# Branded Female Athlete Campaigns Degree Unveils its Bracket Gap Challenge to Uplift Women Athletes By Elena Rahman | Published 2022-03-10 | Marketing Source: Trend Hunter, https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/bracket-gap-challenge References: [happi](https://www.happi.com/contents/view_breaking-news/2022-03-09/degree-launches-bracket-gap-challenge-rsquo-for-ma/) & [bracketgapchallenge](https://bracketgapchallenge.com/)  The Bracket Gap Challenge by [Degree](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/watch-me-move-campaign) launched this month in tandem with March Madness. The [leading antiperspirant brand](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/degree-whole-body-deodorant) partnered with two-time WNBA and NCAA champion Candace Parker to launch the largest [women's basketball bracket](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/womens-college-basketball) promotions in history. Together, the partners aim to raise awareness for the NCAA Women's tournament. According to a recent study, only 12% of people filled out an NCAA Women's tournament bracket last year. Therefore, the brand is encouraging fans to fill out a women's bracket and follow the games to garner recognition and support for the women on the team. The brackets will be open following the release of the women's tournament schedule on Selection Sunday, March 13th, and will close before the start of the first game on Friday, March 18th. Image Credit: Degree ## Trend Insights (Trend Hunter) - Score: 3.2/10 - Popularity: 36% | Activity: 50% | Freshness: 11% - Audience gender: 10% men, 90% women - Primary generations: Millennial, Gen X - Top markets: North America ## Categories [Trend Hunter](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends) > [Marketing](https://www.trendhunter.com/marketing) > [Branding](https://www.trendhunter.com/branding) ## Key Themes ### Key Themes Behind This Trend - **Branded Female Athlete Campaigns:** Opportunity for brands to partner with female athletes to promote inclusivity in sports and foster a diverse representation of talent. - **Promoting Women's Sports:** Growing interest in providing more visibility and support for underrepresented women's sports creates opportunities for companies to engage in responsive marketing strategies. - **NCAA Women's Tournament:** Brands can capitalize on the steadily increasing popularity of women's college sports by partnering with the NCAA women's tournament to promote their products and services. ### Where This Applies - **Sports Apparel:** Sports apparel companies can create new partnerships with women's sports teams and players for brand partnerships and merchandise collaborations. - **Technology:** Opportunity for technology companies to develop innovative apps and platforms to streamline women's sports coverage and enhance fan engagement. - **Beverage:** Leading beverage companies can increase engagement in underrepresented sports markets by sponsoring and partnering with women's sports and athletes. ## Related on Trend Hunter - [Honest Female Athlete Campaigns](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/hillberg-berk1.md) - [Dynamic Basketball-Informed Marketing Campaigns](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/ncaa-athletes.md) - [Female-Athlete Hydration Initiatives](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/gatorade-x-wnba.md) - [Female-Focused Sports Initiatives](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/led-basketball-court.md) - [Barrier-Breaking Sports Campaigns](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/fuel-tomorrow.md) - [Inspirational Athlete Campaigns](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/it-takes-more-to-get-this-far.md) - [Athlete-Backed Stigma-Addressing Campaigns](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/anna-leigh-waters.md) - [Empowering Women Athlete Campaigns](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/stay-ready.md) - [Athlete-Centric Bingo Campaigns](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/share-your-bingo-moment.md)