It’s hard to believe that just a decade ago, seeing real women – sweaty, jiggly, unfiltered, and unapologetically themselves – moving their bodies in whatever way worked for them would be such a defining moment in advertising.
But that’s exactly what This Girl Can did.
The creative campaign smashed through airbrushed ideals, rewrote the rules of aspiration and told women they were already enough.
That flick of the bikini bottom spoke louder than words and, in doing so, it sparked something powerful.
Over the last 10 years, it has inspired over four million more women to get active, proving that when you create campaigns that genuinely reflect women’s realities, they don’t just engage – they act.
This Girl Can was more than just an advert – it became a cultural force to be reckoned with.
One that not only got women moving but also got them talking, challenging and pushing for change, because we didn’t just launch campaigns; we started campaigning.
In 2023 Let’s Lift the Curfew was a pivotal moment, shining a light on the very real fears women have about exercising after dark and demanding safer spaces.
The campaign gave voice to what so many women always felt but had never seen reflected at them.
This Girl Can has also broken taboos, from periods and menopause to mental health, showing that movement isn’t just about fitness – it’s about building confidence, feeling comfortable in your own skin and rejecting the pressure to conform to unrealistic expectations.
And when it comes to social media, today #ThisGirlCan is more than a hashtag – it’s a shorthand for self-belief, a rallying cry for thousands of women every single day.
This Girl Can was more than just an advert – it became a cultural force to be reckoned with.
Fast forward to 2025 and the barriers have shifted again.
The cost-of-living crisis is hitting women hard and those from lower-income backgrounds are being disproportionately affected.
Our latest research, which we’ll be publishing at the end of the month, reveals a shocking reality - only one in ten women from lower-income households feel like they completely belong in the world of physical activity.
And for those from underrepresented communities – including Black women, Asian Muslim women, pregnant women, new mums and older women – that sense of exclusion is even more profound.
But the problem isn’t just money and time – it’s confidence, culture, representation and feeling like movement spaces weren’t made for them.
And while brands once scrambled to embrace diversity, we’re now seeing a roll-back of diversity, equality and inclusion programmes, with less investment in the work that actually shifts the dial.
That’s why the next phase of This Girl Can – Belonging Starts with Inclusion – is laser-focused on ensuring no woman is left behind.
It’s about reaching those who feel the furthest from sport and movement and making sure cost, confidence, social, structural or cultural barriers don’t stand in the way.
So we’re shifting the conversation once again. This time making sure that every woman, no matter her income, background or life stage, can see getting active as something for her.
This Girl Can has changed the game for the last decade, not just for advertising but for how brands talk to and represent women.
The campaign has set the benchmark, forcing the industry to rip up old marketing playbooks and to rewrite the rules on representation.
But now is not the time to slow down.
Despite the challenges in the cultural landscape, This Girl Can has a unique opportunity to be an influential voice, connecting with women who need it most and ensuring they feel seen, supported and inspired to move in a way that works for them.
This Girl Can isn’t just a campaign. It’s a movement. And as we step into the next decade, our mission is clear: if we want every woman to belong, inclusion must come first.