OPINION: A Lidl more positivity, please

IT didn’t take long! We’re only in the first few weeks of January and already we’ve been hit with a negative take on what should be a positive PR campaign. I’m sure much smarter people than I have researched this phenomena and decided that negativity is the best way to gain attention, but why look for the minus when the plus is so much better?
On Wednesday last an email popped onto my screen from Lidl launching the 2024 National Football League. It contained lots of handy information such as fixtures and the likes, but what caught my attention and turned me off was the very first paragraph. 
“Lidl Ireland and the Ladies Gaelic Football Association (LGFA) today launched the 2024 Lidl National Football League season, unveiling new research that examines the public’s attitudes towards attending female sports, with findings revealing that 59 percent of Irish people have never attended a live women’s sporting event.”
Who thought of that? What group of people sat around a table and decided that the best way to launch a top-class national competition was to hit the reader with a slap of negativity in the first few lines? As I said, I’m sure they’re smarter and much more up-to-speed than I, but I can tell you negative PR does not work in my cranium.
The campaign should be about attracting fans to games; instead it tells everyone in the first sentence that less than six in ten have never seen a live women’s sporting event. Is that supposed to somehow entice people to go to games? Is that a carrot to get off the couch and go see a match, a fight, a race, a meet? 
Of course, the press release goes on to say they want to increase attendances at the upcoming league games, but readers have already been kicked in the guts by the negative opening and many will have already moved onto the next story before they ever get to the good part.
The good part is Lidl explaining how they have invested in the game from grassroots level up – and I can testify to that fact.
A few years ago the company saw a massive marketing opportunity and grasped it. Sarah Rowe, the wonderful Ballina sportswoman was one of their first ambassadors and helped establish the brand as the main player in Ladies Gaelic Football sponsorship nationwide. They initiated a campaign where shoppers were rewarded with vouchers towards gear and the local school teams were soon kitted out in sparkling new jerseys with ‘Lidl’ emblazoned across the front. It was simple, straight-forward, easy to understand and effective. 
They did a similar gig with club teams and smart ad campaigns on TV have caught attention because they’re well made and well thought out.
The campaign gives a sense of strength, excitement and growth, which is very pertinent and correct when it comes to Ladies Football. The sport is wonderful and is played in every corner of the land. It has huge potential to grow even more and is on course to do so if improvements are made.
Wednesday’s email was critical of media coverage of the game. 
“Lack of media coverage is perceived to negatively affect public awareness and support, with some 40 percent stating this as a reason for non-attendance at live women’s events. Almost two thirds (65 percent) of people think women’s sport does not get enough media coverage in Ireland and 83 percent agree that men’s sport is covered more comprehensively.”
That’s lazy commentary. If Lidl or anyone else wants to know why Ladies Football gets the coverage it does, then they should come and talk to me or anyone else in my profession.
We get little or no advance warning of games. We get sketchy and inconsistent information about club, schools and underage matches. Most of the time we’re told about upcoming games by a parent emailing or phoning the office.
For the most part, male sport is utterly different in that regard. We regularly know weeks in advance the schedule of games and the when and where. It’s very simple. If a sporting body wants media coverage the most obvious aspect is communication. Tell the media about the event, not a day or two before, not by a half-baked message with sketchy information, not by a poor-me aggressive message. That certainly won’t increase coverage.
The women of all ages who play football in Ireland deserve better than negativity.