For the 2017 edition, year three of its #MakeWhatsNext campaign–again linked to International Women’s Day–Microsoft aims to build a sense of urgency and scale to an education issue.
In a series of videos–including this anthem piece titled "Change The Odds"–Microsoft asks girls about the problems they are most passionate about solving, conveys their excitement about what they could achieve – ranging from finding solutions to climate change to curing cancer – and also the harsh reality: without the necessary STEM [Science, Technology, Engineering and Math] skills, they probably won’t solve them.
Currently, only 6.7 percent of U.S. women (and 16 percent of women globally) graduate college with STEM degrees. The plea to girls: to change the world stay in STEM and #MakeWhatsNext.
As part of this initiative, Microsoft will introduce new programs and resources on www.MakeWhatsNext.com that will help young girls take the next step in making their STEM dreams a reality, including a new experiental tool being launched by Microsoft and LinkedIn to demonstrate how girls can pursue their passions across industries and social causes.
The campaign created by m:united//McCann launches globally today (3/7/17), just as International Women’s Day is starting around the world, and will span broadcast, online/digital, events and social media including Facebook, YouTube, Instagram and Twitter, which will have a “First View”, a first for Microsoft and Twitter, and a Twitter Conversation Card to showcase the video and drive conversation.
"Change The Odds" was directed by JJ Adler from Tool of North America.
Client Microsoft Agency M;united//McCann Sean Bryan, Tom Murphy, co-chief creative officers; Susan Young, Daniela Vojta, executive creative directors; David Cappolino, copywriter; Julie Koong, art director; Kelly Kim, designer; Elina Rudkovskaya, copywriter, social; William Montgomery, art director, social; David Cliff, director of creative technology; Alicia Foor, creative technologist; Aaron Kovan, director of integrated production; Carolyn Johnson, executive producer; Rebecca Magner, producer; Jeremy Adirim, director of interactive production; Charlotte Popper, interactive producer; Eric Johnson, executive integrated music producer; Sam Belkin, music coordinator.; Michelle Kiely, global director of strategy; Justin Ballheim, strategy director. Production Tool of North America JJ Adler, director; Oliver Fuselier, managing partner, live action; Brad Johns, exec producer; Greg Jones, producer; Laura Merians, DP. Editorial Cosmo Street Editorial Tessa Davis, editor; Josh Berger, assistant editor; Becca Reil, producer; Yvette Sears, exec producer. VFX Framestore New York Sarah Hiddlestone, head of production/EP Karen Czukerberg, sr. producer; Raven Sia, sr. producer; Karl Woolley, head of VR; Andy Rowan Robinson, creative director; Steve Drew, compositing supervisor; Raul Ortego, head of Flame; Beau Leon, colorist; Jonah Braun, color assist; Marc Smith, Abram Seaman, designers; Patrick Ross, Georgios Cherouvim, Georgios Papaioannou, Jacob Slutsky, Glory Zheng, Mohamed Echkouna, Sean Curran, Shayne Ryan, Will Frazier, 3D; Dan Giraldo, Elaina Brillantes, Jose Arauz, Giulia Bartra, Ranran Meng, Chihcheng Peng, Liz Yang, compositing; Callum McKeveny, Rob Go, 2D; Ben Cronin, Deepa Paulus, Katie Rhodes, Megan De Wolf, Paul O’Brien, Savneet Nagi, Tim Greenwood, Tim Osborne, VFX Support (Framestore’s London office) (Toolbox: Flame, Nuke, Maya, After Effects, Houdini, 3D Equalizer)
Ad Council and McCann NY Lend An Ear, Show That “Listening Is A Form Of Love”
Continuing their partnership to combat the mental health crisis among America’s youth, the Ad Council and McCann New York have released the latest installment of the “Sound It Out” campaign which focuses on helping parents and caregivers have meaningful conversations with their kids about emotional wellbeing.
The new work, “Listening is a Form of Love,” focuses on the important role parents and caregivers play in supporting young people’s emotional wellbeing and is supported by new data from Surgo Health’s Youth Mental Health Tracker. The survey highlights that: 55% of youth (ages 10-24) report mental health struggles; and one in five youth report symptoms of depression, and one in four report symptoms of anxiety.
The film includes an interactive digital experience that invites parents to practice “holding space” by pressing the space bar to listen to kids sharing what they wish their parents could hear, in their own words. Along with this literal interpretation of the active listening the campaign encourages, the website also gives valuable tools to help parents and caregivers be better listeners, and in turn, better support their kids.
There is also this 60-second PSA--directed by Alex Fischman Cardenas via Greenpoint Pictures--which underscores the power and importance of listening to your loved ones.
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