The deodorant brand has announced a $529,000 donation to the US Women’s National Team Players Association. In effect, the donation helps to close the pay gap for the women in the US national team, by upping each player’s pay by $23,000.
Secret, owned by Procter & Gamble, took out a full-page ad in Sunday’s New York Times to make the announcement. The ad urged the U.S Soccer Federation to “be on the right side of history.”
“We proudly stand up and give the number 23 a new meaning. We are doing our part to help close the pay gap by giving the Players Association over half a million dollars – $529, 000 to be exact – the equivalent of $23, 000 for each of the 23 players,” Secret Deodorant wrote in the ad.
“We urge the US Soccer Federation to be a beacon of strength and end gender pay inequality once and for all.”
Full page ad from @SecretDeodorant in today’s NY Times (main section) announcing their donation and support of #EqualPay for #USWNT/@USWNTPlayers. pic.twitter.com/pF6hW2Gh36
— Meg Linehan (@itsmeglinehan) July 14, 2019
Secret is the first official US Soccer sponsor to make a public and monetary commitment to the team’s fight for equal pay.
We’re taking action to help close the @USWNT gender pay gap by giving $529K ($23k x 23 players) to the @USWNTPlayers. #WeSeeEqual #EqualPay #PayThem #USWNT #USWNTPA #DontSweatFairPay #ASNS pic.twitter.com/g9Mf5zOtgb
— Secret Deodorant (@SecretDeodorant) July 14, 2019
WOW @SecretDeodorant I’ll never wear another deodorant as long as I live…🇺🇸❤️💍 https://t.co/DNo5d9FUGa
— Allie Long (@ALLIE_LONG) July 14, 2019
In March this year, twenty-eight members of the USWNT sued the US Soccer Federation for gender discrimination. The suit claimed that female players worked just as hard as their male counterparts, but were still taking home a fraction of the salary. At the time, it was noted that the women’s team are defending world champions. In 2018, the US men’s team did not qualify for the World Cup.
After the US won the women’s World Cup final, a crowd of more than 59, 000 spectators chanted for “equal pay” as FIFA president Gianni Infantino took to the podium. The momentum behind the fight for equal pay in women’s soccer is unprecedented.
We believe women shouldn’t have to sweat equal pay. #soccer #EqualPay #AllStrengthNoSweat #PayThem pic.twitter.com/rGnGYh72Dh
— Secret Deodorant (@SecretDeodorant) July 12, 2019
Procter & Gamble has a history of using advertising to push social causes, including Gillette’s We Believe ad examining toxic masculinity.