.png)
Always' "Like a Girl" Campaign
2014 · Global Launch · Digital / Television · Feminine Care
Context
By the early 2010s:
Feminine care advertising focused heavily on product function (absorbency, protection).
Puberty represented a sensitive but pivotal life stage tied to brand loyalty.
Conversations around gender equality were increasingly visible online.
As part of Procter & Gamble, Always needed differentiation beyond performance claims.
The objective was emotional relevance during identity formation.
The Problem It Solved
1. Functional Ceiling
Product superiority claims were easily matched.
2. Emotional Disconnect
Teen girls often experience confidence decline during puberty.
3. Cultural Phrase Trap
“Like a girl” was widely used as shorthand for weakness.
The brand identified a linguistic opportunity.
Strategic Insight
The campaign, created with Leo Burnett Worldwide, asked adults and boys to perform actions “like a girl,” revealing exaggerated weakness.
Young girls, however, performed confidently and literally.
The insight:
Confidence drops when society reframes ability as limitation.
By reclaiming the phrase, Always aligned itself with empowerment rather than biology.
The product became context, not center.
Execution Discipline
A. Documentary Style
The casting and interview format increased authenticity.
B. Minimal Branding
The brand appeared lightly, preserving credibility.
C. Social Extension
The hashtag #LikeAGirl encouraged user participation.
D. Cultural Timing
The campaign aligned with growing conversations around gender equality without leaning into partisan politics.
What It Avoided
Heavy product demonstration
Aggressive corporate tone
Overt competitor comparisons
Overly polished commercial aesthetic
Excessive slogan repetition
Restraint preserved sincerity.
Brand Impact
Massive online engagement and shares
Significant positive brand perception lift
Industry recognition and awards
Strengthened emotional bond with target demographic
It shifted the brand from hygiene supplier to confidence advocate.
Why We Love It
From a strategic perspective, it demonstrates:
Linguistic reframing as positioning
Emotional alignment at key life stage
Cultural participation without opportunism
Purpose connected to product lifecycle moment
It found tension in language—and turned it into equity.
The Takeaway
When culture embeds limitation into everyday language,
the brand that reclaims it can unlock emotional differentiation.
Always did not argue absorbency.
It argued identity.
What Would Have Broken It
Over-commercializing the empowerment message
Failing to support confidence programs beyond advertising
Appearing opportunistic during social debates
Shifting back to purely functional messaging too quickly
Expanding the message without operational backing
Purpose requires sustained commitment.
Applicability In Today’s Market
Today’s environment is more reactive and scrutinized.
Transferable principles:
1. Language Is a Strategic Asset
Everyday phrases can hold cultural tension worth reframing.
2. Documentary Credibility Matters
Authenticity outperforms polished persuasion in sensitive categories.
3. Purpose Must Be Sustained
Audiences expect continued investment in social impact initiatives.
A modern iteration would likely:
Involve creator voices with lived experience
Provide measurable program outcomes
Include long-term educational partnerships
Integrate short-form platform-native storytelling
But the core remains:
Find the tension.
Expose it honestly.
Let culture complete the argument.
