A new TV commercial, created free for Plan, demonstrates the impact education has on girls and the world around them. We know that girls are the key to solving world poverty. They have the power to free themselves and their communities from poverty with education and the right support. Our ‘Because I Am A Girl’ campaign aims to support four million girls to stay in education and fulfil their potential.
As you’ll see in the video above, the commercial shows an African school girl falling through the sky like a missile towards a poor African town. Her impact on the town creates a powerful shockwave that ripples out from her across the landscape. Rather than causing destruction, it constructs: building schools, hospitals and a thriving town around her.
Construction not destruction
Agency Leo Burnett London developed the commercial, called ‘Mass Construction’, which launches on CNN this month and will be in cinemas from 23rd August – GCSE results day. At a time of year with such significance for young people in the UK, the ad will highlight the difference education can make – and draw attention and support to our campaign.
Justin Tindall, Executive Creative Director at Leo Burnett Group, says, “Poverty often feels like an insurmountable problem and because we don’t know where to start, we simply don’t. The fact that Plan know that girls are the best place to start is so simple and arresting that it demanded a narrative to make people really stop and think about the possibility”.
For each year a girl stays in school her income rises by up to 20 per cent. It means she can support herself, her family and invest her earnings back into her community, who’ll go on to do the same, generation after generation. She helps everyone, creating a virtuous circle where entire communities break the cycle of poverty.
This year sees an important development in our work to support girls in moving themselves from a life of poverty to a future with opportunity: the first United Nations International Day of the Girl will take place on 11th October. It is a day to highlight the particular needs, rights and accomplishments of girls.
Leigh Daynes, Plan UK’s director of communications says, “We’re delighted to be working with Leo Burnett. This new ad campaign is central to raising awareness of the potential of girls to lift themselves, their families and whole communities out of poverty through education and the right support. Investing in girls’ education is the right and the smart thing to do.”
How the film was made
You can also watch a film about the making of the commercial - in which Plan UK's Head of Communications talks about our campaign for girls education.
Find out more about our Because I Am A Girl campaign.