By Azha Mosley
Maria Taylor, First Black Woman to Present Lombardi Trophy & UGA Alum, presenting Lombardi Trophy to Mike Macdonald, Seattle Seahawks Head Coach and UGA Alum
The Super Bowl is arguably the biggest pop culture event in American culture. But how? How did the Super Bowl become a shared experience across a multitude of people? The answer is public relations, the force that drives almost every single piece of media and consumption in the United States.
For the longest time, it was deemed “taboo” for women to enjoy, understand, and engage in sports, especially American football. In recent years, that’s changed. It can be attributed to the diversification of what a woman “should” be like. Taking it a step further, football is the culture of the American south.
In recent years, social media has drastically expanded, and so have pop culture events in the United States. Because of this, companies and marketers found a new audience to target: women. From the rise in “#womeninsports” campaigns to the growing popularity in halftime shows, marketers have capitalized on reaching women.
The glamorization of game day fashion and the “WAG” lifestyle has been a covert style of public relations that many don’t know. Social media has amplified what southern women had already been doing, which is dressing up for the games. In the South, especially at SEC schools, it’s a staple to wear your best outfit for the game. Marketers and public relations specialists saw this and crafted brand partnerships with famous wives and girlfriends of the NFL.
What started with women has influenced the whole country. Instead of viewing the NFL and The Super Bowl as an “exclusive” event for men, people of all backgrounds can comfortably enjoy the event. We all owe women a huge thank you for diversifying the media.
