Inside Olay's Bold Initiative #STEMTheGap with P&G & Publicis Groupe
The journey of the #STEMTheGap initiative has evolved from a small-scale campaign into an impressive spot seen all across India. Its creators also see a future for the campaign, with Olay envisioning a future in which the number of women in STEM is doubled by 2030.
Spearheaded by Priyali Kamath, senior vice president at P&G, Singapore, and Ajay Thrivikraman, chief creative officer at Publicis Groupe Southeast Asia, the campaign’s success has been a catalyst for change.
Speaking to LBB, Priyali shares insights into the pivotal shift towards mentorship as a catalyst for change, while Ajay elaborates on Olay's commitment to empowering women in STEM, from pioneering scholarships to crafting a virtual mentor AI-Shu.
LBB> The original #STEMTheGap campaign garnered significant attention with 10 million views and an 80 million reach. How did this success shape the program's expansion and outreach efforts in 2023?
Priyali> With the launch of the #STEMTheGap program in 2021, we shed light on the issue of unconscious bias that discourages Indian women from a very young age to pursue STEM careers. As we developed this program, an important nuance emerged: while this bias is natural, its impact on girls studying STEM is not as significant as on the number of women in the STEM workforce. Months of extensive research and consumer interviews allowed us to delve deeper into the root causes of dropouts from the workplace, leading us to uncover a significant factor: the lack of role models and mentors.
As the old adage goes, “I cannot be, what I cannot see.” Without clear paths to follow, many women are daunted by the prospect of a STEM career when there is no clear paved way ahead. This discovery propelled us into the second phase of the program, with a renewed focus on mentorship as the key catalyst for change.
LBB> Can you tell us more about the genesis of the #STEMTheGap initiative and what inspired Olay and Publicis PG One in Singapore to take up this cause?
Ajay> Olay is a brand rooted in science. Its efficacy and popularity in skin care are driven by research, development, and innovation. Given that women are our core consumers, it was only natural then that Olay decided to take a closer look at the intersection of women in science. What we found was troubling.
P&G’s view has always been that brands can be both a force for growth and a force for good and given the challenges women face in STEM, we felt this was an area where we could make a meaningful difference. We set out to support and inspire women to overcome the stereotypes, biases and obstacles placed in their paths by society to follow their true calling.
LBB> Olay's partnership with vLookUp connects female students with STEM mentors online. Can you elaborate on how these mentorship programs work and their significance in fostering women in STEM?
Priyali> It has been reported that by 2030, 80% of the world’s jobs will involve science and technology. Indian women only make up 14% of the STEM workforce despite making up nearly half of the country’s STEM graduates as we started digging into why, we surveyed hundreds of female STEM dropouts and discovered that the most prominent reason for dropping out is not marriage or childcare but the lack of mentors and role models to pave the way for success. This eye-opening truth propelled us to help address the mentorship gap in STEM.
We have fostered collaborations with esteemed partners in the industry, including advertising and tech agencies, media partners, retailers, and nonprofit organisations like vLookUp. By leveraging vLookUp's extensive network and expertise in mentor matching, Olay has connected mentees with mentors with relevant knowledge and experience in STEM fields, ensuring they receive tailored guidance and support.
LBB> The program sponsors STEM scholarships for underprivileged girls. How have these scholarships impacted young girls' access to STEM education and career development?
Priyali> Through our partnership with LEAD School, we have significantly impacted by providing school fees and essential learning tools, including tablets, to over 200 girls in India.
The impact of these scholarships is evident in the remarkable academic achievements of the scholars. After participating in the program for one year, we are delighted to share that 100% of these scholars have shown substantial improvement in their academic performance, particularly in STEM subjects such as science, maths, and computer studies – a testament to the positive influence of the scholarships on their educational growth and their increasing proficiency in crucial STEM disciplines.
LBB> Collaboration is crucial in initiatives like #STEMTheGap. How has Olay partnered with other organisations, and what role have these partnerships played in its success?
Priyali> Collaborating with creative and tech agencies like Publicis Groupe to conduct research, gather relevant insights, develop Olay’s virtual mentor AI-Shu and send the story across through a film were critical elements of this vast partnership. This collaboration has allowed us to leverage the agency's expertise in creating a comprehensive mentorship system that goes beyond the walls of social media platforms. Media partners have also supported the initiative by having senior leaders volunteer for the Olay STEM Mentoring Program. The campaign's reach has also gone beyond P&G’s platforms and expanded to OTT platforms through our alliance with our e-retailer, Amazon. They have also provided STEM certificate courses for women instead of the campaign. In this same vein, it was vital that we worked with partners who had the same passion for making this program a reality.
LBB> Olay has introduced a web-based virtual chat mentor. What can you tell us about this mentorship tool and how it benefits aspiring young girls entering STEM fields?
Ajay> Ai-Shu is an AI-powered chatbot, a virtual mentor made up of all the wisdom and experiences of some of India’s past and current top female scientists and women in STEM. Aspiring young girls can chat with Ai-Shu and have her answer some of their basic questions and give them all the encouragement and support they need through the natural and practical wisdom of these women scientists who make up her “hive intelligence”. But even more importantly, Ai-Shu can connect these young women to real, human mentors whom they can choose based on their criteria, area of interest or feel a connection with. These are mentors drawn from a wide variety of scientific backgrounds and some of the world’s top technology companies. The idea is, essentially, to help young aspiring women find real-life mentors and role models… exactly what research told us is lacking.
LBB> Could you expand on Olay's goal to double the number of women in STEM by 2030? What are the key strategies Publicis PG One Singapore is implementing to help Olay achieve this ambitious target?
Ajay> The most straightforward first step is to ensure that more young girls pursue their passion in STEM via scholarships with LEAD school, an ongoing initiative we started in the past year. By partnering with vLookUp, Olay is providing access to mentors worldwide. Last but not least, even within P&G, there are several initiatives to drive women's employment in the STEM field, including project “Relaunch”, which allows women who have chosen to take a break in their careers to be reabsorbed in their STEM field when they’re ready. Olay #STEMTheGap, now in its second year, will continue to pursue new initiatives with each passing year to achieve this very ambitious and crucial target. After all, trends indicate that a vast majority of jobs in the future are likely to be technology-related.
LBB> In the realm of STEM and female mentorship, what are some upcoming developments or projects we can anticipate from Olay and the #STEMTheGap initiative?
Priyali> Our #STEMTheGap journey is far from over. We are committed to expanding the reach and impact of our mentorship programs. We are actively working on forging new partnerships with prominent organisations in the STEM field to enhance our mentorship initiatives further. These collaborations will allow us to connect mentees with a diverse range of mentors, including industry leaders, experts, and accomplished professionals, who can provide invaluable guidance and support. We are also rolling out this partnership to P&G India’s college campus roadshows to encourage young women to pursue STEM careers, like some of the available opportunities in P&G.
In line with our commitment to harnessing technology, we are also investing in developing innovative digital platforms. Through Ai-Shu, mentees will have access to tailored guidance, resources, and interactive learning tools, empowering them to navigate the challenges and opportunities in STEM fields.
