It's rare for an advertising campaign to spark the kind of social debate that the Always #LikeAGirl campaign has generated. The widely praised video, from MSLGroup and Leo Burnett,
won the PR Grand Prix last month at the Cannes Lions International Festival of Creativity. The ad asks two groups of people what it means to do something "Like a girl" and then compares their responses, in a moving and emotionally charged video designed not to advertise a product or brand, but to alter the viewer's perceptions about the phrase "Like a girl" and other similar ideas.
The campaign itself has drawn as much criticism as it has praise, especially as it quickly went viral on social media. But aside from the merits of the campaign itself, there are a few interesting aspects to consider from a marketing perspective.
A Collaborative Effort - If you clicked through to the article above on AdAge, they talk about the agencies and firms that came together to create the campaign. It's interesting to note that it was a combined effort between a creative agency and a PR group - and how it likely wouldn't have been such a success without the involvement of both.
Collaboration is important, especially when it comes to marketing and advertising your business. It's vital to see things from a different perspective, and by working together with both business and creative minded individuals, you can make your campaigns that much stronger.
Branding as a Secondary Focus - What I love most about the ad is that there are no mentions or images of a product, no attempt to sell or sway you to a specific brand. The campaign is about education and social change, not about any one type of women's health product. These are the type of campaigns that build relationships, not just buying habits.
It can be hard to pull off this type of campaign, especially when you are not a well-known brand name like Always and their parent company, Procter & Gamble. However, you can work within your community to support local organizations and causes. When you support these groups, many of them will include your name or logo in their event materials and collateral. It's a great way to support other local organizations while gaining a bit of good PR for yourself!
What did you think of the Always "Like A Girl" campaign? What other marketing aspects can we learn from it? Share you thoughts with us on our
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