Protecting Women’s Sports
A striking video ad campaign in the name of common sense and athletic fairness.
2023-2024
American Principles Project PAC
Context
The growing debate over transgender athletes in women’s sports has raised serious concerns about fairness, safety, and the erosion of opportunities for female athletes. This campaign aimed to bring attention to these issues and advocate for protecting women’s sports from policies that allow biological males to compete in female categories.
Challenge
With mainstream media largely framing the inclusion of transgender athletes as progressive, the challenge was to amplify the voices of affected female athletes and engage voters on the importance of maintaining fair competition in women’s sports.
Approach
The campaign featured powerful video ads with former NCAA swimmer Riley Gaines and University of Pennsylvania swimmer Paula Scanlan. These ads shared their personal experiences and insights, strategically targeting voters in Kentucky during the 2023 gubernatorial race and battleground states during the 2024 presidential election.
Riley Gaines Ad
Featuring former NCAA swimmer Riley Gaines, this ad was deployed in Kentucky during the 2023 gubernatorial race.
Paula Scanlan Ad
This ad, featuring former University of Pennsylvania swimmer Paula Scanlan, was deployed in Wisconsin, Pennsylvania, Arizona, Georgia, and North Carolina during the 2024 presidential election.
Results
The campaign successfully resonated with voters, sparking widespread discussion on social media and receiving significant coverage in local and national press. The ads reinforced the importance of fairness in women’s sports, influencing public opinion and policy conversations in key states.
