JWT's Girlguiding Campaign Turns Demeaning Phrase into Empowering Call to Action

The new campaign by J. Walter Thompson London for Girlguiding has flipped the once demeaning phrase ‘Know Your Place’ to become an empowering message with the aim of inspiring more volunteers to sign up and help the charity empower the next generation of young women. 

Currently, there are over 70,000 girls and young women across the UK unable to access the huge range of activities that Girlguiding offers, as they wait for more volunteers to sign up. 

The campaign aims to recruit more volunteers to help meet the overwhelming demand. 

The campaign, J. Walter Thompson London’s first work with Girlguiding, includes a hero online film, posters, a dedicated campaign landing page and website updates, video ads across Twitter and Facebook, a media partnership, and an engagement programme for existing volunteers. 

The film begins with arresting, close-up shots of young women’s faces with the VO “I Know My Place” intended to sound like a derogatory statement. However, as the film unfolds it reveals that all the women are taking part in Girlguiding activities, from paddle boarding to science experiments, all designed to empower young women. 

The targeted Facebook video and Twitter ads will aim to drive traffic to the website and more volunteer sign-ups. Retargeted ads will be distributed to users that have interacted with the initial posts for an extra push to sign-up. 

The social activity will work alongside a media partnership with The Pool that will continue to engage the target audience on how and why Girlguiding is so important.

The social ads run concurrently to an existing volunteer engagement programme. Girlguiding are encouraging volunteers to promote the campaign within their communities via posters, leaflets and local press. Volunteers are also featured in the campaign film and photography, and have been given regular campaign updates and behind the scenes materials through social media, magazines, and emails. 

Lucas Peon, Executive Creative Director at J. Walter Thompson London, said: “The idea of taking something disempowering and making it ‘empowering’, makes a really strong statement about the affect these sorely needed volunteers will have on these girls’ lives and the force of change they can become.”   

Sally Illsley, Deputy Chief Guide, said: “The spirit of the campaign is to turn the old fashioned idea that a woman should know her place on its head and reclaim it to make clear that a woman’s place is wherever she wants it to be. If you’re someone who would like to help inspire and empower a generation of girls and young women to find their place in the world then volunteering with Girlguiding is the chance to do just that.”