A literary analysis of Leo Burnett's Always #LikeAGirl Campaign.
Though the practice of associating brands with cultural and societal values rather than with the particulars of a specific commodity falls beyond traditional advertising practices, it can be an equally, if not more effective marketing tool, if well conceived, and effectively implemented. Three years ago, Proctor & Gamble, the manufacturer of Always, a feminine hygiene product, originated the #Like
AGirl campaign, which aligns the multi-national consumer goods company with the promotion of female empowerment. In illustrating the differences between how individuals of various ages and gender perceive the phrase, “like a girl,” P&G has advanced an advertising campaign that represents a practically flawless example of how a brand might successfully connect itself with a significant social cause. The #LikeAGirl campaign effectively attacks dated and discredited cultural stereotypes while communicating the value of feminism not only to the consumers specifically targeted, but to all audiences, including those whose sole exposure might be through the internet or social media.
The strategy of associating products with fundamental and universal precepts dates to the origins of selling merchandise, as brands use both innate and culturally driven desires to market their wares (Weiss). Through advertising campaigns, businesses and corporations have long chosen to connect their products with a range of basic human values such as love, acceptance, trust, and honesty in order to appeal to consumers (Weiss). Recently, advertisers have chosen to venture past association with more traditional values and have begun to identify themselves with social environmental, and even political causes (Holder). Given that society has become increasingly informed through unprecedented access to information, it should come as no surprise that a more engaged populace might give rise to more engaged advertising. Although value-based advertisements may or may not ultimately or successfully sell any individual product, they have the power to impact culture and society beyond the significance of any specific commodity (Weiss). In that manner, advertisements can be seen to not merely mirror or reflect society but to aid in shaping it as well.
The first audiovisual advertisement installment of the #LikeAGirl campaign aired during the 2015 Super Bowl, a happening in the world of advertising which comes close to rivaling the championship football game that is played on the same Sunday winter night (Berman). Might one have predicted that an ad for a feminine hygiene pad would get more attention during the Super Bowl then the pads worn by some massive obscure lineman? Surely not, but the fact that it did is a sign of how much change has taken place in the world of advertising since Super Bowl advertising became a competitive sport.
Posing the question: “What does it mean to run ‘Like a Girl,’” to audiences of various ages and genders, the responses, as shown in the first campaign ad revealed a significant disparity amongst various demographic groups (Always, Super Bowl XLIX). In the opening of the 60-second spot, a pretty young blond woman with beautifully styled hair, fashionably dressed and wearing makeup and jewelry, appeared to run as if engaged in a dainty skipping contest, and a second woman ran in a manner as if she was more concerned with holding her hair in place than engaging in competitive sport (Always, Super Bowl XLIX). Later, a man was seen to run pathetically as he awkwardly galloped about using tiny footsteps with his hands flailing by his side while another was seen to be slapping at air as if he was engaged in or mocking a stereotypical female “catfight” (Always, Super Bowl XLIX). Contrast those responses to that of a six or seven year-old girl, who concisely answered: “It means, run as fast as you can,” and one can quickly take note of the unambiguous message being sent by P&G that we are living in an evolving world that is questioning old norms (Always, Super Bowl XLIX).
The use of background dramatic effects further enhanced the ad’s power as a musical soundtrack to induce emotion was introduced when a young girl in the ad could be seen running confidently to the subtle but penetrating sounds of violins (Always, Super Bowl XLIX). And, in its poignant use of graphics, cleverly positioned at various intervals during the ad, the creators left deep and compelling emotional impressions (Always, Super Bowl XLIX). “When did doing something “Like a Girl” become an insult? Always wants to change that,” was perhaps the most indelible line set forth, as it effectively negated an intended insult by transforming it into something inspirational (Always, Super Bowl XLIX).
Although the phrase “like a girl” has no etymological roots in the Oxford English Dictionary, this common phrase has been used as a schoolyard insult for decades, if not longer (Anthamatten). Always commercials not only reject that definition, but also make it clear that they are bent on changing norms through shaping a new way of thinking and redefining old terms to fit new times. In fact, through this commercial, Always not only recognizes the danger of a negative cultural stereotypes regarding female athletic ability, but has the temerity to suggest that the disparaging if not abusive remark of running “like a girl” be seen from now on as a compliment!
Always’ second #LikeAGirl commercial, titled “Unstoppable,” focuses on confidence, as the advertisers dispel notions, such as “girls can’t be brave,” “girls aren’t strong,” and “it’s always the boys who rescue the girls” (Always, Unstoppable). The commercial begins by posing the question: “do we limit girls?” (Always, Unstoppable). This query instantly encourages audience engagement, jars the audience, and places an onus on all viewers to engage in self-reflection. More importantly, it compels the observer to recognize how they might unwittingly contribute to a society that aids in undermining women and in placing a ceiling on their achievements. From behind the camera, the director asks participants, “Have you ever been told that because you’re a girl you should not do something?” (Always, Unstoppable). Females, ranging from elementary school age girls to adult women, all respond in ways suggesting that they perceive that society imposes boundaries upon them and their aspirations but that such borders must no longer be permitted to constrain them (Always, Unstoppable). The commercial ends with three simple but forceful words, “Rewrite the rules” (Always, Unstoppable).
“Girl Emojis,” a later work in the #LikeAGirl campaign illuminates the inherent sexism in our “unwritten” language of emojis. Despite the vast range of emoji characters, the emoji alphabet inexplicably fails to portray female athletes, musicians, or professionals. Instead, as the girls in the advertisement establish, emojis depicting women tend to feature female cartoonish figures in bridal attire, wearing pink shirts, or engaged in stereotypical activities associated with women such as dancing (Always, Girl Emojis). The teenage girls featured in this Always commercial, filmed in what appears to be a high school setting, are seen pitching ideas for new and empowering emoji designs (Always, Girl Emojis). Female cops, lawyers, and soccer players all exist, and this more recent entry in the Always female empowerment campaign again makes clear that the omission, based in dated societal stereotypes and prejudices, needs to be remedied (Always, Girl Emojis). Considering that “girls send over a billion emojis each day,” as the commercial establishes, it is difficult to fathom the unmistakable discrimination inherent in the emoji “language” (Always, Girl Emojis).
The advertisements produced by Always successfully deploy all classic rhetorical tools. Always, a product developed by Proctor and Gamble, has been a reputable worldwide brand since it was conceived in 1983. The #LikeAGirl campaign establishes enormous integrity and credibility on the part of Always by not only steering clear of any “hard sell,” or attempts at overly persuasive or manipulative attempts to promote sales but by ignoring its product in the #LikeAGirl advertising campaign entirely! Instead, by exhibiting an understanding of the stereotypes faced by women of all ages and the societal prejudices that erect barriers, P&G manifests a heavy dose of ethos in its showing of sincerity, concern, and empathy towards its target audience. Still, perhaps most importantly, Always’ brand integrity is reinforced by its clear and open willingness to help educate those who have perpetuated bias, myth, and injustice by persuading all viewers to adjust harmful and even shameful behavior. What better way to accomplish this than by advertising during the Super Bowl which would hardly seem be the most logical or likely choice for an advertiser of feminine hygiene products!
The #LikeAGirl campaign further advanced Always’ brand ethos by hiring mostly ordinary girls, representing a wide age range, to participate in advertisements in which they are interviewed and asked to reflect on participating in activities typically thought of as male dominated. By featuring everyday people in their advertisements, Always encourages viewers to feel empowered and gives them the emotional support to be outspoken leaders in the fight for gender equality. Although the #LikeAGirl campaign has partnered with celebrities including some Olympic athletes, in order to foster role models, most #LikeAGirl advertisements focus on informal observations with everyday girls and women so as to get across a message that viewers might see themselves in the words of those whom they can easily relate with (Always).
The #LikeAGirl campaign sets forth a persuasive logical argument to counter gender stereotyping. In suggesting that there should no longer be a negative connotation linked to the phrase, “like a girl,” and that outdated perceptions and associated stigmas should simply be swept away as have other discredited stereotypes, Always, has stepped forward to shape rather than mirror old ways. There is no reason that women should continue to be perceived as weak or face discrimination in pursuits historically associated with men. Always conveys this message by illustrating sexism as illogical, counter intuitive, and a product of the past.
#LikeAGirl’s emotional appeal lies fundamentally in its rhetorical strength. Always employs a strong measure of pathos in order to emotionally appeal to women. The #LikeAGirl campaign is, at its core, emotionally inspiring; it encourages women to break with the past, overcome boundaries, embrace female strength, and stamp out detrimental stereotyping based in gender. It appeals to the viewer’s sense of right and wrong by suggesting the damage done to women is both real and lasting. The Always ads stress the hurtful impact that associates the phrase “like a girl,” with the inferiority, weakness, awkwardness, and lack of coordination. And, though the target audience of women is encouraged to reject such feelings, men are targeted too so as to illustrate to them, how their use of language can negatively impact a woman’s self esteem and self-image.
All of the #LikeAGirl commercials display in words, the fact that “a girl’s confidence plummets during puberty” (Always). Meaning to “drop or fall rapidly,” or “plunge down,” plummet is a strong and dramatic word used interchangeably with “collapse” (Oxford English Dictionary, “plummet,” v.) Always deliberately selected this powerful and passionate word in order to draw attention to and underscore a distressing reality. Diminished self-confidence, especially at a transformative age, should be viewed with alarm, and the use of the word “plummet” magnifies viewers’ emotional response to an unfortunate truth.
The use of significant and revealing statistics as shown through graphics which illustrate the deleterious effects of gender bias point to the employment of logos by the creators of the Always campaign. Citing that 72% of women believe that society limits them and 50% of 10-12 year old girls quit participation in athletic activities, easily convinces all viewers that society needs to address a fundamental social problem that has existed for centuries (Always).
#LikeAGirl advertisements successfully elicit emotional reactions from viewers, but rather than instilling frustration and anger in the viewer, they successfully appeal to the better parts in all of us by implying that change is welcome and is on its way.
Always meticulously curated the style used in the #LikeAGirl campaign. The scripted #LikeAGirl content is consistently phrased in the second person (Always). Advertisers wrote #LikeAGirl material using this technique because the commercials are formatted as interviews. However, when the advertisement poses questions, and the screen reads, “What does it mean to do something like a girl,” the commercial compels viewers to become introspective, and question themselves and their prejudices (Always, Super Bowl XLIX). When #LikeAGirl asks, “Do we limit girls,” viewers are left to question how they contribute to a society that has long engendered a double standard relating to male associated traits such as strength, bravery, and athleticism (Always, Unstoppable). Always successfully challenges audiences to interact with their #LikeAGirl campaign, requiring viewers to question harmful societal stereotypes.
The #LikeAGirl campaign is primarily unscripted, and most of the advertisement content is comprised of spontaneous answers that are related by ordinary Americans. However, the written text and interview questions featured in #LikeAGirl advertisements, are carefully selected and deliberately worded to evoke emotional responses from the audience.
The initial frame of the “Unstoppable” advertisement asks, “Do we limit girls?” (Always, Unstoppable). The word “limit,” according to the Oxford English Dictionary, means, “to confine,” “to set bounds,” to “restrict,” or “to prohibit” (Oxford English Dictionary, “limit,” v.). This question elicits both logical and emotional responses. In a society which continues to perpetuate restricted expectations for women, and reinforces traditional gender roles, the realization of true gender equality may still lie in the distance but Always positions itself to be on the front lines, challenging and advocating for change. By asking if we “restrict” women, Always encourages audiences to realize the disappointing truth that long established societal boundaries are difficult to adjust. Nevertheless, the Always ads project at all times, feelings of hope and optimism.
Always’ audiovisual advertisements use color, imagery, and sound in order to successfully convey their feminist message to consumers. Always uses a blue color scheme in its #LikeAGirl advertisements; both the backdrop and text featured in the commercials appear in blue (Always). In using this traditionally masculine color, Always recognizes that our cultural language defines blue as a “male” color, and the advertisement can be seen as rejecting this stereotype by associating blue with female strength and empowerment.
Always also uses imagery to “break the fourth wall,” allowing viewers to see behind the camera. In each of the #LikeAGirl commercials, the camera cuts to angles where the director and filming equipment are included in the video (Always). By including seemingly “behind the scenes” shots in their commercials, Always gives audiences the impression that they are receiving a special opportunity to observe the commercial first hand. This personalized glimpse of the ad’s production makes the #LikeAGirl campaign seem even more transparent and trustworthy to viewers. Of course, the use of this footage is fully intentional, and Always carefully included these shots in order to further develop the #LikeAGirl campaign’s ethos.
With regards to the use of sound, the #LikeAGirl commercials mostly feature uplifting, emotional background music. When interviewees respond to questions and provide answers that conform to or illustrate harmful gender stereotypes, more melancholic tones are played (Always). In contrast, when interviewees exhibit female strength and/or defy cultural stereotypes, the background audio switches to a major key featuring the sound of uplifting violins and moving orchestral music (Always). This strategic use of sound is employed successfully to stir the emotions of viewers, and it points to another way that advertisers can incorporate pathos to drive home their point.
Although Always has successfully aligned with feminist values, the fact that it is selling feminine hygiene products cannot be overlooked as a factor that greatly facilitated this association. Always’ feminine hygiene products are used exclusively by women, and this reality allows Always to advertise in ways which target and appeal mostly to women. Nevertheless, the #LikeAGirl value based advertising campaign has successfully navigated the need to incorporate and appeal to men and their instincts despite the fact that the product being sold has no objective connection to them.
By branding their products as the “feminist option” within the feminine care market, Always has created a brand through which all consumers can endorse the feminist cause, while not even contemplating the need to purchase a product for which they have no use. This kind of activist branding reshapes the logics of consumption, and it encourages consumers to make purchases based on a cause associated with, or merely align themselves with a mega-company that shares in their values. The #LikeAGirl campaign successfully markets Always in this manner. Some condemningly refer to this type of branding technique as “commodity feminism.” “Commodity feminism” is defined as the appropriation of feminism and feminist beliefs for commercial purposes (Gill, 333). Still, this branding strategy has also been praised as an act of forward thinking and a way to build shared values in ways never before imagined. Whether commodity feminism is ultimately seen as detracting from the political significance of the feminist movement and reducing it to a colloquial and commodified campaign to sell products is yet to be seen.
Although Always may be promoting feminist values and breaking harmful stereotypes in order to appeal to its target audience, the brand is working behind the scenes to make real and significant change in the arena of gender equality. Always began as and remains a socially conscious brand. For over 30 years, the Always Puberty & Confidence Education Program has provided educational resources and samples that help girls understand how to cope with changes they will encounter during puberty (Always). The program, which is endorsed by UNESCO and used by over 500,000 education practitioners, reaches over 17 million girls annually in over 70 countries (Always). Through the #LikeAGirl campaign in particular, Always has partnered with Olympic athletes, Ted-Ed, and Girls on the Run in order to impact societal perception of female strength and teach young girls to defy stereotypes (Always). Always works to publish PSAs, educational materials, and instructive videos encouraging girls to maintain and heighten their confidence (Always). It also seeks to develop ready-to-use tools for teachers, coaches, organizations and parents to maintain and grow female engagement in sports (Always). In addition to its educational efforts, Always donates free feminine care products to girls in need, and it has developed a girl’s literacy program in association with UNESCO (Always).
Even though Always’ engagements form part of a branded campaign, they are clearly involved in promoting legitimate and needed aid throughout the globe. Perhaps all of these worthy efforts establish that Always has not fallen victim to commodity feminism, but has shown instead that a values-based advertisement campaign can help shape society by breaking down entrenched stereotypes and established borders while “rewriting the rules” and paving the way for greater gender equality. If the groundbreaking and transformational #LikeAGirl campaign helps the Always brand make a profit, so be it!
Works Cited:
· Always. Always #LikeAGirl - Super Bowl XLIX. YouTube, Leo Burnett, 29 Jan. 2015, www.youtube.com/watch?v=yIxA3o84syY.
· Always. Always #LikeAGirl - Unstoppable. YouTube, Leo Burnett, 7 Jul. 2015, https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VhB3l1gCz2E.
· Always. Always #LikeAGirl - Girl Emojis. YouTube, Leo Burnett, 2 Mar. 2016, https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=L3BjUvjOUMc.
· Always. “Empowering Girls Through Education with Always.” Always, Proctor & Gamble, always.com/en-us/about-us/empowering-girls-through-education-with-always.
· Always. “Helping Girls Across the World.” Always, Proctor & Gamble, always.com/en-us/about-us/girl-empowerment-throughout-the-world-with-always.
· Always. “Our Epic Battle #LikeAGirl.” Always, Proctor & Gamble, always.com/en-us/about-us/our-epic-battle-like-a-girl.
· Anthamatten, Eric. “What Does It Mean to 'Throw Like a Girl'?” The New York Times, The New York Times, 24 Aug. 2014, opinionator.blogs.nytimes.com/2014/08/24/what-does-it-mean-to-throw-like-a-girl/.
· Berman, Jillian. “Why That 'Like A Girl' Super Bowl Ad Was So Groundbreaking.” The Huffington Post, TheHuffingtonPost.com, 2 Feb. 2015, www.huffingtonpost.com/2015/02/02/always-super-bowl-ad_n_6598328.html.
· Gill, Rosalind. "Commodity feminism." The International Encyclopedia of Communication (2008).
· Holder, Alex. “Sex Doesn't Sell Any More, Activism Does. And Don't the Big Brands Know It.” The Guardian, Guardian News and Media, 3 Feb. 2017, www.theguardian.com/commentisfree/2017/feb/03/activism-sells-brands-social-conscience-advertising.
· "limit, v." OED Online, Oxford University Press, June 2017, www.oed.com/view/Entry/108478. Accessed 3 December 2017.
· "plummet, v." OED Online, Oxford University Press, June 2017, www.oed.com/view/Entry/146121. Accessed 3 December 2017.
· Weiss, Elizabeth. “American Ads, American Values.” The New Yorker, The New Yorker, 18 June 2017, www.newyorker.com/business/currency/american-ads-american-values.
Comentários