HSBC's gender-neutral approach to sports sponsorships has benefitted the bank as well as World Rugby and could serve as a case study for brands looking to enter women's sport.
HSBC became a title partner of the World Rugby Sevens Series in 2015 and when it renewed its title partnership for the 2019–2023 cycle, it pushed to have more women’s tournaments on the calendar. This has played ensured alignment with the men's tournaments.
«It’s not tokenism, it’s actually because for the spectators and for the TV audience it’s just fantastic sports content,» said Jonathan Castleman, HSBC’s global head of brand partnerships, adding that female-driven content has outperformed the male in the series it has been producing.
Fast-Growing Female Sports
Rugby is one of the world's fastest-growing female sports. According to World Rugby, rugby union’s global governing body, there has been a 28-percent increase in the number of females worldwide since 2017.
The bank's support for the game also includes grassroots initiatives to encourage more young girls to take up rugby and off the pitch in the form of a content series.
Breaking Gender Barriers
Women in sport should be more highly valued said Castleman, HSBC’s global head of brand partnerships, speaking about the bank's work with World Rugby and how it has been driving gender equality in the game.
«We really do believe that sport can drive diversity and inclusion, can build future role models, is good for mental and physical wellbeing,» he said to SportsPro. «If our role in the world is to help people thrive in the future, then sports is actually a fantastic way for us to connect with those people and to drive those values through,»
Brand Promise
HSBC's sports sponsorships include golf, tennis, cycling and badminton, all with both a male and female component.
«If you think of our brand promise… and our need to be reflective of our 39 million customers who are diverse by nature, it’s in our DNA to inherently support both male and female inclusion, in sports and in the workplace,» Castleman said.
