Do you ever watch an ad and think, “Wow! That was amazing!” Sometimes this is the case, but not always. Recently, I have found several moving and empowering ad campaigns about girl power (YAY!) that really hit home for me, and probably will for you too. Check them out below and see if can you identify with what they stand for. I hope they’ll change the way you think, Collegiettes!
[Warning: The following images include highly sensitive content and may be triggering for some]
1) #LikeAGirl – Always Campaign
You might have seen the Always commercial promoting their new campaign #LikeAGirl during the Super Bowl. The campaign works to condemn the saying “like a girl” as an insult, words that often knock young girls’ self-esteem. Always suggests that this saying can impact girls’ self-confidence, particularly during their adolescent years; it pokes fun at a girl’s ability to do something to the best of her ability and succeed.
“We’re kicking off an epic battle to make sure that girls everywhere keep their confidence throughout puberty and beyond, and making a start by showing them that doing it #LikeAGirl is an awesome thing,” says Always.
So what do you do #LikeAGirl Collegiettes?
2) Pantene’s #ShineStrong Ad Campaign
This “Not Sorry” ad encourages women not to apologize for who they are or what they want to do. Don’t be sorry, “be strong and shine.”
3) Verizon’s “Inspire Her Mind” Campaign
This campaign actively fights against gender norms and encourages girls to enter STEM fields (science, technology, engineering, and math fields). The company has also created scholarship foundations that will be used to award millions of dollars to school-age girls involved in technology innovation programs.
4) GoldieBox Toy Company Super Bowl Ad
This ad also pushes back against gender norms and inspires girls to create things, enter STEM fields, and have more choices of what to play with when they’re young rather than just dolls and princesses.
“We believe that femininity is strong and girls will build the future — literally.”
5) “First Moon Party” by HelloFlo
This ad demonstrates the “celebration of menstruation.” Watch below and laugh lots at the creativity! Be prepared, the red fondue part is pretty… unappetizing.
6) Disney Princess Ad Against Domestic Violence – “Happily Never After”
Disney princesses are perceived by many as ideal women– smart, talented, hardworking, strong, beautiful– and eventually, they marry an awesome prince. Each is someone that young girls all around the globe look up to. In this ad, Saint Hoax, pseudonymous Middle Eastern artist and sociopolitical activist, argues that anyone can be the victim of domestic violence, even if you are as wonderful as a Disney princess, and it’s not your fault. The campaign’s touching slogan: “When did he stop treating you like a princess?”
7) “Happily Never After” is not the only powerful artwork Saint Hoax has created. Also noteworthy is “The Royal Misfits”, a series that speaks to children who develop eating disorders at a young age.
“Children as young as five years old are being diagnosed with anorexia nervosa,” says Saint Hoax.
8) Saint Hoax also created the series “Fit for a Hero?”, because young boys are affected by this condition as well.
9) “Prin-cest Diaries”, also by Saint Hoax, is an awareness campaign that draws attention to minors who have been subject to sexual abuse by a family member and urges victims to report their case.
10) Dove’s Real Beauty Campaign – “Imagine a World Where Beauty is a Source of Confidence, Not Anxiety”
This is a very important and moving campaign whose aim is to “change how women see beauty.” You’ll certainly smile at women’s reactions to compliments in this video.
“If we can see beauty in others, why can’t we see it in ourselves?”
“Only 4% of women around the world consider themselves beautiful. Dove, the global beauty brand, believes beauty should be a source of confidence, not anxiety, and is committed to inspiring all women and girls to reach their full potential by caring for themselves and each other. #realbeauty”
11) Dove is also going beyond this campaign to promote #SpeakBeautiful with Twitter, a social media campaign fighting against negative comments via Twitter and other social media outlets about women.
“Last year women sent over 5 million negative Tweets about beauty and body image. But it only takes one positive Tweet to start a trend.”
12) #RealBeautySketches is another Dove campaign in which a sketch artist draws a woman as she describes herself, then draws her again as a stranger describes her. The campaign shows just how much women analyze themselves and bring themselves down.
13) This “Beauty Pressure” ad is moving to promote self-esteem at a young age, and encouraging girls not to focus on the unrealistic beauty standards perpetuated by the beauty industry.
14) Lastly, Dove’s #LoveYourCurls is another moving campaign for all those women out there with curly locks. The campaign shows how young girls feel about themselves and their hair.
15) Fanpage.it — Against Domestic Violence — “In the kids’ world, women don’t get hit.”
This campaign is one of my favorites (and it might be because of the adorable Italian accents)! “Fanpage.it” asked several young boys to perform certain acts on a young girl, and the experiment takes a surprising twist. Just watch their reactions!
16) Aerie’s Retouched Campaign — #AerieReal
Aerie, the American Eagle branch of intimates and apparel, is using their new #AerieReal campaign to condemn the use of Photoshop in ads by posting photos of women without any Photoshop, as the real them.
“The real you is sexy.”
17) #GirlsCan with CoverGirl
This empowering ad features Ellen DeGeneres, Becky G, Katy Perry, Queen Latifah, and more!
“Be courageous.”
“Let’s challenge that notion.”
What do you think, Collegiettes?
SOURCES: 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17