If Hollywood has taught us anything, it’s that franchises can be a hit or miss proposition. With the third iteration of the hugely successful Always #LikeAGirl hitting the market, Marketing spoke with Fama Francisco, vice-president of global feminine care at Procter & Gamble, about her expectations for the campaign, its new association with TED (the Confidence Summit Series) and the work that still needs to be done in empowering young girls all over the world.
Content extensions in any medium rarely perform as well or resonate with their intended audiences like the original, so how did that knowledge inform how you went about creating the latest video?
The latest “Always #LikeAGirl Unstoppable” video is inspired by new research that shows 72% of girls feel held back by society, which dictates what they should and should not do. While the first Always #LikeAGirl video emphasized the profound effect the phrase “like a girl” can have on girls’ self-confidence, the new Always video highlights the impact society’s limitations have on girls’ confidence and empowers girls to be unstoppable. We once again partnered with award-winning documentary filmmaker Lauren Greenfield to shed a light on the societal expectations on girls, and how these pressures can affect their confidence, particularly as they enter puberty. In the new video, girls and women of varying ages and backgrounds were asked if they were ever told they should or shouldn’t do something because they’re a girl. Every participant, whose ages ranged from six to 25, shared how they felt held back by writing examples down on large boxes. When invited to break down the boxes, many of them realized for the first time the effect societal expectations had on their lives. The breaking of their boxes became a powerful moment of self-discovery.
We’re proud to say the response to the new video has been positive, and within one week, had been viewed by more than 20 million people.
What has been the most surprising/unexpected part of this whole endeavour? Was there any sense of what #LikeAGirl would become when it was first conceived?
At the launch of the #LikeAGirl campaign in June 2014, Always issued a call to action for girls to share what they proudly do “like a girl.” We were overwhelmed by the response. Girls from around the world shared their stories on social media and directly with Always, starting a movement. And the need for this movement continues. You would expect that girls believe things will get better but, in fact, our latest research shows that one in two girls think that in 10 years there will be the same or even more limitations for young girls. This surprising statistic is a wake-up call for all of us to encourage girls to smash any limitations that hold them back and empower them to be unstoppable.
I find it interesting the newest execution coincided with that remarkably tone-deaf tweet from the English Football Association, which underscores just how much work remains to be done in this area. Can you speak to that, and provide insight into whether #LikeAGirl has had any success in moving the needle on consumer attitudes/awareness etc.
The first #LikeAGirl social experiment video from Always has been viewed more than 90 million times and has demonstrated the profound effect the phrase “like a girl” can have on girls’ self-confidence. It has also inspired a movement and has started to change public perception. In fact, after seeing the #LikeAGirl video, most people (76% of women 16 to 24 and 59% of men) said the video changed their perception of the phrase “like a girl.” With the launch of the new video, Always is continuing its #LikeAGirl mission to help girls maintain confidence at puberty and beyond, encouraging them to be unstoppable and smash any limitations that hold them back.
While #LikeAGirl has taken on a life of its own, ultimately you’re in the business of selling products. Can you provide insight into what kind of impact the campaign has had on sales and/or brand perception?
It’s rewarding to see the positive impact the campaign is having on girls. Before the campaign, only 19% of girls 16-24 had a positive association with the phrase “like a girl.” After watching the video, 76% of girls 16-24 no longer see “like a girl” as an insult.
Can you provide some information on how the association with TED and the creation of the came about?
The Always #LikeAGirl Confidence Summit was a special live event hosted by Always in New York and eight other cities around the world. The event featured academic experts and influencers, and unveiled Always #LikeAGirl Unstoppable. Also announced at the Summit is a new Always Confidence Teaching Curriculum, which will be created in partnership with TED and leading academics, and integrated into Always’ long-term puberty education program, reaching up to 20 million girls in 65 counties over the next two years.
TED is also joining the #LikeAGirl mission as a confidence teaching partner. This first-of-its kind-partnership will entail TED developing and spreading exclusive confidence teaching video content on TED-Ed, a leading educational platform spreading lessons worth sharing.
