The series, which takes viewers from the Philippines to Peru to Nigeria, is beautifully shot, and the activists are passionate and sincere. One aim of the project is to inspire others to do their part to end poverty and save the planet, says Hugh Evans, CEO of Global Citizen, which is co-producing Activate.
Each installment also includes information about how Procter & Gamble is addressing the theme of the episode. The segment on keeping girls in school, for example, features the work that Always, Whisper, and Orkid—P&G's feminine protection brands—are doing to provide puberty education in emerging market countries. P&G "is genuinely committed to putting social good at the center of their business model," says Evans. "Activate was a logical extension of that model."
The marketing world is closely watching Activate and other projects like it: Cincinnati-based P&G is one of the largest advertisers in the world, spending $2.9 billion in the U.S. last year. If corporations find it more effective to fund—and play a supporting role in—documentaries and narrative storytelling, it would whipsaw an industry that's struggling to engage audiences and win their loyalties.
The marketing world is closely watching Activate and other projects like it: Cincinnati-based P&G is one of the largest advertisers in the world, spending $2.9 billion in the U.S. last year. If corporations find it more effective to fund—and play a supporting role in—documentaries and narrative storytelling, it would whipsaw an industry that's struggling to engage audiences and win their loyalties.
"The scale and breadth of Activate is unprecedented," Marc S. Pritchard, P&G's chief brand officer.
"Activate" features a P&G corporate or brand representative in every episode: Damon Jones, the company's vice president of global communications and advocacy, appears as an expert in the documentary on criminal justice reform; P&G's Children's Safe Drinking Water nonprofit figures into the clean water segment.
But the brand says it was vital for the content creators to maintain editorial control of the material.
"Activate" features a P&G corporate or brand representative in every episode: Damon Jones, the company's vice president of global communications and advocacy, appears as an expert in the documentary on criminal justice reform; P&G's Children's Safe Drinking Water nonprofit figures into the clean water segment.
But the brand says it was vital for the content creators to maintain editorial control of the material.
"Nine out of 10 consumers feel that if a brand supports a cause they believe in, they'll support that brand. But consumers are looking very carefully at whether those brands are authentic, that they're really walking the walk." Marc S. Pritchard, P&G's chief brand officer.
Global Citizen's Evans thinks Activate will become a model for other companies and brands looking to move away from traditional marketing efforts such as commercial spots in favor of initiatives with greater social impact. "Instead of just sending cars around a racetrack really fast," he says, "you can inspire someone to become the next Malala Yousafzai or Greta Thunberg."
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