Catalysts for Change

5 Creative Initiatives That Inspired Action for Women and Girls

How can we turn passive observers into active participants? How do we inspire individual action toward collective impact?

At OX, we thrive on asking the big questions, pushing the envelope to help cause-led organizations craft brands and campaigns that multiply good for humanity. In this era of constant connectivity, our awareness of global issues has paradoxically led to disconnection — a kind of crisis fatigue that numbs us into apathy or breeds skepticism toward the impact of cause-led initiatives. But we won’t settle for that. Instead, we’re on a mission to uncover bold strategies, and creative pathways that ignite curiosity, stir compassion, and drive people toward becoming co-creators of a better world.

We’ve asked our team to highlight five powerful initiatives that have successfully mobilized support for women and girls worldwide, sparking action and driving transformative change.

Anthem of Change

“This initiative didn’t just rewrite a national anthem; it rewrote the role of women in revolution, proving how inclusion can transform societal norms.” — Stephanie Alcaino, Head of Creative.

During Lebanon’s sixth revolution, a significant moment arose to challenge and redefine the historical exclusion of women from both national and political spheres. An Nahar, a leading national newspaper, initiated a bold reimagining of the Lebanese National Anthem to include women, directly addressing their historical invisibility in this potent symbol of national identity.

Key Takeaway: The Power of an Anthem

National anthems serve as a representation of national identity and values. By using this tool strategically, An Nahar was able to shift societal values toward gender equality. The national anthem was used to engage the entire country and bring attention to the issue, positioning the inclusion of women as essential for progress.

Multiplied Impact

• Became a beacon for women’s empowerment, leading the discourse on gender equality.
• Achieved over 745 million media impressions, becoming a viral sensation and the #1 trending topic on Twitter.
• Directly contributed to a 400% increase in the representation of female ministers, marking a tangible shift in political inclusion.

Credit: An Nahar | Impact BBDO Dubai

Women Should___

“This campaign reignited crucial conversations on gender equality, reminding us that the fight is far from over.” — Katie Kick, Executive Creative Director.

UN Women launched “The Autocomplete Truth,” utilizing real Google searches to expose the widespread nature of sexism worldwide. The campaign creatively showcased these searches on advertisements overlayed on photographic portraits of women, highlighting the harmful and often discriminatory perceptions that continue to challenge gender equality.

Key Takeaway: Creating Personal Relevance

The campaign utilized Google’s widespread presence to expose the biases in its autocomplete feature. It highlighted how sexism continues to be a pervasive issue that many are not even aware of. Using images with a platform’s search bar known by millions of people, the campaign created a powerful tool that could resonate with a global audience. It also encouraged active participation by inviting people to use the #womenshould hashtag to engage in a worldwide dialogue to advocate for systemic change.

Multiplied Impact

• Forced a global awareness around the ongoing systemic nature of sexism, sparking widespread dialogue.
• Influenced a reevaluation of search engine algorithms, leading to modifications to filter out discriminatory suggestions.
• Garnered 1.2 billion impressions and extensive media coverage, amplifying its message across borders.

Credit: United Nations | Ogilvy and Mather Dubai

Data Tienda

“Systemic change isn’t always about policy or big institutions. Data Tienda proved that simplicity in the call-to-action and targeting the right (possibly unseen) decision-makers can unleash transformative change.” — Cassie Criminger, Creative Director.

Addressing the financial exclusion of low-income women, WeCapital launched “Data Tienda.” This innovative initiative converted informal credit data from local shopkeepers into recognized financial histories, enabling women to access micro-loans and start or expand their businesses.

Key Takeaway: Galvanizing Collective Action

The initiative highlighted the transformative power of collective action. Lowering the engagement threshold for businesses facilitated significant social and economic benefits for women, enhancing their community standing and financial stability.

Multiplied Impact

• Engaged over 50,000 business owners and registered more than 10,000+ women, facilitating their entry into the formal financial ecosystem.
• Empowered over 3,000 women with microloans, directly impacting their ability to pursue business and educational aspirations.

Credit: World Federation of Advisers | DDB Mexico

Parents, Push Harder

“In advocating for federal paid leave, Bobbie For Change is not just pushing for policy; they’re advocating for a fundamental right to care.” — McKenzie Price, Strategist.

Bobbie For Change spearheaded the ‘Parents, Push Harder’ initiative in collaboration with tennis player Naomi Osaka, addressing the critical absence of a national paid leave policy in the United States. This campaign galvanized a call to action, rallying support for legislative reform to aid working families facing significant challenges due to the lack of federal paid leave policies.

Key Takeaway: Choosing the Right Ambassador

Naomi Osaka connected with audiences personally by sharing her experience of early motherhood and the broader challenges of parental care. Osaka’s candid discussions about her parenting choices, specifically her decision to use formula, played a pivotal role in challenging the stigma associated with feeding options and spotlighting the urgent need for supportive parental policies. This approach raised awareness and fostered a connection with parents facing similar dilemmas, driving home the campaign’s call for systemic change and enhanced legislative support for families.

Multiplied Impact

• Highlighted the critical need for a supportive framework allowing parents to care for their families without financial hardship.
• It has amassed significant public support and is drawing closer to its goal of enacting federal paid leave, a change that promises substantial societal benefits.

Credit: Bobbie for Change

1,000 Girls

“Through 1,000 Girls, we convey the grim realities faced by girls globally while also spotlighting their incredible strength and resilience. It’s about more than presenting problems. It’s about empowering our audience to be co-creators of the solution.” — Tony Sorrentino, CEO.

World Vision’s global child sponsorship campaign, 1,000 Girls, aims to end violence against girls. This initiative works to raise awareness about the various challenges that girls face across the globe, including child marriage, abuse, violence, and exploitation. The campaign urges people to partner with World Vision and work together to put an end to the persistent cycles of violence and fear that many girls have to face on a daily basis.

For the 2023 initiative, OX Creative focused the campaign’s message around the powerful declaration “It’s Her Right.” This statement emphasizes that every girl has the fundamental human right to live free from violence. The campaign narrative centered around the poignant story of Heda and her mother, Desi, from Indonesia. Despite facing severe abuse, Desi’s determination to protect her daughter and prevent other children from experiencing similar horrors is the driving force behind the campaign’s core message.

Key Takeaway: The Power of Story

The campaign effectively connects the personal stories of individuals like Heda and Desi to a global context, which helps to humanize the statistics and showcase the profound impact of perseverance and advocacy in overcoming adversity. By weaving these stories into the broader narrative, the campaign demonstrates how deeply personal tragedies and triumphs are connected to larger issues that we can all contribute toward ending.

Multiplied Impact

• The 1,000 Girls campaign proved one of the most personally relevant and successful globally produced campaigns across global markets.
• The campaign grew this year, running in over 20 markets leading up to International Day of the Girl. A few markets reran it this spring for International Women’s Day.
• In a recent report, audiences across Australian, UK, Hong Kong, Taiwan, and US markets either agreed or strongly agreed that the 1,000 Girls film featuring Heda & Desi made them consider sponsoring a girl.

Credit: World Vision | OX Creative

At OX Creative, we leverage our strategic and creative expertise to tell compelling stories that inspire and facilitate actual change. Our branding and campaigns aim to transform passive audiences into active participants, creating a ripple effect of good that multiplies across communities and cultures. Our dedication remains firm: to work alongside those who strive to make a significant impact, bringing creative solutions to global challenges.

By Stephanie Alcaino, Head of Creative