Behind Adobe’s Women’s FA Cup Campaign Spanning 50 Years of Fan Footage
The semi-finals for the Women’s FA Cup are now just around the corner, as the women’s game secures its place in fan’s hearts and minds.
Ahead of the finale of the competition, Adobe collaborated with Ketchum London and Merman’s director Margot Bowman to create a unique piece of work spanning 50 years of crowd footage gained through the Women’s FA Cup archive.
The film is a visually unforgettable frenzy of collages and animation sequences, with the ultimate message that women’s football has come a long way, “but we’re not done yet.”
As Margot puts it, “This film was an opportunity to create a dedicated new visual language for women’s football. The women’s game is not the same as the men’s - it's time for us to embrace and celebrate its uniqueness with a visual language that reflects that!”
The campaign also aims to unveil Adobe’s Women’s FA Cup ambassadors, Arsenal striker Alessia Russo, and Manchester City goalkeeper Khiara Keating.
LBB’s Zoe Antonov spoke to Margot to find out more.
LBB> Tell me about the opening scene of the film and its importance. There is a lot of uncertainty between the three characters before they gain their confidence. Why did you want to depict this?
Margot> I really wanted to use this opening scene to communicate the bravery it takes to do something that goes against the grain, and the rewards that come from doing that. We all know the nerves of being the first person at the birthday party to start singing happy birthday, but then when everyone joins in and the friend you love enters the room feeling celebrated, the reward is immense. For women and other marginalised groups, so much historical messaging has conditioned us not to raise our voices, to stay in our lane (or in this case, our seat). But in that opening scene, we see that when you follow your instincts and raise your voice for the things you believe in, the sky truly is the limit.
LBB> The scene is almost immediately followed by the first collage of the film - how did you collect the materials for it and what did you want to include in it?
Margot> We worked with Adobe and the FA closely and were granted access to the Women’s FA Cup archive footage – a unique experience. The crowd footage in this scene was collected from games over the past 50 years. Including authentic footage was so important for everyone involved because the community behind the women’s game is so powerful. It's been growing over the decades and its future is incredibly bright - now is the perfect time to join in!
LBB> Did you use the Adobe suite for the creation and editing of the film and if yes, which programs were utilised and how?
Margot> I've been using Adobe since I was about 14, and with such a medium-agnostic creative background I've spent time getting to know each of the tools, and they’ve allowed me to play creatively and express myself on a global stage. So it was a real pleasure to bring all of that experience to life!
I used InDesign for the treatment, Adobe Photoshop for the storyboards, Adobe Illustrator (as well as Adobe Stock) to design the embroidered crests on the football shirts, Adobe AfterEffects was used for the animations, Adobe Premiere Pro for the edit itself and Adobe Express (which I'm a huge fan of) when the Women's FA Cup image goes viral. I love the synergy of how Adobe democratises creativity, where independent creatives can show up alongside huge agencies, and how the FA Cup democratises football, with WSL teams playing alongside amateur clubs. That truly is the magic of the FA Cup!
LBB> Why was it important for you to take a different creative direction with the film and use animation as well?
Margot> This film was an opportunity to create a dedicated new visual language for women’s football. The women’s game is not the same as the men’s - it's time for us to embrace and celebrate its uniqueness with a visual language that reflects that!
I wanted to bring the community, energy and diversity that defines the Adobe Women’s FA Cup to life with a film that’s rooted in the lived experience and unbounded imaginations of fans and players across the UK. With my background in mixed media, it was amazing to bring this to life with the team at Adobe, NOMAD and Ketchum London, working closely with them to actualise something that felt fresh, energetic and connected to the soul of the women's game.
LBB> When casting for the film, what was important?
Margot> From the jump, we knew we wanted the casting of the film to bring to life the energy and community that's deep rooted in the Women's FA Cup's fans and players. From the passion of Shamima Begum (in Adobe comms) and Tasnim Bhuiyan (in Adobe’s Studio team), to the creative leadership of Indy Selvarajah at Ketchum London, we knew collectively that we’d echo that diversity on set with HODs and into casting.
Women’s football has inclusivity running through its DNA, and in its future, with the game’s next chapter. 'You can't be what you can't see' is a truism and one that, as storytellers, we can unlock through representation in front of and behind the camera.
LBB> Any final thoughts?
Margot> Creativity and football have been two constants in my life so it's been a real honour to complete the circle and bring them together in this film. The world is a dark place right now but women’s football is one thing that truly gives me hope. It's evidence of the journey we're on towards a world where women are truly seen and valued, not just as equals but as heroes.
