# Female Fastpitch Ads The NPF Softball Played Hard Campaign Shows Girls Playing Better than Boys By Meghan Young | Published 2011-12-30 | Marketing Source: Trend Hunter, https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/npf-softball-played-hard References: [ibelieveinadv](http://www.ibelieveinadv.com/2011/12/national-pro-fastpitch-softball-played-hard/) & [benegnal](http://www.benegnal.com/) When it comes to sports, girls can play as hard as boys, if not harder at times, which the [NPF](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/bushs-beans-national-park-foundation) Softball Played Hard ad campaign shows. Although the sports industry mainly highlights men's athletics, it is clearly time for women to shine; this set of ads is a good place to start. Conceived and executed by art director Ben Egnal, the NPF Softball Played Hard ad campaign focuses on classic shots involving not-so-classic women. With tag lines such as "We have girls who make boys wish they threw like girls," this campaign is yet another example of how much women are on par with men when it comes to sports. Baseball has never been so exciting. ## Trend Insights (Trend Hunter) - Score: 3.1/10 - Popularity: 49% | Activity: 37% | Freshness: 8% - Audience gender: 50% men, 50% women - Primary generations: Gen Z, Millennial, Gen X - Top markets: North America ## Categories [Trend Hunter](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends) > [Marketing](https://www.trendhunter.com/marketing) > [Print](https://www.trendhunter.com/print) ## Key Themes ### What Makes This Trend Stand Out - **Girls Playing Better:** The NPF Softball Played Hard campaign highlights the skills and abilities of girls in sports, challenging the notion that boys are better. - **Women Shining:** The NPF Softball Played Hard ad campaign showcases the need for more recognition of women's athletics and their contribution to the sports industry. - **Equality in Sports:** The NPF Softball Played Hard campaign promotes gender equality and challenges the traditional gender stereotypes in sports. ### Sectors Adopting This - **Sports Apparel:** The NPF Softball Played Hard campaign opens opportunities for sports apparel companies to create inclusive and empowering products for female athletes. - **Sports Marketing:** The NPF Softball Played Hard ad campaign presents a chance for sports marketing agencies to leverage the growing demand for female athletes as role models in advertising. - **Youth Sports Organizations:** The NPF Softball Played Hard campaign provides an opportunity for youth sports organizations to promote and encourage young girls to participate and excel in sports. ## Related on Trend Hunter - [Bold Sports Apparel Campaigns](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/we-got-now-1.md) - [Female-Focused Sports Initiatives](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/led-basketball-court.md) - [Honest Female Athlete Campaigns](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/hillberg-berk1.md) - [Body-Positive Brand Campaigns](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/doves-super-bowl-ad.md) - [Female Athlete-Fronted Luxury Campaigns](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/coach-x-wnba-campaign.md) - [Trans-Inclusive Soccer Facilities](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/pitch-please.md) - [Branded Female Athlete Campaigns](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/bracket-gap-challenge.md) - [Iconic Sports Drink Campaigns](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/gatorade-canada.md) - [Empowering Female Athlete Campaigns](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/dove-and-sports-illustrated.md)