CoverGirl on NFL Sponsporship: We Support 'Female Empowerment'
In a statement released Monday evening, CoverGirl tried to explain their continued status as “The Official Beauty Sponsor of the NFL,” stating that they believe “domestic violence is completely unacceptable.”
The statement was short and sweet, but many of their followers on Facebook and Twitter felt that the brand (which is owned by Proctor & Gamble) wasn’t doing enough:
As a brand that has always supported women and stood for female empowerment, COVERGIRL believes domestic violence is completely unacceptable. We developed our NFL program to celebrate the more than 80 million female football fans. In light of recent events, we have encouraged the NFL to take swift action on their path forward to address the issue of domestic violence.
At this point, CoverGirl has not disconnected themselves from the NFL, an organization that has, in recent years, attempted to court its female market with makeup and clothes. By contrast, the hotel chain Radisson has; they’ve suspended their “limited sponsorship of the Minnesota Vikings while we evaluate the facts and circumstances” in light of the recent revelations about Adrian Peterson’s alleged child abuse.
On the CoverGirl front, its NFL collection website wasn’t loading for much of Monday, though it appears to be back up again. CoverGirl has supported “female empowerment” for some time, though what that means or whether that support has included a focus on domestic violence at all – an issue that competitor Avon has tackled – is unclear. In February, the company started a “Girls Can” campaign, which is focused on educating young women. According to CoverGirl’s YouTube channel, Girls Can looks to support “people, organizations, and programs that empower the lives of young women through a donation of $5MM over five years.”