150 m
Reach
4.2
Earned Media Value
38,1 %
Engagement Rate
Location
Italy, Milano
Industry
Public Sector
Services
Strategy & Consulting
Creative & Content
Media & Data
Overview
With “Her Name in the Game,” AC Milan, together with Lega Serie A, used the emotional power of football to raise awareness in Italy about equal naming rights. On International Mother’s Day, players wore their mothers’ surnames on their jerseys, making an often‑overlooked social issue visible. The symbolic action sparked a nationwide conversation and was quickly adopted by other Serie A clubs.
Challenges
Shaping awareness for gender equality
The challenge of the campaign, which AC Milan carried out in collaboration with Lega Serie A, was to raise public awareness in Italy about Constitutional Court ruling no. 131 from 2022. This ruling declared the automatic assignment of the father's surname to newborns to be discriminatory and granted parents equal opportunities. Despite the change in the law, public awareness remains low.
The decision was made to primarily target audiences less concerned with discussions about family law or gender equality, particularly male Serie A fans. It was crucial to appeal to this audience on an emotional level and raise awareness through the right channels. In addition, we had to convey the importance of this social issue in a comprehensible and effective way to stimulate discussion and support at the national level.
The task required a creative solution that was able to overcome traditional communication barriers, harness the power of football to highlight a change in Italian laws and cultural practices, and align with AC Milan's ongoing commitment to social causes.
Solution
Mothers' names on the field
Our solution was both simple and powerful: on International Mother’s Day, AC Milan players took to the field wearing their mothers’ surnames on their jerseys. This symbolic gesture brought attention to the Constitutional Court’s ruling by making visible what had often been invisible - the role of mothers in shaping identity.
The campaign, titled "Her Name in the Game", was soon embraced by other Serie A teams, including Cagliari, Udinese, Torino, Genoa, Hellas Verona, Lecce, and AC Milan's women’s team. Strategically, we focused on leveraging the emotional power of football to drive the conversation. By aligning the initiative with a significant day - Mother’s Day - we tapped into the hearts of both male and female fans.
The campaign’s placement across social media, TV broadcasts, and live events ensured massive visibility, amplified by spontaneous engagement from players, teams and fans.
Without spending any money on paid media, the campaign generated over 4 million euros in earned media, once again proving its effectiveness in raising awareness and improving AC Milan's reputation as a socially responsible club.
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A Jersey. A Message. A Change.
"It is a great privilege to work with AC Milan and Lega Serie A, even more so if it is to give voice to a necessary message of change. This is the real power of creativity, turning football and player’s jerseys into an effective tool to promote gender equality."
Giuliana Guizzi
Executive Creative Director
Serviceplan Italia
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