No ducking way

The GIST: Yesterday, insurance company Aflac detailed the expansion of its existing WNBPA partnership, which includes increasing the prize pool at WNBA All-Star competitions this summer. Aflac’s creative — and visible — campaign illustrates the continued opportunity for brands to benefit from making big plays to close the gender pay gap. No ducking responsibilities here.

The details: Aflac is footing the bill for a $115K payout between two WNBA All-Star competitions: $60K for the 3-point contest and a $55K prize for the skills challenge, equivalent to what NBA players bank in their All-Star events This follows the company’s $110K prize money contribution last year, all of which went to Atlanta Dream guard Allisha Gray — the first player to win both competitions on the same night.

The precedent: While Aflac has other prominent sponsorships in women’s sports, including its Oui Play tournament, specifically highlighting gendered gaps in income and media coverage has been a winning play for companies looking to generate positive buzz.

• Ally has made a big splash with its 50/50 Pledge, which has resulted in YoY boosts from 2022 in brand preference (27%), consideration (40%), and likeability (12%). The company has banked sizable investments in the NWSL and in the WNBA, where a brand-new partnership puts them on target to reach its pledge goal by 2026.

• Targeting inequality was also an on-brand move for payroll platform UKG, which spent $1M to equalize NWSL Challenge Cup earnings in 2023, while Budweiser and soccer star Megan Rapinoe teamed up for a viral campaign calling out the dearth of women’s sports sponsorships that same year.

The opportunities: While women’s sports are a long way from pay parity, sponsors can still transform the game with singular investments. In sports with corresponding men’s leagues, brands can match prizes for comparable events. Without Aflac’s sponsorship, Gray would have only earned $2,575 from each event per the league’s CBA.

Zooming out: Women control or influence 85% of consumer spending in the U.S. and are inclined to avoid companies with gendered pay gaps. In the sports world, when brands commit to leveling the playing field by closing that gap in women’s sports, they tend to win over women’s sports fans.

• When brands are ready to come off the bench, it’s critical their campaigns to close the gap are clearly visible. Whether it’s becoming a title partner for an event, ironing on a jersey patch, or flooding a prize pool with funds, consumers should be able to connect these companies with closing the wage gap. It really does pay to be nice.

Want to be a part of the coolest coldest tournament in pro men’s sports? We thought so, which is why The GIST is hosting its first-ever Pro Men’s Hockey Bracket Challenge. Watching the quest for sports’ most famous trophy is already thrilling — imagine how much fun it’ll be when you also have sweet prizes and eternal glory on the line

• Whether you’re running an office pool or just playing with our incredible group of GISTers, it’s guaranteed to be an icy and spicy time.

• But don’t wait — we extended the deadline to fill out a bracket (or three) to Monday, April 21 and 5 p.m. ET, so you can watch some Game 1 action before locking in your picks. Nothing like a little friendly competition.