Women on Inside That Ad

Always #LikeAGirl: Turning an Insult Into a Battle Cry

Sun, 21 Jun 2026 10:00:00 +0000

Ask a ten-year-old girl to run like a girl, and she’ll sprint with everything she has. Ask a teenager to do the same thing, and she’ll probably slow down, flail her arms, and laugh awkwardly. That observation — simple, devastating, and entirely true — became the foundation for one of the most powerful advertising campaigns of the decade.

Always, the feminine hygiene brand owned by Procter & Gamble, launched “#LikeAGirl” in June 2014. Created by Leo Burnett Chicago, the campaign reframed a phrase that had been used as an insult for generations and turned it into a declaration of female strength. The film won the Emmy for Outstanding Commercial in 2015, took Grand Prix at Cannes Lions, and sparked a global cultural conversation that extended far beyond anything a hygiene product brand might reasonably expect to own.

Dove Real Beauty Sketches: You Are More Beautiful Than You Think

Sat, 20 Jun 2026 10:15:00 +0000

In April 2013, Dove released a short film that would become one of the most watched advertisements in internet history. “Real Beauty Sketches” reached 163 million views in its first month online, was shared in 25 languages across 110 countries, and sparked a global conversation about self-perception, beauty standards, and the gap between how women see themselves and how others see them.

It was, in almost every measurable way, the most successful viral video in advertising history at the time of its release. And it came from a deodorant and soap brand.

Nike's Dream Crazier Ad Teaches Us to Strive for More

Wed, 27 Feb 2019 23:37:36 +0000

Nike, the absolute god of all sports apparel has unveiled its follow-up, a 90-second ad narrated by Serena Williams set to air during last Sunday’s Academy Awards ceremony on ABC. The spot, from Wieden + Kennedy in Portland, not only champions the accomplishments of female athletes but serves as a call to action, telling viewers to “Dream Crazier.” My favorite part was the fact that they included an athlete with a disability, a fellow U of I alumni, Tatyana McFadden.