EE's Bold Message Celebrates Lionesses' Euro Victory

As the Lionesses were crowned champions of Europe for a second successive tournament, EE – lead partner of the Home Nations Football Associations – has unveiled a powerful out-of-home campaign celebrating the togetherness of the squad and the confidence this victory brings young girls both on and off the pitch.

The OOH, created by Saatchi & Saatchi, went live across England just hours after the final whistle and carries the bold message:

'WHEN THIS SQUAD WINS, WE ALL WIN.'

The OOH reinforces EE’s commitment to helping girls build confidence on and off the pitch – utilising the inspirational Lionesses to convey this message. It stands as a clear push to help every girl find her place in the game, no matter the result.

The creative is a continuation of EE’s Everyone Needs a Squad – a nationwide campaign launched at the start of the tournament to spotlight the role football can play in boosting confidence, resilience and belonging for teenage girls across the UK. It followed research from EE in partnership with leading child and adolescent psychologist Dr Sheila Redfern PhD that found 93% of girls aged between 13-18 who play or watch football say the sport gives them more confidence (93%) and a feeling of belonging (69%) and positivity (57%).

Data from YouGov shows that in the years following the Lionesses 2022 European win, the number of girls actively participating in football has continued to flourish with nearly one in three (32%) girls aged between 6-17 years old having played the sport in the last year. And England’s performance in this summer’s tournament is set to have another positive impact for young girls across the country, something that has been reflected in the levels of engagement with EE’s ‘Everyone Needs a Squad’ campaign.

Following the launch of the campaign, many young fans from across the country have utilised EE’s brand-new EE Squad digital hub, with the website receiving thousands of visits since the start of the tournament. What’s more, EE Squad Socials – specially created events taking place across the UK throughout the tournament and providing a vibrant space for teen girls and their families to play, connect and celebrate their self-expression through football – attracted over 650 visitors across the four weeks.

Throughout the tournament, EE has activated a series of initiatives across a range of touchpoints including:

• A 30-second manifesto film; narrated by a young girl, the film is a rallying call to highlight how football provides a supportive squad that listens and stands by you.

• The launch of EE Squad – a digital hub where girls can explore, build and grow their community around football, particularly in an online world where girls are often exposed to negativity. The platform has offered routes into local football opportunities, as well as confidence-building content. Also featured was a LearnSmart playlist featuring personal stories from Home Nations players sharing how football has shaped their confidence, resilience, and sense of belonging – on and off the pitch.
  
• The introduction of EE Squad Socials – specially created events taking place across the UK throughout the tournament and providing a vibrant space for teen girls and their families to play, connect and celebrate their self-expression through football. In total over 650 people attended the event series.
  
• A series of OOH assets featuring Home Nations players and grassroots footballers showing how football builds confidence and community.
  
• Social media films sharing personal experiences from players about what it means to be part of a team.
  
• Social content that addresses how ‘glow up’ videos on social media can impact girls’ confidence. To flip the tropes, ‘Get Ready With Me’ content was shared across TikTok and Instagram which showed creators getting football ready, throwing on their football shirts and meeting up with their squads.
  

Kelly Engstrom, brand and demand generation director at EE said, “Congratulations to the Lionesses on their well-deserved win. As lead partner of the Home Nations Football Associations, we’re incredibly proud of the team and everything they’ve achieved – not just in this tournament, but in continuing to inspire the next generation of football fans.

The team’s confidence, resilience, unity and passion on and off the pitch perfectly reflect what our Everyone Needs a Squad campaign is all about. Through this campaign, we’ve championed the role football can play in building confidence and belonging and shown that with the right support behind you – on or offline – anything is possible.”

Everyone Needs a Squad is part of EE’s ongoing mission to use the power of connection for good, especially for young people as growing up with phones gets harder. It builds on EE’s broader commitment to supporting young people’s wellbeing. Last year, EE launched age-specific smartphone guidance to help parents navigate healthy tech habits, recommending simpler devices for younger children and promoting gradual, responsible smartphone use as they grow. Alongside this, EE expanded its PhoneSmart platform to equip both teens and parents with the tools and knowledge to stay safe and confident online.