Now that I have properly (and dramatically) introduced myself I would like to discuss Always’ “Like a Girl” campaign that originally aired on last year’s SuperBowl XLIX. While we were stuffing our faces with anything from chicken wings, dips and chips, sandwiches, and various desserts we managed to see the inspiring new commercial from Always that jumpstarted their new advertising campaign.
Why did Always decide on this commercial when the average cost of a 30 second time slot is $4.5 million? What messages were they trying to send? While there may not be a direct answer, Always justified this outrageous amount of money in the hopes of changing minds.
While not all commercial campaigns are successful, this “Like a Girl” commercial relied on relatability and empowerment to promote their brand. What is it about this commercial that stuck you might ask? Well, this commercial did something that many companies fail to do; make it real.
While Mountain Dew’s “puppymonkeybaby” did turn a few heads, the conversation surrounding this commercial was neither positive, or word-changing. Most of the “Like a Girl” commercial was centered around interviews from both men and women who were asked to perform various activities like a girl.
Interestingly enough, the little girls showed the inner strength and determination of what it means to be a girl. While men of any age and older women portrayed a weak image of women who wilted in the sight of a challenge. Because Always directly interviewed people just like you and me, they struck through the hearts of any commercial viewer.
The goal was to not only create an emotional connection seconds or even minutes after the commercial aired, but days after you needed to purchase your feminine products at the store.
Surprisingly, Always took a huge risk in discussing the women’s movement. More often than not it seems that people are labeled “feminists” and shamed for even discussing the basic rights women should have. However, the campaign successfully rode the line between “feminist” and “anti-feminist”.
Just minutes after the commercial aired hundreds of people began to hashtag #Likeagirl as well as post the video on other social media outlets. Even a year later, people still use this hashtag to show the world their success of being a woman and what it means to them.
By watching this commercial, viewers realized how vicious society can shape the image of women and they decided to jump on this women empowerment movement. Always decided that they were not only going to empower women to be strong “Like a Girl” but show men how their women should be strong “Like a Girl” as well.
While women are still viewed as delicate individuals (as shown in the commercial) we can all break the Status Quo and work on empowering women. Plus, let’s face it: women can do anything men can do (which is 100% true in my opinion-however, I may be a tad biased).
Now even men who must daringly wander into the feminine aisle to pick up their wives or girlfriends supplies, now can recognize the Always package among the many labels, remember the inspirational message, and can almost forget about the fact that they are indeed purchasing tampons.
Always wanted women to remember that in buying their product you (or your wife, daughter, cousin, sister) can be strong like a girl. The brand took a leap of faith airing their commercial on a sporting event, however, the next day women had something rather than the game to discuss and rapidly spread the message of this influential, ambitious and positive message.
Let us all do a round of applause for Always! #girlpower #Likeagirl.
Your brand should challenge the rules of society.
(Guest blogged by Taylor Beer)
