Taraji P. Henson and Busy Philipps star in Olay's Super Bowl ad backing Girls Who Code

P&G hopes the brand's space mission lands a high gender-equality rating

Published On
Jan 30, 2020

Editor's Pick

Olay is heading for the final frontier—not so much outer space as the less-explored territory of an all-female cast—with its Super Bowl ad.

The Procter & Gamble Co. brand’s crew, in an ad from female-owned Badger & Winters, hops a rocket into space as Katie Couric says: “Is there enough space in space for women? Who wrote that? Are people really still asking that question?”

Apparently, yes. But the Olay crew includes three female astronauts, plus Couric and Taraji P. Henson on the ground. As part of the campaign the brand will donate $1 to Women Who Code for every tweet directed @OlaySkin with the hashtag #MakeSpaceforWomen.

While not unprecedented in the Super Bowl (think Anheuser-Busch InBev’s Bon and Viv from last year), all-female casting remains rare on game day. Women were featured in 41 Super Bowl ads last year compared with 47 featuring men, according to research firm ABX. And survey respondents scored women’s portrayal in Super Bowl ads below the index for ads overall, as in years past.

Olay is back for a second year. Last year’s ad from Saatchi & Saatchi, starring Sarah Michelle Gellar, scored low at 92 (index 100) for its portrayal of women, per ABX. Bon and Viv fared worse (84). Given the cast and theme, it will be surprising if Olay’s score doesn’t improve this year.

Credits

Date
Jan 30, 2020
Client :
Olay
Agency :
Badger & Winters
Vice President :
Chris Heiert
Brand Director :
Eric Gruen
Associate Brand Director :
Eric Rose
Harley Procter Marketing & Group Director :
Pete Carter
Senior Communications Manager :
Kate DiCarlo
Brand Manager :
Joanna Martinez
Integrated Production Manager :
Bradley Trimble
Founder & Chief Creative Officer :
Madonna Badger
President :
Jim Winters
Managing Director :
Natalie Troubh
Head of Production :
Celeste Holt-Walters
Executive Creative Director :
Grace Chu
Associate Creative Director :
Matthew Scott
Associate Creative Director :
Kristen Murphy
Associate Creative Director :
James Best
Art Director :
Nate McCain
Senior Producer :
Julie Amenta
Producer :
Willem Koppel
Director of Business Affairs :
Ruth Lawler
Account Supervisor :
Madeline Lefferts
Account Supervisor :
Shreena Patel
Production Company :
Independent Media
Director :
Jamie Babitt
Director of Photography :
Janusz Kaminski
Executive Producer / Managing Director :
Susanne Preissler
Executive Producer :
Liam Ahern
Head of Production :
Fern Martin
Line Producer :
Denise Roccietti
Production Designer :
Steve Saklad
1st A.D. :
Chris Berger
2nd A.D. :
Leslie Merlin
Gaffer :
Jonathan Guerra
Key Grip :
Chuck Crivier
Punch Up Writer :
JoEllen Redlingshafer
Punch Up Writer :
Hayley Adams
Costume Designer :
Choo-Choo Kim
Costume Designer :
Roseanne Fiedler
Make-up for Busy :
Kindra Mann
Hair for Busy :
Kristin Heitkotter
Make-up for Lilly & Denise :
Aaron Paul
Hair for Lilly & Denise :
Chad Woods
Make-up for Taraj :
Ashunta Sheriff-Kendricks
Hair for Taraji :
Tymothy Wallace
Key H&M + Katie Couric :
Isaac Prado
Manicurist :
Nettie Davis
Editorial :
Arcade Edit
Partner / Editor :
Kim Bica
Partner / Executive Producer :
Sila Soyer
Post Producer :
Ellen Lavery
Post Producer :
Sarah Schachte
Assistant Editor :
Chris Angel
Assistant Editor :
Chris Messier
AfterEffects :
Scott Pallo
VFX/Finishing :
The Mill
Executive Producer :
Anastasia Von Rahl
Producer :
Katherine Maidment
Production Coordinator :
Mary Mondrus
Production Support :
Ellie Thwaites
Production Support :
Siddharth Baloni
Creative Director :
Becky Porter
Creative Director :
Bowe King
2D Lead :
Scott Johnson
2D Lead :
Renjith Raveendran
CG Supervisor :
Gaurav Mathur
Motion Graphics :
Corey Dimond
Motion Graphics :
Patrick Kipper
Senior Colorist :
Sparkle
Commercial Producer :
Casey Odell
Audio :
Heard City
Audio Mixer & Sound Engineer :
Elizabeth McClanahan
Audio Mixer & Sound Engineer :
Evan Mangiamele
Managing Director/Partner :
Gloria Pitagorsky
Producer :
Andi Lewis
Executive Producer :
Sasha Awn
Executive Producer :
Jackie James
Composer :
Penka Kouneva
Talent :
Taraji Henson
Talent :
Katie Couric
Talent :
Busy Philipps
Talent :
Lilly Singh
Talent :
Nicole Stott
Stem Student :
Brianna Acosta
Stem Student :
Jaila Brazzle
Stem Student :
Camille Chase
Stem Student :
Maria De La Torre
Stem Student :
Rebecca Hochma Fishe
Stem Student :
Autum Hudson
Stem Student :
Sara Kamine
Stem Student :
Marcha Kiatrungrit
Stem Student :
Olivia Lewis
Stem Student :
Christina Miller
Stem Student :
Myra Modregon
Stem Student :
Krystel Roche
Stem Student :
Janine Chua
Stem Student :
Manju Bangalore

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