All-star winner tackles gender stereotypes in Heineken campaign for UEFA Champions League

Girls can’t beat boys.

A stereotype as old as time and a quote from my favorite movie She’s the Man. If you’re not familiar with this iconic mid-2000s Amanda Bynes film, let me fill you in. Viola’s high school soccer team gets cut, so to prove that girls are just as good at sports as boys she dresses up as her brother Sebastion and tries out for the boys’ college soccer team. She makes the team and the rest is history.

Florencia Luna, Brooklyn-based art director and 2019 All-Stars winner, did not dress up as a boy to prove that girls are badass soccer players too, but she did educate soccer fans about the Women’s UEFA Champions League in her shocking campaign for Heineken. Florencia challenged the default sports narrative with a women’s powered AI device named Heinia and she gave us all the details.

How did you land this project for Heineken?

We were tasked with enhancing the experience for Peruvian soccer fans in anticipation of the UEFA Champions League final between Inter Milan and Manchester City. As an official sponsor of the event, the brand faced the challenge of creating a disruptive campaign that not only engaged fans prior to the event but also connected with the global initiative to tackle gender stereotypes in soccer and promote inclusivity among fans.

What inspired you to take this direction for this project?

Our global brand research revealed that two out of every three women feel marginalized when they display their knowledge and enthusiasm for soccer. Given these findings, my teammate Ruben Carbonell and I recognized a significant opportunity to reshape this campaign into a call for greater equality in the enjoyment of this sport. Over the last four years, I’ve been very involved in projects for alcoholic beverages, especially beer brands. This was a very exciting project since it was one of the first campaigns the brand launched in the country and we developed it in coordination with Heineken’s global HQ and Le Pub Milan/Amsterdam.

Hein.IA/ Heinia– what does the name mean?

Just like in sports, gender bias exists in various stages of AI development. For example, many virtual assistants are given female names and voices, associating them with traditional caregiving and assistant roles typically assigned to women in our society, thus reinforcing entrenched gender roles. We chose this name because it not only references the Heineken brand but also addresses the issue of inequality in artificial intelligence.

“Many virtual assistants are given female names and voices, associating them with traditional caregiving and assistant roles typically assigned to women in our society.”

Can you explain this “AI device” a bit more?

We led people to believe they were interacting with a real AI expert of the UEFA Champions League, but in reality, three knowledgeable female soccer fans were speaking on behalf of the device in real-time. Throughout the activation, users typically asked questions about male soccer players. However, all responses provided by the device referred to female soccer players from the league. This unexpected twist caught the audience off guard, as they had primarily associated this championship with male players. The revelation of the three real women behind the AI—and that they had been discussing female players—came as a huge surprise.

“The revelation of the three real women behind the AI—and that they had been discussing female players—came as a huge surprise.”

What was the ultimate goal of this activation?

With this campaign, we wanted to foster equal opportunities for everyone to participate in open discussions and enjoy the sport. Our main goal was to prove that anyone can be a true fan, and we showed it by unveiling the only artificial intelligence that is powered by the passion of real supporters. Including three female soccer experts in the campaign not only gave visibility to female fans but also sparked a significant national and international conversation about gender bias in soccer.

What are your thoughts about the use of AI in our industry?

As a creative, I find AI to be a helpful tool for optimizing processes and enhancing our capabilities. However, it’s crucial to engage with it thoughtfully, ensuring that we balance AI’s efficiency with the essential human touch.

Five years ago you were the 2019 Portfolio Night All-Star winner in Lima, how did this experience propel you toward success?

Absolutely! I was the first Peruvian creative to be recognized as an All-Star. Alongside the global winners, I traveled to NYC to collaborate on a Spotify project, working closely with their creative team and the Global Creative VP, Alex Bodman. It was such an enriching experience to work alongside my highly talented fellow All-Stars, learning about their experiences in different markets and creative disciplines. I’m thrilled to see how they have evolved in their careers over the years and the impressive projects they have undertaken.

“Alongside the global winners, I traveled to NYC to collaborate on a Spotify project, working closely with their creative team and the Global Creative VP, Alex Bodman.”

What creative projects are you working on now?

I am currently a freelance art director based in New York City, collaborating with advertising agencies and independent clients throughout the United States and Latin America.

LUNAFLORENCIA.COM

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