Ally's 50/50 Pledge reaches 1-year milestone, all-star roster joins brand on quest for media equity in sports

• One year in and Ally is ahead of schedule, nearing a 60/40 split in its sports paid media spending across men's and women's sports
• Meet Team Ally – 11 influential athletes and creators joining forces with Ally to make women's sports hard to miss

CHARLOTTE, N.C., May 4, 2023 /PRNewswire/ -- One year ago, Ally Financial Inc. (NYSE: ALLY) pledged to reach equal spending on advertising between men's and women's sports within five years. On the first anniversary of its unprecedented pledge, Ally announced it is ahead of schedule, expecting to reach a near 60/40 split by the close of 2023. Additionally, Ally marked the milestone with the introduction of Team Ally – a collective of influential athletes and creators who teamed up with Ally to help make women's sports hard to miss.

The announcements came during an episode of the hit podcast Laughter Permitted with Julie Foudy, World Cup Champion, and Team Ally member. The show was broadcast live from the espnW Summit NYC, a gathering of thought-leaders all focused on creating impact and opportunity for women in sports.

"When I look back over the past year, I'm in awe of all that we've been able to accomplish by doing the right thing, being intentional in the way we're investing in women and showing up," said Andrea Brimmer, chief marketing and public relations officer at Ally. "We have no doubt that we'll reach our five-year goal of parity in spending, but it's not easy work. There continue to be huge barriers, such as a lack of available media to buy and the systemic issues in women's sports that keep costs, and therefore values, low."

From the announcement in May to the end of 2022, Ally recalibrated its spending in men's sports and increased its paid media investment in women's sports by 300%. The result: Ally helped make history by working with the National Women's Soccer League (NWSL) and increasing its media spend with CBS to move the 2022 NWSL Championship game into prime time. It was the first time a professional women's sports championship aired on a broadcast network in prime time. Viewership for the game was up 71% over the previous year.

More recently, together with ESPN, Ally challenged traditional media buying, creating a first-of-its-kind sponsorship package with more than 90% of the investment anchored in women's sports. Ally then announced its sponsorship of The Ally Women's Open, a new women's esports tournament produced by Raidiant, a gaming and esports media platform led by an all-women management team.

Now, with the launch of Team Ally, the company is investing directly in athletes and cultural icons, working together to push for progress. Brimmer said, "Our intention with these player-direct relationships is to increase demand for women's sports, increase year-round fan engagement, and create social currency – all while injecting money directly into players' pockets. It's a natural next step in our buying strategy."

Team Ally is not a typical brand ambassador program. These powerful women will have a platform to advocate for women's sports wherever and however it's needed most and work closely with Ally to advance its mission to increase visibility and media equity. And it's a two-way street for Ally.

"We're going to meet regularly with Team Ally, adding perspective to our work from those closest to the game," said Brimmer. "We want to hear where, from their perspective, brand investments can make the most impact."

Packed with talent and a desire to be bold, the Team Ally roster includes:

• Ali Krieger (Sport: Soccer)
• LGBTQ+ and Women's Rights advocate; Current NWSL (Gotham FC) and USWNT; 2x WORLD CUP CHAMPION; 3x NWSL Best XI; Washington Post Distinguished All-Met Award; 7^th Most Remarkable Athlete in the World
     
• Ashlyn Harris (Sport: Soccer - retired)
• LGBTQ+ and Women's Rights advocate; Retired NWSL and USWNT; 2x WORLD CUP CHAMPION; NWSL Goalkeeper of the Year, NWSL Best XI; 3^rd Most Remarkable Athlete in the World
     
• Deja Kelly (Sport: Basketball)
• Current UNC basketball player; All-ACC first team, Gatorade Texas Player of the year; uses her platform to inspire and encourage peers and youth
    
• Jess Long (Sport: Swimming)
• Current Paralympic swimmer; second-most decorated Paralympian in U.S. history; 30 world metals + 29 Paralympic medals; 5x world record holder; staunch advocate for fairness in Paralympic classification
    
• Julie Foudy (Sport: Soccer - retired)
• Legend and a trailblazer in sports equity; 2x World Cup Champion, 2x Olympic Gold Medalist, first woman to receive the FIFA Fair Play Award; 2007 inductee into the National Soccer Hall of Fame; current ESPN reporter
    
• Kasey Choma(Sport: Lacrosse)
• Current Notre Dame lacrosse player; First Team IWLCA Midwest/West All-Region; led high school team to NY state Championship; well known for style of play and sportsmanship
  
  
• Merritt Mathias (Sport: Soccer)
• Current NWSL (Angel City) player; 2x NWSL Champion with the North Carolina Courage and 2x Supporters Shields honoree; named to 2018 NWSL Second IX
    
• Michelle Cooper (Sport: Soccer)
• Current Duke soccer player; ACC Offensive Player of the Year; Herman Trophy winner; making waves on the international stage after winning Golden Boot and Golden Ball at the Concacaf CWU20 Championship
     
• Nneka Ogwumike(Sport: Basketball)
• Current WNBA (LA Sparks) player; 6x WNBA All-Star; 2x leading scorer; WNBA #1 draft pick; named to The W25; WBCA all-American; member of USA Under 18 Team that won gold and named MVP; natural advocate for women's sports
     
• Sophia Chang(Artist / Creator)
• Influential artist; #1 grossing lifestyle release with Puma; founder of Common Ace – first of its kind sneaker collecting hub for women; sports culture champion
    
• Sophia Smith(Sport: Soccer)
• Current NWSL (Portland Thorns) player; #1 overall pick in the NWSL draft; US Women's Player of the Year, NWSL MVP, NWSL Champ. MVP; first Black USWNT Female Soccer Player of the Year; first teen drafted in NWSL history

About Ally Financial
Ally Financial Inc. (NYSE: ALLY) is a financial services company with the nation's largest all-digital bank and an industry-leading auto financing business, driven by a mission to "Do It Right" and be a relentless ally for customers and communities. The company serves more than 11 million customers through a full range of online banking services (including deposits, mortgage, point-of-sale personal lending, and credit card products) and securities brokerage and investment advisory services. The company also includes a robust corporate finance business that offers capital for equity sponsors and middle-market companies, as well as auto financing and insurance offerings. For more information, please visit www.ally.com and follow @allyfinancial.

For more information and disclosures about Ally, visit https://www.ally.com/#disclosures.

For further images and news on Ally, please visit https://media.ally.com.

Contact:
Justin Nicolette
Public Relations
Ally Financial Inc.
justin.nicolette@ally.com 

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SOURCE Ally Financial