Case Study: Connecting Brand Values With a Social Cause
Recently there has been a noticeable trend for brand involvement in campaigns around social causes.
This is a great opportunity for brands to demonstrate their social conscience.
When it comes to video content, people love to share videos for the social good of its message or story. This kind of campaign can spark discussion and action to build a better world.
Procter and Gamble’s International Women’s Day campaign was a hit back in March.
Here’s why we like it...
The commercial is a compilation of short emotive clips, revealing a strong message at the end advocating gender equality.
Each snapshot and message is emboldening, presenting both women and men defying stereotypical roles. The main focus however is on women at varying ages and stages in life achieving their dreams and standing up for themselves.
P&G’s campaign and concluding message is: ‘At P&G, #WeSeeEqual’.
This message has three functions:
Firstly, it gives P&G a company personality with values and a voice;
Secondly, it emboldens a topic that is popular in social discussion;
Finally, it advocates social media action and invites the public to participate in the campaign through the use of hashtags.
The video uses footage from previous advertisements. This is a clever marketing strategy as it reminds people of previous campaigns but adds depth by stringing them together for a bigger cause - International Women’s Day.
It’s not a pushy campaign; it doesn’t push feminism, it simply reminds and inspires us about what we already know but need to remember. It also cleverly ties in the different products at the same time.
It feels personal because a lot of the video snapshots appear to be homemade videos. This gives the whole commercial an authentic and believable feel, so viewers are more likely to be comfortable with its message.
Each section is short and entertaining. The video clips are strategically broken up by text which aids transition and keeps viewers engaged with the story. Text in this video acts as a conduit, proving that there is power in simplicity.
P&G have had a clear, consistent message throughout their advertising history. This is important to note, because we know that consistency builds trust and trust can then evoke positive change. This way a brand can have a direct impact on society and at the same time say something about their values and what they stand for beyond just products.
Overall, we love this campaign because it is simple yet powerful, carrying an important message that can spread rapidly, using video to make a difference and position the brand as one that cares.
