2023 Winner

CASE SUMMARY

The YWCA Metro Vancouver launched a campaign called "Add the M" to address the systemic problem of gender inequity in sports. The campaign aimed to challenge the perception that men's sports are the default and women's sports are secondary. To achieve this, the YWCA added the letter "M" to iconic men's sports league logos to match the "W" often used for women's sports, which serves as an asterisk marking them as separate and less worthy.

The YWCA enlisted the support of advocates for gender equity, including Christine Sinclair, Blake Murphy, Jennifer Hedger, Tara Slone, and Donnovan Bennett, to help launch the campaign. The initiative was launched on YWCA social channels, accompanied by a video telling the story of the campaign and featuring supporters advocating for the cause.

The campaign quickly gained momentum and made headlines across the globe in over 170 publications, achieving a total overall reach of over 102 million impressions. People around the world started to add the "M" to more league logos, and the Women's Football Fan Collective added the "M" to the English Premier League and other leagues and cups.

The success of the campaign demonstrated that a great creative idea can have a significant impact without significant investment. The YWCA achieved an earned media value of over 46,000% above their investment, showing that starting a conversation can have a ripple effect and amplify the message. The YWCA's campaign aimed to let girls around the world know that their achievements, both within sports and beyond, matter and is a step towards leveling the playing field.

Credits

Chief Creative Officer: Aaron Starkman
Executive Creative Director: Mike Dubrick
Head of Art: Joel Holtby
Creative Director: Leia Rogers
ACD/Art Director: Skye Deluz, Hayley Hinkley
ACD/Copywriter: Jacquelyn Parent
Chief Strategy O:fficer Sean McDonald
Strategy Director: Nicole Rajesky
Producer: Teresa Bayley, Kyle Hicks
Studio Artists: Brad Kumar, Todd Bennett
Editor: Tyler Erdalac, Thomas McKeen
Sound Editor: Grayson Music
Developer: Brad Stapleton, Steve Lam
Kat McKeen, Group Account Director
Kennedy Crawford, Account Director
Nicole Kerrigan, Account Manager
Jessie Durand, Account Manager
Strategic Communications Lead: Meredith Montgomery
Account Director: Sara Lemmermeyer
Editorial Lead: Lianne George
PR Coordinator: Kaitlyn Vian

Client:
Amy Juschka, Director, Advocacy and Communications