Sports
Women in Sports: Why Listening Matters More Than Budget
Karina Barcellos advocates for autonomy and in-depth research to address the diverse realities of women across Brazil.
In a discussion on female participation in sports, Karina Barcellos emphasizes empowering and listening to women before designing programs. A grassroots approach and regional awareness outperform generic marketing concepts.
When imagining an unlimited budget scenario to boost female participation in physical activity, Karina Barcellos pushes back against ready-made formulas. Instead of pouring millions into top-down corporate campaigns, the top priority should be active listening and investing in research to understand what women actually want and need. The discussion took place during her appearance on the Stemma Sports channel, in an episode that also covers the shifting running market.
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Less marketing vanity, more autonomy
In corporate settings, brands often design initiatives that look flawless on paper but stumble once they hit the ground. Barcellos notes that marketers frequently assume they have the ideal solution without verifying real-world relevance with everyday participants. The core proposal, therefore, is to invest in spaces and initiatives that provide autonomy, enabling women themselves to design sports programs tailored to their daily lives.
Diverse realities across the country
Another fundamental pillar of this approach is recognizing regional diversity. The barriers, infrastructure, and day-to-day challenges of a runner in Pará differ vastly from those training in Florianópolis or downtown São Paulo. Developing sustainable sports initiatives requires respecting these disparities in access rather than attempting to roll out a one-size-fits-all model. Only after thorough listening does it make sense to explore amplification and marketing strategies.
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