Barbie’s “The Dream Gap” Initiative
Barbie addressed the “Dream Gap,” a phenomenon where young girls start doubting their potential. The campaign featured dolls modeled after real-life female role models to inspire girls to pursue STEM careers. Barbie donates $250,000 to enable girls to reach their full potential.
Why Does This Campaign Stand Out?
Discrimination on the type of toys, expectations, and encouragement from their parents are a few things girls growing up experience. With this campaign, Barbie touched these pain points and encouraged the girls to dream and achieve their ambitions.
The Impact of the International Women’s Day Campaign On Revenue:
BBC reported that Barbie's sales rose to $1.35 billion in 2020, two years after the initiation of this initiative. The initiative positioned Barbie as forward-thinking, which eventually helped them:
Gained attention from socially conscious parents
Launch diverse dolls
Expand geographically
Mattel also reported an 18% growth in Barbie’s international sales due to the growing demand in Asia and Europe.
P&G’s “#WeSeeEqual”
Procter & Gamble’s #WeSeeEqual campaign compiled clips from various brands like Always and Secret, depicting individuals defying gender stereotypes. In collaboration with UN and Catalys, the campaign aimed to uncover gender bias and promote equality across different spheres of life.
Why Was The Campaign Successful?
It challenges the typical gender stereotypes with emotive messaging, leveraging the principles of effective storytelling.
Highlighting the powerful wordings of the campaign, Emily Clark, senior account manager at UP Digital, mentioned, “Statements such as 'households don't care who runs them' and 'fear doesn't care who conquers them' are mixed with positive imagery such as a mature woman bungee jumping off a bridge. They turned the typical roles on their heads, showing that everyone is free to take on any roles, no matter their gender”.
The impact of the campaign on brand:
The campaign garnered significant media attention that directly and indirectly impacted the revenue, as announced in the 2021 fiscal report:
Their net sales were $66.8 billion in 2018, a three percent increase versus the prior year.
P&G reported a 7% increase in their organic sales in 2021
London Dungeon's Jackie The Ripper Show
Joining the bandwagon of celebrating IWD, London Dungeon's introduced a twist to their famous Jack the Ripper (male killer) by bringing the lady killer in 2022. While it might be a new perspective, the show received significant backlash from women charities and social media users, leading to a public apology from Dungeon.
Why Did The Campaign Receive Negative Feedback?
Mindy, an account director at UP, explained what went wrong with the campaign,
“Although the intention was right, but timing it on a day to recognize and celebrate women, I believe is in poor taste. If their exhibit already contained a section talking about who Jackie the Ripper was, maybe it would have been seen as less opportunistic. Alternatively, if they wanted to participate to celebrate women on this day, they could’ve offered a discount to all women to encourage them to visit”.
What Was The Impact Of The Campaign?
International Women’s Day celebrates women, and turning the serial killer into a woman was perceived as an insult to the feminist movement. Here is how people expressed their resentment:
“It was gimmick and tone deaf.”
“It’s pathetic as no women want to be associated with a rapist serial killer”
“It’s a mockery of Women’s Day, which was supposed to be celebrating their achievements.”
Lululemon’s Ultramarathon Event
In 2023, Lululemon hosted its first-ever ultramarathon event as part of its FURTHER campaign. The six-day event featured 10 female athletes from the brand’s global ambassador collective, emphasizing women’s strength and endurance in sports.
Why Did This Campaign Work?
This campaign not only celebrated women and their capabilities but backed it up with a real investment in research to bridge gender gaps in sports.
Here is what UP’s team member, Rachel Baehr, a marketing strategist with 15 years of experience, has to say on the merits of this campaign:
“Lululemon essentially put their money where their mouth is by co-producing innovative products for the ultramarathon. By including real female athletes in the campaign, they ensured their products met real needs and addressed real challenges.”
What Was The Impact of This Campaign?
Emphasizing the campaign’s impact, Rachel mentioned how the brand generated a new target market with this campaign:
“Lululemon has somewhat of a reputation (at least in the States) as being the rich woman’s yoga gear, but this campaign connected them to real people, real female athletes from all over the world, in a way that likely built brand loyalty and trust”.
FURTHER has been a key contributor to Lulumen’s goal of reaching $12.5 billion in revenue by 2026.
Nike’s “One Day We Won’t Need This Day”
Nike’s campaign showcased talented female athletes, including Serena Williams and Megan Rapinoe, highlighting their moments of triumph. The narrative expressed hope for a future where proving women’s capabilities is unnecessary.
Why does this campaign stand out?
Nike used a provocative twist by challenging the need of the day and advocating women’s inclusion in every industry, including the sports industry. Using the stories of athletes who have marked their name, they have brought authenticity and relatability to their brand.
The Impact of the Campaign on Brand:
The campaign aligns with Nike’s long-standing advocacy for women’s participation in sports. Starring Serena and others, Nike promoted their athetic gear for women, attracting more eyeballs to the brand. With a 196% increase in their profit in 2021, they also admitted
Their women's business increased by 22% profit in 2021
Nike’s CEO mentioned that their women’s business has grown by high single digits on average over the past three years
In A Nut Shell: What Lessons Can We Learn From These IWD Campaigns
The five essential lessons for leaders looking to develop a marketing campaign for years to follow are:
Stay true to your brand – If your campaign feels forced or disconnected from your values, audiences will notice (and call you out).
Your audience is intelligent -they can spot an opportunistic campaign from miles away, so make sure to abc your message with real action like Barbie’s The Dream Gap project
Use emotional storytelling strategically, like Nike’s and P&G’s campaigns. They shared struggles or real people to drive inspiration and engagement.
Your campaign should be part of a long-term strategy as Lulumen’s and Barbie’s campaigns had been
Foster collaboration to add depth and trust. Nike’s partnership with athletes and P&G’s teaming up with UN Women brought immeasurable credibility.