Campaigns · Global · 2014
Always: #LikeAGirl
Always asked people to run, throw and fight “like a girl”, then asked young girls to do the same.
By Maer Media editorial teamPublished 4 October 20263 min readLeo BurnettBranding · Campaigns · Content & Social
- Brand
- Always
- Market
- Global
- Year
- 2014
- Category
- Campaigns
- Agency or team
- Leo Burnett
- Channels
- Online film, TV, social
The context
Confidence drops sharply for girls at puberty, the moment they start buying Always. The brand wanted to stand for something bigger than protection.
Girls’ confidence drops at puberty, the moment they start using the brand.
The move
Leo Burnett filmed a social experiment: adults and boys acted out “like a girl” as an insult, while young girls did it with full strength. The phrase was reclaimed as a compliment.
How it was executed
- Asked adults and boys to act out ‘like a girl’.
- Asked young girls the same question.
- Released the film and later aired it during the Super Bowl.
Always asked people to run, throw and fight “like a girl”, then asked young girls to do the same.
What happened Reported facts
The film was viewed tens of millions of times, ran during the Super Bowl in 2015 and won an Emmy and Cannes Lions. Always reported a marked rise in purchase intent among its target audience.
Why it worked Maer’s analysis
Real reactions exposed an everyday insult, and the brand gave people a way to reclaim it.
What to take from it Maer’s analysis
- 01Find the insult in the culture and reverse it.
- 02Let real reactions do the persuading.
- 03A purpose idea works best when it fits the product moment.
Indian femcare and education brands can tackle real stereotypes with research and care, avoiding tokenism.
Where Maer applies this
The same thinking runs through these brand templates:
Sources: Procter & Gamble; Television Academy (2015). Figures are as publicly reported; Maer Media was not involved in this work and is not affiliated with Always.
The Maer Media editorial team studies how brands are built, from positioning and packaging to launches and growth. Figures in each case study come from the public sources listed above; the analysis and the India notes are our own. More about Maer
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