It’s #InternationalDayoftheGirl. And although we just wrote a post about marketers taking advantage of “national holidays” for personal gain, there are some ads from brands that deserve a shout out for constantly empowering women - young and old - to embrace their strengths and rise above all odds.

This is a part of our Women in Marketing Series which highlights stories of women marketing leaders to empower women. If you are interested in being featured in our content, contact us here. You can also nominate a woman marketing leader who is making an impact in her industry for our #CMOSpotlight series here.

Here is our top list of advertisements:

Always #LikeAGirl

In 2014, Always launched #LikeAGirl to instill confidence in little girls and redefine the insult “like a girl.” This is a classic example often referenced when talking about female empowerment in advertising. The advertisement shows how men/boys and older women associate “like a girl” with weakness while the young girls run and live ferociously.

A case study conducted in 2015 revealed that the ad encouraged 94% of girls to be more confident in themselves and, now, three times as many girls associate the phrase “like a girl” in a positive context.

This was not only an empowering advertisement to women, but an excellent marketing strategy for Always. Since it is a product associated with periods, it is harder to create sharable content. This ad, however, moved Always’ advertising away from the product and focused on the customer. What does it mean to be a girl? Sure, a period is a part of the story, but what makes up a girl?

Read Related - Case study: Always #LikeAGirl

Nike - Dream Crazier

This ad, narrated by Serena Williams, highlights famous female athletes like Simone Biles, Ibtihaj Muhammad, Chloe Kim, members of the US Women’s National Soccer Team, and Serena Williams. The ad originally ran during the 2019 Oscars and continues to spark virality and conversation. In a world where women are often categorized as “crazy” for reacting or dreaming, women can show the world what being “crazy” really means.

Nike has some other show stopping ads that truly resonate with women and encourages them that they can achieve and be anything.

Bumble - The Ball is in Her Court

Serena wins over our hearts yet again in 2019 by encouraging women not to wait. This ad resonates with women because traditionally, in romantic situations, women wait for the man to make the first move. Of course there are exceptions, but there have been mental or physical obstacles in the world that tell women not to ask for the raise or ask the guy out in fear of coming off too strong or…crazy. All people need to take this advice - waiting for what you want could mean losing it, so believe in yourself and take it.

“The world will tell you that you're not strong enough to play. They’ll tell you that your story doesn’t matter. The world will tell you that you should "be a lady." They’ll tell you to dream, but not too big. And to wait to be given power. But here's what the world won’t tell you: you don’t have to wait for power. You already have it. So make the first move, in work, in love, and in life.”

Verizon - Inspire Her Mind

Verizon’s slogan in this 2014 commercial is, “Inspired minds can change the world.” This advertisement points out that words have an impact - what we feed our children, physically and figuratively, will stick with them. In 2018, only 28% of the science and engineering workforce was made up of women. We need to encourage women if we want more of them in STEM professions. Since Veirzon is a technology company, inspiring young women to pursue a career in tech was right up the company’s alley.

These GoldieBlox ads run in the same vein of advocating for young girls to pursue STEM careers and defeat girl stereotypes.

Dove - #ShowUs

70% of women do not feel represented in advertising and media - this campaign aims to change just that.

Old fashioned beauty standards tell women how to see themselves…but true beauty is not defined. Showcasing a number of women with different ages, backgrounds, sizes - Dove shatters beauty expectations, lifting women up to see that every woman is beautiful.

Here is a Dove ad that inspire women to break barriers and believe in themselves and their inner and outer beauty.

PPS - Women Acknowledged

PPS, the financial services company for graduate professionals launched an empowering ad to flip women stereotypes.

The marketing campaign aimed at young women professionals, provides a different viewpoint for how women are perceived in society by highlighting them in different professions.

If the world doesn’t know this already, women can achieve anything. These empowering and emotional ads are just a glimpse into the capabilities of women, but it’s nice to find ways to celebrate them.

Discover & share this You Play Ball Like A Girl GIF with everyone you know. GIPHY is how you search, share, discover, and create GIFs.

Need career advice? We have an ongoing series (below) featuring leaders in the marketing industry from companies like Regal, Bacardi, Mizuno, Great Clips Hiscox, and Interface.

Leaders share thoughts on their journey throughout the marketing career path - the trials, tribulations, and inspirations. Take a look at the first installation in 6 Questions for Inspirational Women in Marketing.

Happy #InternationalDayoftheGirl - now go outside and play ball “like a girl!” You can thank the great Hambino for that incorrect stereotype!

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Top 6 Ads to Empower Women on #DayoftheGirl