Vodafone helps young women realise their true worth

With the emergence of smartphones, ‘selfie’ craze has taken the world by storm. A recent study by FramesDirect.com shows that millennials spend an average of an hour per week on clicking selfies and posting them on social media. There are over 310 million pictures tagged #me and over 250 million pictures tagged #selfie on Instagram. This trend has now got youngsters obsessed with garnering likes on social media and being constantly driven by the need for acknowledgment on social media and even risking life and limb in the quest for that elusive awe-inducing selfie. 

Taking this selfie craze head-on, Vodafone rolled out a campaign in May, which is observed in most countries as ‘self-esteem’ month, to make the Gen Next aware that young women are #WorthMore than the selfies posted on social media. It addresses how selfie obsession has a negative effect on the confidence and self-esteem of youngsters who are highly active on social media. 

Executed by Ogilvy & Mather, the #Worthmore campaign seeks to celebrate people and their sense of individuality rather than only worrying about looking good in selfies. 

Earlier this year, Vodafone had rolled out a series of campaigns – #BeSuper – which talked about what is happening in the society, what are people talking about and their aspirations in life. “While #BeSuper was an idea platform, #WorthMore is one of its expressions,” said Siddharth Banerjee, EVP – Marketing, Vodafone India. 

Banerjee further said that for the #WorthMore campaign, Ogilvy & Mather was given a one-line brief – What are various refreshing ways in which Vodafone can make their #BeSuper brand essence come alive via larger societal trends to engage consumers? 

Vodafone has collaborated with Facebook as its social media partner and has released a few #WorthMore videos on their Facebook page as part of its digital marketing strategy. Badminton player and youth icon Saina Nehwal has also supported the cause and appears in a Facebook post, where she is shown holding a placard that states: “I am strong, kind and honest. I am #WorthMore than just my selfie”. Banerjee remarked, “We are happy to have youth icon Saina Nehwal, while several news handles have also joined us in spreading this message.” 

The campaign has been well received and appreciated, drawing proactive participation from people across geographies and demographics. Within a week of release, the Vodafone #WorthMore campaign has garnered 7 million views and initiated more than 5,000 conversations.

The digital-only campaign also features a series of videos consisting of different girls busy taking selfies to gain ‘Likes’ on their social media posts, only to feel dejected when they receive less than expected ‘Likes”. However, having realised their self-worth, these teenage girls are shown posting their selfie pics with placards in their hands that read, “I am talented, driven and dynamic, I am #WorthMore than just my selfie” and “I am smart, generous and funny, I am #WorthMore than just my selfie”. 

Banerjee explained that Vodafone did not use the much loved ZooZoos for this campaign as this is a socially relevant topic and the endeavour has been to engage with women at a personal level. On the use of digital media for this campaign, he added, “The medium and channels we used have worked well to deliver the intended message in the appropriate manner.”