vivo charts the long journey of women in STEM
The initiative was based on the insight that while India has the most number of enrollments in STEM education, the conversion of women who actually get into the workstream after that is just 17%
Marking Women’s Day 2024, global smartphone brand, vivo has announced its latest digital campaign, ‘The Seat – Celebration of Women in STEM’, to reaffirm its commitment to empowering women, particularly in the field of STEM education (Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics). The digital campaign is an extension of vivo’s ongoing country-wide initiative ‘Women in STEM’.
Geetaj Channana, Head of Corporate Strategy at vivo India told exchange4media, “The thinking on this started over two years ago, when we were really deciding as a part of our CSR effort of what we should be doing and where should we focus our CSR on.”
The initiative was born based on the insight that while in India there is the most number of enrollments in STEM education, the conversion of women who actually get into the workstream after that is just 17%. “Over 80% of the women who start their higher education in STEM, they don't even get into the workstream,” Channana added. The messaging further trickles down to how one is mentored and groomed, and not just what they have studied.
The Digital Video Commercial (DVC) portrays the inspiring journey of young women from various parts of India undertaking a long journey to their dream college while carrying their own chairs with them. Using the metaphor of carrying their own chairs as a symbol of determination to carve out a seat for themselves in premier institutions, the film underscores the importance of creating space for women in STEM education and the professional arena.
“The women have secured their chairs, They have worked hard for it and they have, they have made a place for themselves. The question then is how can we as a brand help them in getting that chair in the right place, getting their chair in the right institute so that they can finish their education, moving that chair to a corporate chair wherein they can make a life for themselves and improve the quality of life of their families while contributing to the nation?” Channana added.
The brand worked with FCB India on the campaign and plans to go heavy on digital-only for the same. “We are not going the traditional route too much for this,” he said. Channana further shared that there is more to look out for next year as well, as far as this initiative is concerned.
Swati Bhattacharya, Creative Chairperson, FCB India said, “Our future will look great only when women play an equal role in it. This film is an ode to the young girls whose grit and determination has taken them to the high ' seats' of education in India. The vivo scholarship works as a catalyst to change their lives forever.”
