One taboo question designed to close the pay gap & make feminism relevant to a new generation.

British women still earn around 20% less than their male colleagues. Over forty years after the Equal Pay Act was introduced, there’s still a pay gap. A gap that isn’t expected to close until 2057. Make Them Pay was created to close it sooner.

It encouraged women to do the most uncomfortable thing they could in business: ask their male colleagues what they earned. A simple, terrifying question to raise awareness of the pay inequality and agitate Government and Big Business for change. Supported by the British Prime Minister, Make Them Pay is now driving legislative change in the UK.

Recognising the need to be direct and meaningful on the pages of a fashion magazine looking to rebrand feminism, we borrowed from the language of punk to ask a single taboo question designed to close the pay gap & make feminism relevant to a new generation. The online tool was simple but powerful – helping to unstiffen the British upper lip and reveal the pay gap. It was the secret to driving engagement and outrage in social media about the issue – and in turn provoking the media, big business and Government response.

The impact goes far beyond the 135 million (and counting) social media impressions received. Not only was the campaign endorsed by Equalities Minister Jo Swinson & Deputy PM Nick Clegg – it went right to the top. Thanks to the campaign, closing the pay gap became part of British Prime Minister David Cameron's agenda. Government is now introducing (and considering legally enforcing) equal pay audits to close the gap.