Like A Girl

About a month ago I noticed a new advertising campaign that Always, a Proctor and Gamble company, produced titled, #LikeAGirl, and naturally I was curious. Growing up, I had heard this phrase several times around friends, school mates, and from coaches. This campaign has emphasized the importance that phrases and words can have in advertising and has become more than just a way to sell a product, but a movement.

Always is trying to change the way “like a girl” is used. To do something “like a girl” has had a negative connotation for decades due to traditional upbringing and was often used to motivate boys. In the video that kick-started the campaign, both men and women of all ages were asked to perform different actions such as “run like a girl,” “fight like a girl,” or “throw like a girl”. When asked, both men and women and the young boy reacted with over-exaggerated movements, looking silly and unpractical. Yet the younger girls ran around the studio, punched the air or acted like they were throwing a ball as far as they could.

Always has gone a step further than just releasing a video for the campaign. They have coined the hashtag #LikeAGirl and are encouraging women of all ages to share on Twitter what they can do “like a girl.” With the campaign, Always is challenging the way people perceive the phrase “like a girl” and is encouraging people to use the phrase in a positive way.

Words are powerful. They can be used to promote a new product, encourage a movement, or change a society’s perspective. Always is not the first company to use simple phrases to promote their brand. One of the most well-known phrases associated with a company would be, “Just Do It.” Nike emphasizes it doesn’t matter who or what takes place as long as it is what you enjoy. Coca-Cola’s new campaign, “Share a Coke with (fill in the blank)” encourages the public to do just that, share a Coke with a friend, soulmate or a specific person. Words are important; they are often the first thing a person remembers about a company. Why do you think so many companies have taglines?

With the campaign #LikeAGirl, Always is advertising to their target audience of young girls and mothers by not only talking to them but encouraging them to be #LikeAGirl.

To get ready for your next marketing campaign, “Say ‘I Do’ to a Marketing Campaign” includes some of the steps you’ll need to get started.