Whilst it might have passed many of you by (and for shame if it did), this Sunday gone (the 8th of March) was International Women's Day; an annual celebration of respect, appreciation and love towards women across the world. To mark the occasion, No Ceilings: The Full Participation Project, an initiative run by the Clinton Foundation, engaged Droga5 in a collaborative effort to raise awareness of how far we still have yet to go when it comes to gender equality. They did this (rather brilliantly) by attempting to literally erase women from the media landscape for a full day, underlining just how empty the world would feel without them. The symbolic campaign was titled simply “Not There,” and directed the public to the bespoke NOT-THERE.org website to learn more about what they can do to help progress the state of gender equality.
No Ceilings: The Full Participation Project, engaged Droga5 in a collaborative effort to raise awareness of how far we still have yet to go when it comes to gender equality
As part of the campaign, No Ceilings and Droga5 managed to convince fashion magazine behemoths Condé Nast to remove the cover images on their Vogue, Glamour, SELF, Allure, Teen Vogue, W, and Brides magazines, instead directing readers to the NOT THERE website. On Clear Channel Outdoor’s Times Square billboard, the largest digital ad display in North America, Beats by Dre also removed images of women and directed tourists from around the world to the site. Unilever were also a very visible (pardon the pun) force in the project, with advertisements from their Dove and TRESemmé following suit. Kate Spade New York, the New York City Ballet, and many more also removed women from their advertisements and directed audiences towards the site. The campaign and the data culled from the report were also featured in Snapchat's newly launched “Discover” platform as a day-long takeover of Snapchat's “Snap Channel,” and, iHeartMedia radio stations across the country played clips by iconic female artists with the vocal track removed.
We're Not There Yet
The campaign also happens to coincide with the release of the No Ceilings: Full Participation Report; a 20-year data driven review on the status of women and girls since 1995, at which time Secretary Hillary Clinton called on the international community to ensure that “Women’s rights are human rights.” Numerous facts gathered through the report can be viewed on the NOT THERE website, with visitors also encouraged to learn more and explore the interactive series of data visualisations created by No Ceilings. Also on the website, visitors will greeted by the celebrity voices of Amy Poehler, Cameron Diaz, Jenny Slate, Padma Lakshmi, and Sienna Miller, all of whom fully support the project. They feature (in a manner of speaking) in a sharable video that aims to inspire people to learn the facts on gender equality and inspire action on a global scale. In the video (above), the famous women in question are erased from the film, in keeping with the overall campaign message. It's an effect that (on the surface at least) should probably be quite humorous, but is actually surprisingly powerful.
The campaign coincides with the release of the No Ceilings: Full Participation Report; a 20-year data driven review on the status of women and girls since 1995
Clinton Foundation vice chairperson Chelsea Clinton (daughter of Bill and Hillary), said they are “Taking a collective stand that full participation for women and girls anywhere and everywhere remains the unfinished business of the 21st century.” She believes that “By knowing the facts and what has worked and hasn't worked to advance gender equality, we can accelerate the pace of change for women and girls, both at home and around the world. Anna Wintour, artistic director of Condé Nast and editor-in-chief of Vogue, meanwhile, thinks that “Sometimes the media gives the false impression, through its visual imagery, that women are treated equally in the global conversation.” She feels “It is important for us to correct that impression, even symbolically, to move the conversation forward and create real change,” and that this smart, incendiary campaign is a step in the right direction. I couldn't agree more, but what are your thoughts? How do you think we could use creative advertising initiatives such as this one to promote gender equality? Sound off below.
Benjamin Hiorns is a freelance writer and musician from Kidderminster in the UK who couldn't possibly believe more in gender equality, and is truly bewildered that in this enlightened age, we're still not quite there yet.
