope to see everyone who spoke so passionately in women’s defence in this debate, channel that same energy into pitchside support during the coming season,” LGFA president Marie Hickey said.

The attendance at last year’s All-Ireland Football Final, 31,083, in which Cork beat the Dubs, was the highest for any women’s sporting event in Europe in 2015.