Microsoft Urges Girls to Stay in STEM, and Change the World, in Third Year of #MakeWhatsNext

Little girls dream big in this short film from Microsoft, talking about their passion for curing breast cancer, cleaning up the environment and bringing fresh water to the world. Doctors, inventors, entrepreneurs—it's easy to envision these determined, articulate and thoroughly woke kids stepping easily into any of these roles. But hold up. The statistics say otherwise. Only 6.7 percent of U.S. women and 16 percent of women globally graduate college with science, technology, engineering and math (STEM) degrees, the mini-movie tells its participants. Pulling no punches, it continues: "Odds are you won't solve these problems." The youngsters' faces fall, and their resolve, it would seem, falters. Or does it? [kickout id="1"] There's no denying the impact of watching pre-teens full of promise and intellectual curiosity get smacked with brutal reality. It's heartbreaking. And that's no accident, according to Microsoft, which wanted to "inject a sense of urgency and scale" to this year's #MakeWhatsNext campaign, dubbed "Change the Odds" and timed to International Women's Day. The 90-second video, from m:united//McCann, sends out this plea: "Change the world. Stay in STEM." In effect, it's asking young women to buck the current system, recalibrate the numbers and make a mark in traditionally male fields. The girls in the video, as it turns out, are undeterred. "There's always going to be someone who says you can't do it. I think I can," says one, while another declares, unequivocally, "I will discover a cure for breast cancer." This is the third year of #MakeWhatsNext, with last spring's video focusing on female inventors. Science-loving girls in the campaign could identify Albert Einstein, Benjamin Franklin and other famous inventors but came up empty when questioned about their female counterparts. Microsoft and m:united launched a series of digital shorts focused on specific women inventors and their work. For the new campaign, the brand kicks off MakeWhatsNext.com, a resource for girls interested in STEM that includes an experiential tool with LinkedIn that will show youngsters how to pursue their goals across industries and social causes. "Change the Odds" will run on broadcast TV and digital channels, and on social media sites like Facebook, YouTube, Instagram and Twitter, with a new "conversational ad" on the latter. CREDITS Client: Microsoft Kathleen Hall – CVP, Global Advertising & Media Deana Singleton – GM, Global Advertising Jenny Leahy – Director, Global Social and Media Partnerships Ron Schott – Senior Mar Com Manager Markus Weickenmeier – Senior Manager, Global Advertising Vivian Lee – Manager, Global Advertising Agency: m:united//McCann Creative: Sean Bryan – Co-Chief Creative Officer Tom Murphy – Co-Chief Creative Officer Susan Young –Executive Creative Director Daniela Vojta –Executive Creative Director David Cappolino – Copywriter Julie Koong – Art Director Kelly Kim – Designer Elina Rudkovskaya – Copywriter, Social William Montgomery – Art Director, Social Creative Technology: David Cliff – Director of Creative Technology Alicia Foor – Creative Technologist Production: Aaron Kovan – Director of Integrated Production Carolyn Johnson – Executive Producer Rebecca Magner - Producer Jeremy Adirim – Director of Interactive Production Charlotte Popper – Interactive Producer Music Production: Eric Johnson – Executive Integrated Music Producer Sam Belkin – Music Coordinator Account: John Dunleavy - President Kevin Nelson – Managing Director Tina Galley – Executive Account Director Rosemary Calderone – Group Account Director Sarah Keiber – Group Account Director, Social Courtney LeBlanc – Account Director Sam Schmidt – Account Executive Ellie Choi – Account Executive, Social Project Management: Stella Warkman – Director of Project Management Vinny Tran – Senior Project Manager Strategy: Michelle Kiely – Global Director of Strategy Justin Ballheim – Strategy Director Production Tool of North America: JJ Adler – Director Oliver Fuselier – Managing Partner, Live Action Brad Johns – Executive Producer Greg Jones – Producer Laura Merians – DP Cosmo Street Editorial: Tessa Davis – Editor Josh Berger – Assistant Editor Becca Reil – Producer Yvette Sears – Executive Producer Framestore VFX: Sarah Hiddlestone, Head of Production/EP Karen Czukerberg - Senior Producer Raven Sia - Senior Producer Karl Woolley - Head of VR Andy Rowan Robinson – Creative Director Steve Drew – Compositing Supervisor Raul Ortego – Head of Flame Beau Leon - Colorist Jonah Braun - Color Assist Designers Marc Smith Abram Seaman 3D Patrick Ross Georgios Cherouvim Georgios Papaioannou Jacob Slutsky Glory Zheng Mohamed Echkouna Sean Curran Shayne Ryan Will Frazier