Creative Challenge:
As Planned Parenthood’s brand headquarters, we knew the organization had a legacy following and power recognition for quality health care and reproductive rights advocacy. However, prior to the fall of Roe, brand research underlined the need for greater familiarity among younger and diverse audiences who only knew about limited services we offered as a national health care chain providing a full range of reproductive health care for all genders, inclusive of contraceptive care, abortion, testing and treatment for sexually transmitted infections, cancer screenings, and routine health exams, LGBTQ+ gender affirming care, and much more.
Creative Solution:
In 2021, the brand and culture team launched a national brand campaign and conversation with a focus on resonance with Black and Latinx Gen Z audiences. We knew this was a generation that aligned with Planned Parenthood’s mission and values, and that they view identity more holistically and gender more fluidly. The organization’s legacy brand platform, “Care. No Matter Who / Where / What” overlapped with the views of a new generation that didn’t know the brand well. And, an opportunity emerged to both support young people in getting the compassionate, inclusive health care they need, and assert a shared view—that no one should be denied their freedom, bodily autonomy, or identity.
The Be Seen campaign was born to engage audiences around these shared values and introduce Planned Parenthood’s unique approach to health care, where patients could be seen for who they are holistically and without judgment.
Core messaging for the campaign included an inviting premise:
Planned Parenthood is here to see you — truly see you — become who you will be. We know that when you have full control over your decisions and your body, you can fight for what you're passionate about. Create the society you wish to see. Help your community. Or just live and be. Be Seen.
The campaign was multi-faceted and included audio spots, paid ads, merchandise, a robust influencer strategy and cross-channel social media engagement. The campaign also included partnerships with artists, influencers, and media outlets. An extension campaign emerged called “Tone,” a partnership with Refinery29/Unbothered, which produced a collection of culturally relevant meditations, visualizations, and words of self-care and wisdom during the pandemic, as both a wellness tool and affirmation effort. Engagement surpassed expectations and resulted in substantial brand favorability increase cross platforms, an 8.9% brand lift among black audiences, and over 15k organic engagements and 1.4M earned media impressions. The primary video spot achieved an award for #1 ad in the world for a week in 2021 by Ad Forum.
Project Team:
Executive Creative Director: Elizabeth Bawol
Senior Brand Strategist & Producer: Lauren Garcimonde-Fisher
Senior Editorial Direction: Ylonda Gault
VP Brand & Culture: Rachel Moreno
SVP Communications: Melanie Newman
Creative Partner: Virtue Worldwide
