Opportunity
Have you ever heard someone say, “that’s for boys, not girls?” To combat this social stigma, Mercedes-Benz USA (MBUSA) and Mattel teamed up to create “No Limits,” a national initiative designed to raise awareness about the impact of gender stereotypes on child development and to inspire children, especially young girls, to pursue their aspirations – without limits. In partnership with Mattel and the National Girls Collaborative Project (NGCP), MBUSA engaged more than 50,000 young girls across 100+ organizations in programs designed to upend assumptions. As a tangible reminder that girls can do anything, MBUSA and Mattel distributed 50,000 Matchbox die-cast toy replicas of the Mercedes-Benz 220SE to participating children. It was in this car that Ewy Rosqvist became the first woman to win the Argentine Touring Grand Prix, shattering records and the notion that women could not succeed in a male-dominated environment. The “No Limits” initiative was a perfect opportunity to showcase the company’s commitment to the community through using Rosqvist’s story to empower young girls nationwide.
Breakthrough Solutions
Research findings about the need to fight gender stereotypes validated the need for the “No Limits” program. The team leveraged an icon and Ewy Rosqvist’s story to create engaging videos that stimulated girls’ interest in exploring areas of play and creativity outside of typical gender roles. In partnership with Mattel, MBUSA commissioned a design of a die-cast replica of Ewy’s Mercedes 220SE. Cookerly PR helped broker a partnership with NGCP to help implement the initiative and distribute the model cars to organizations serving girls across the country. Three inspirational videos that tested perceptions of gender stereotypes helped open dialogue around the issue. The set of videos, shown to all girls participating in No Limits programs, worked in harmony to establish a positive female role model who overcame all odds with a mentality that transcended gender stereotypes. Cookerly PR developed a discussion guide and curriculum and activate on National STEM Day in three cities: New York, Atlanta and Los Angeles.
Results
There were 60+ placements for all earned media, exceeding goals and reaching an audience of 139.5 million, nearly 3 times the goal of 50 million. Coverage appeared in MSN, Business Insider, Refinery 29, Forbes, Glamour, Romper, Yahoo! Lifestyle, Bustle plus a multitude of websites, local dailies/broadcast outlets and trades. Grassroots programs impacted 50,000 girls across the country through 100 activations in more than 30 states with a positive message using the discussion guide, curriculum and distribution of Matchbox cars. Videos received nearly 1MM video views; and social reach was 57.9MM, 11.5 times the 5MM goal. Due to the overall CSR campaign, NGCP program directors across the country reported positive reactions from children, mentors and parents, noting a visible shift in how the girls perceived their own potential. The results clearly reflect success with each objective achieved or surpassed and wide-reaching visibility secured for the No Limits initiative and MBUSA. The program was recognized by Forbes and TalkWalker as one of the year’s top social marketing campaigns.
As a senior vice president at Cookerly, Matt helps organizations protect and advance their reputations and bottom lines through strategic communications programs. Using creativity, planning and flawless execution, he works with a team to deliver compelling public relations campaigns that produce results and support clients’ business objectives.
As senior vice president at Cookerly, Mike Rieman specializes in building and maintaining relationships with the media and has an excellent track record of landing significant placements in print and broadcast media including USA Today, Wall Street Journal, Bloomberg and Money Magazine.
As vice president of Cookerly, Sheryl Sellaway uses her extensive corporate communications background to lead consumer PR efforts, deliver strategy for marketing programs and share expertise about community initiatives.
