Secret Deodorant’s newest ads focus on a situation many women can relate to: preparing for some sexist bullsh*t at work.
The two new 30-second spots are the most recent installments in the deodorant company’s “Stress Test” campaign. The videos feature two colleagues named Ash and Emma prepping for a big work meeting in an elevator. The two women are giving each other pep talks and preparing for the casual sexism that will likely ensue in their upcoming meeting.
The two talk in rapid fire questions: “I doubt you girls could pull that off,” one says, mimicking a male manager. “Got the data right here, sir!” the other woman replies with a deep breath and a nod to her briefcase.
They continue to rehearse: “Who came up with this business plan?” “We did.” “Who coded this?” “We did.”
Watch the full spot below.
As the elevator door opens, the ad concludes: “Ash and Emma’s pitch adds two more girls to the boys’ club.”
The second spot is called “The Bear” and features one of the women giving an awesome pep talk to her colleague. “You are a bear. You dominate, you’re brilliant, articulate,” she says to her co-worker. “Yes, those numbers are correct. Yes, those projections are feasible.”
Watch the full spot below.
The “Stress Test” campaign as a whole centers around themes of women’s empowerment. There’s a spot where a woman is asking for a raise, another where a woman is asking a man to marry her, and (possibly our favorite) a young trans woman finding the courage to leave a bathroom stall.
It’s always nice to see ad campaigns that attempt to pump women up, rather than shame them or tear them down. Now if we could just ensure that women pay the same amount for deodorant as men do, that would be a real win.
Look through the slideshow below to see other “Stress Test” ads from Secret.
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