The multi-media campaign ran across national TV, EE’s social and digital channels, was displayed via bespoke DOOH buys across the UK, including at key stations. The EE Hope United squad also featured in a video content series to offer a free online resource to educate on how to challenge and report online hate against women. Innovative media such as beermats, giant screen wraps and deckchairs targeted football fans during the tournament.

Press release:

EE UNVEILS HOPE UNITED CAMPAIGN TO TACKLE ONLINE SEXIST HATE AHEAD OF UEFA WOMEN’S EURO 2022

·       EE unveils Hope United 2022, a multi-million-pound campaign that will see a team of elite footballers unite to tackle online sexist hate ahead of the UEFA Women's European Championships 

·       Ellen White, Lucy Bronze, Marissa Callaghan, Caroline Weir, Andy Robertson, Dan James, Declan Rice, Trent Alexander-Arnold and Jordan Henderson among those to feature in elite squad managed by Gareth Southgate

·       Squad members will feature in exclusive content, teaching the nation the digital skills they need to combat sexist hate online

·       Campaign to activate above-the-line across television, social and digital platforms and out-of-home advertising

·       For more information on Hope United, visit ee.co.uk/hopeunited 

EE has today unveiled its Hope United campaign, a multi-million-pound integrated PR and marketing campaign that will see a team of footballers committed to combatting online sexist hate ahead of this summer’s UEFA Women's European Championships with a series of digital skills on how to take a stand against the problem. 

A recent YouGov survey commissioned by EE, has revealed that 53% of the UK public don’t feel the internet is a safe space for women, and 62% of the UK believe that not enough is being done to tackle online and offline misogyny*. Comprised of male and female players, EE Hope United will highlight the role of men to ally women during the Euros, encouraging them to own and challenge the problem of sexist abuse online and elsewhere.

Hope United was created by Saatchi & Saatchi, with PR run by Pitch Marketing Group, Digitas UK handling reactive social and media buying by Essence. The campaign marks a continuation of the Hope United initiative which was launched last year ahead of last year’s UEFA European Championships to tackle all forms of online hate.

Running[ER1]  from Monday 4th July and throughout the UEFA Women’s EURO, the campaign will activate across EE’s social and digital channels, and be displayed via bespoke OOH buys across the UK, including at Birmingham New Street, Liverpool Lime Street and London’s Waterloo station. A new TV advert will officially premiere on the same day and will be broadcast on ITV 2 during Love Island:[ER2]  featuring members of the all-star squad, it looks to inspire men into becoming allies for women this summer and beyond, showing that social media abuse is not something they should face alone. 

The EE Hope United squad will feature in a video content series sharing digital skills; free online resources that will educate on how to challenge and report online hate against women. The topics covered will include how to block accounts, report online hate, mute and filter offensive content and how to diversify your social media feed by following more female voices. 

EE has partnered with HateLab, a global hub for data and insight into hate speech and crime, to provide each player with their own personalised Hope United shirt. Using behavioural data, which scrapes information from each player’s social media account, the shirts show a visual representation of how people are talking about them online, translating emotions associated with hope (such as love, empathy or inspiration) and hate (for example, racial or gender discrimination) into a visual colour and style, creating a unique design for each squad member. The shirts will be available to purchase[HA3] , with 100% of proceeds going to anti cyberbullying non-profit organisation Cybersmile.  

This year’s squad will be managed by England head coach Gareth Southgate who has delivered an emotive appeal to men across the UK, asking them to stand together in supporting women this summer and beyond, and encouraging them to become upstanders as opposed to bystanders.

Marc Allera, CEO of EE, commented, “While the majority will be rightly giving their support to the athletes competing in the Women’s Euros this summer, there will be the vocal minority trying to denounce and discredit the women’s game.

“Now, more than ever, it is imperative we come together to champion hope over hate, placing the onus on men to own the problem: this is why EE Hope United will continue to help shape a safer online world, giving others the confidence and knowhow to help call out and put a stop to online sexist hate.” 

Pete Jeavons, Director Marketing Comms, EE & BT, added, “It is increasingly important for brands to use their voice to instigate social change and draw attention to those topics which, although potentially uncomfortable, must be confronted and discussed. EE and BT will not shy away from using our platform to do just that and, through campaigns such as Hope United, help educate and upskill the nation in whatever way we can in order to help create a healthier and more positive digital community.”

Franki Goodwin, chief creative officer, Saatchi & Saatchi said: “Hope United was born during the Men’s Euros in 2021, and this year, we’re bringing our fight against online hate to the Women’s Euros, because we, like many, believe not enough is being done to tackle sexist hate. So, while we cheer on our Lionesses this summer, we’re also using the opportunity to inspire men to take more of the burden and help tackle the issue of online and offline sexism, helping our EE partners continue to make life online safer and happier for people in the UK.”

EE Hope United – full squad

·       Manager – Gareth Southgate 

·       Coaches – Rio Ferdinand and Rachel Brown-Finnis 

·       Jordan Henderson – England

·       Dan James – Wales

·       Andy Robertson – Scotland

·       Lucy Bronze – England

·       Demi Stokes – England 

·       Trent Alexander-Arnold – England

·       Rebecca Sellar – Scotland para-footballer 

·       Jamal Lewis – Northern Ireland

·       Charlie Fogarty – Northern Ireland para-footballer 

·       Lauren James – England

·       Aaron Ramsdale – England

·       Declan Rice – England

·       Caroline Weir – Scotland

·       Natasha Harding – Wales

·       Michail Antonio – Jamaica

·       Ellen White- England

·       Marissa Callaghan- Northern Ireland 

The campaign marks a continuation of the Hope United initiative which was launched last year ahead of last year’s UEFA European Championships to tackle all forms of online hate, with the aim of driving more support for change and educating the nation on how to protect themselves and be good digital citizens. It will contribute towards BT Skills for Tomorrow’s ambitious target to reach 25 million people with the skills they need to make the most of life in the digital world by 2025. In line with BT’s purpose to Connect for Good, the new ambition aims to help more people across the UK have the skills they need to stay connected and tackle the digital divide.

For more information on Hope United visit:ee.co.uk/hopeunited

* YouGov source?  

ENDS

About EE

EE runs the UK's biggest and fastest mobile network, offering superfast connections in more places than any other operator. EE brought the first 4G network to the UK in October 2012 and launched the UK’s first 5G network in May 2019.

EE has received extensive independent recognition, including being named the UK’s no.1 5G network by RootMetrics® in 2020 and being named the UK's best network every year since 2014 for the following awards: The Mobile Choice Awards, The Mobile Industry Awards and by RootMetrics®.

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 [ER1]Would also add in OOH. Let us know if it’d be helpful to know locations/any high vis placements e.g. we’ll have a placement on the Waterloo motion screens

Spoke to the media team about this and we won't get the spot list until probably Thursday morning if it's ok to confirm this then? [ER2]

 [HA3]Insert URL when available