Leo Burnett, Always Redefine ‘Like a Girl’

By Patrick Coffee 

In case you missed it, “The Queen of Versailles” was one of the better documentaries released in recent years. Today its director Lauren Greenfield teamed up with Leo Burnett Chicago, Toronto and London (along with help from fellow Publicis shops Starcom MediaVest and MSL Group on PR) to launch a campaign addressing an age-old question: what does the phrase “like a girl” really mean? And why do we still use it?

The agencies involved frame the campaign as a “new social experiment” beginning with a survey that reported some unsurprising findings:

  • A majority of girls see a drop in confidence around puberty
  • Most think of “like a girl” as a general insult, particularly at that age

There’s a social media/UGC component to the campaign, too: the brand will use its various platforms to encourage young female followers to “join the movement and share what they proudly do #LikeAGirl” via pics and videos.

Unlike “Ban Bossy” and various anti-bullying efforts, this one doesn’t purport to have a specific goal; we take it as evidence that businesses and their agencies are learning. The message is nothing if not on-brand, and this documentary-style spot is more intimate and convincing for not involving Beyonce.

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