AS Roma's social media team is lauded throughout the sport, and for good reason; they've created and/or been at the vanguard of so many of the trends we see in digital sports marketing nowadays. From creative player reveals to genre/themed playlists to incorporating FIFA replays into their posts, the folks behind Roma's social media team have done a bang-up job spreading the Roma gospel over the past few years.
While they've intermittently spread their expertise over to the women's team, their latest effort is particularly embarrassing and insulting to the integrity of the women who suit up for Roma each and every week. And when viewed within the context of the Women's World Cup, where struggles for respect and equality are front and center, the ad looks even worse.
See for yourself...
Meet the #ASRoma players?!
— AS Roma English (@ASRomaEN) June 14, 2019
Be careful what you wish for...
@Hyundai_Italia gave a few fans the chance to meet the team - but it didn't go quite as they thought... #forthefans #agirlsgame pic.twitter.com/vWHUX8CHSu
In this oh so cringe-worthy collaboration with Hyundai, the club set up a not so elaborate rouse in which three fans are told they're meeting some Roma players, only to find out...gasp...they're women! Of course, these particular fans were selected because of their dim and ignorant comments on women's football, making them prime candidates for this supposed humiliation.
What ensues is a disgusting 60 second display in which Giada Greggi, Vanessa Bernauer, Agnese Bonfantini, Heden Corrado and Angelica Soffia have to prove their worth, and by extension the merits of women's football in total, by playing three schlubs in mini-game of football.
And, get this, they won! I shit you not, four professionals defeated and made fools out of three decidedly average looking men. Imagine that! Who'd a thunk it, right?
Hidden beneath all that nonsense was a positive and uplifting message—tens of thousands of women are playing this game every day in Italy and it's high time people cheer them on—but to think that belittling your players was the best way to promote the team is disgusting, moronic, and insulting to not only the players, but to those of us who admire, respect, and love Roma's women's team.
I often joke that we cover the women’s team more intently than the club itself, and if this is the short of bullshit they’re going to stoop to, I’m more than happy to carry the weight.