Creative Corner: Green light for Women's Euros, White Stuff still roaring with 1972 trailblazers and Cole Palmer's scary skinned skit

This is the last Creative Corner for a few weeks as Creative Moment takes a summer break. So I, Fanclub's Paul Lucas, have put together a trio of sensational sporting campaigns to keep you going.

With the Women’s Euro up and running, I’ve picked out two campaigns that further the women’s game and one campaign that celebrates the talent that is Cole Palmer, who is about to grace the Club World Cup final. Read on for a clever pedestrian crossing makeover in Switzerland, a tribute to the pioneering England women’s team of 1972 from White Stuff and a comic faux legal firm from Nike.

Basel's green light for Women’s Euro 2025

Football fans arriving in Basel, Switzerland, for Euro 2025 are being greeted by a delightfully unexpected sign: traffic lights featuring a green woman kicking a football instead of the obligatory green man.

This creative twist on pedestrian crossings originated from the St. Gallen civil engineering department, working alongside Basel’s transport department. The visual spectacle not only enhances the fan experience but also visibly celebrates women's football. It’s nice to see that red tape bureaucracy doesn’t always get in the way of progress.

Authorities in Basel have installed 12 of these specially altered pedestrian crossing lights in areas that will be frequently visited by fans, such as the stadium that hosted Switzerland’s opening game against Norway, St. Jakob-Park. While the hosts faced a 2-1 defeat in that match, they've since kept their tournament hopes alive with a strong 2-0 win against Iceland.

With legacy a big part of international tournaments, it would be great if they could stay beyond the tournament final on July 27th to continue championing women’s football.

White Stuff pays tribute to women's football pioneers

As England's top women footballers step out at Euro 2025 to a crowd of thousands and a TV audience of millions, they will be well aware of the pioneering women of yesteryear who blazed the trail that made their deserved adulation possible. In recognition of these "trailblazing foremothers" of the sport, fashion retailer White Stuff has launched a heartfelt campaign celebrating the 1972 England women's team.

Fifty-three years after their groundbreaking journey, White Stuff is shining a much-deserved spotlight on these pioneers, aiming to inspire the next generation. The campaign centres on an emotion-tinged 60-second ‘film’, alongside portraits of the original 1972 England women's team on billboards across central London throughout July, to coincide with the tournament.

Former players Julia Brunton, Sue Wyhatt, Jeannie Allott, Lynda Hale, Maggie Pearce, and Pat Davies are featured in the campaign - dressed head-to-toe in White Stuff’s summer collection of course - sharing inspiring stories from their very first England match, bringing their pioneering experiences to a wider audience.

While women’s football has made huge strides in recent years, this campaign acknowledges those who came before. Creatively, White Stuff should be praised for letting their clothes take a back seat to the real story; the overdue recognition of the incredible women who paved the way for today's football stars. That’s real support.

Nike’s scarily good Cole Palmer skit

In a brilliantly executed new spot, Nike has cast Chelsea star Cole Palmer as the unlikely head of a legal firm specialising in reputational damage control. The premise? If you've been "skinned" by Cole Palmer – that is, effortlessly dribbled past and left in his dust – his firm is there to help.

Part of their ‘Scary Good’ campaign, this mischievous nod to an "InjuryLawyers4U" style TV ad immediately sets a comedic tone. Kicking off with a man sporting a haircut identical to Palmer's, a question is posed: "Have you or someone you love been skinned by Cole Palmer? Worried Cole's highlight reel will be your legacy?" clips of Palmer's dazzling dribbling skills flash across the screen, the fictional firm's name is revealed: "Reputational Damage Specialists."

The firm's mission: to create a "recovery plan to get you back on the pitch”. We see "victims" of Palmer's on-field magic clearly distressed by their traumatic experiences. The recovery process is thorough, even including "surgery from an expert reconstruction team" to help players start afresh with a new identity, a new kit, and a new life.

Palmer himself makes a perfectly timed, limited appearance. Sat with his back to a large desk, the central chair swivels around to reveal the "company boss" – Palmer himself - sharply dressed in a suit, fingers steepled in a truly devious pose, flanked by four people who, comically, have a haircut identical to Palmer's.

The final scene sees Palmer flash a sinister smile while his underlings perform his signature rubbing shoulders celebration. The ad concludes with a sinister laughing track and a memorable phone number: +44-800-skinned.

Content gold that is already doing the rounds, with hopefully (me being a Chelsea fan) more Palmer-skinning to come.

Well, that wraps up another Creative Corner!

As ever, if you’re launching something that deserves a spot in Creative Corner, or have seen a campaign you just love, please do share it with us. Email paul.lucas@fanclubpr.com