After a recession men are almost two times more likely to be rehired than women. In recent years, women were making significant advances in representation, but Women in Film (an organization dedicated to advocating for women in Hollywood) saw that the recession caused by Covid-19 shutdowns could create huge employment setbacks for women working in Hollywood. In an effort to not lose momentum, and with a budget of $0, they challenged us to create a hyper-targeted campaign to get the attention of Hollywood executives and convince them to consider women for work as production restarted. To do this, we borrowed one of Hollywood’s favorite promotion tactics: the “For Your Consideration” campaign which is used to promote films to be considered for awards like the Oscars and the Emmys. Every year, in the weeks leading up to awards season, studios put up ads all over Hollywood, promoting films “For Your Consideration.”

Hollywood is an industry dominated by men, especially behind the scenes of film production: for every 4 men working behind the scenes in Hollywood, there’s only 1 woman. In spite of this, in recent years, women were beginning to make progress in Hollywood. But the recession caused by Covid-19 put that progress at risk, with many calling it a “Shecession” because of the disproportionate economic impact on women. Hollywood was no exception: thousands of women were laid off. After a recession, men are 2x more likely than women to be rehired. Women in Film saw that the recession could set women back both economically and in representation in the industry. So we created a “For Your Consideration” campaign which promoted women instead of movies in the weeks surrounding the Emmys and through a televised event on Women’s Equality Day, to make sure it was noticed by studio executives. In an industry that’s all about word of mouth recommendations, it not only promoted the women featured in the campaign, it encouraged everyone in the industry to consider all the talented women in their network.

Women in Film hijacked Hollywood’s favorite promotion tactic, creating a For Your Consideration campaign to get women considered for work after the recession. We used the industry-standard format usually used to promote films for awards consideration, to get the attention of Hollywood executives and promote female film professionals instead: not for an award, for a job. Mimicking the aesthetic of traditional For Your Consideration ads, we created ads featuring over 30 women. Instead of using movie reviews the way a traditional For Your Consideration ad would, we used recommendations from celebrities they’ve worked with like Spike Lee, Aubrey Plaza, Sir Patrick Stewart, Issa Rae, Ang Lee, Sylvester Stallone, and more. The campaign ran across Los Angeles in the weeks surrounding the Emmys, including a trailer that ran in theaters. The campaign culminated in a televised event on The CW (on Women’s Equality Day) featuring celebrities like Jennifer Garner recommending women.

In the weeks surrounding the Emmys, when “For Your Consideration” campaigns are everywhere, Women in Film made sure our campaign appeared in all the traditional places, and then some. The campaign ran as out of home throughout Los Angeles, on social media, and online through a digital partnership with Variety, to make sure Hollywood executives couldn’t miss our message. We also gave women the tools to make their own For Your Consideration “posters” on Instagram, to extend the reach of the campaign. All efforts ended with the same clear call to action: if you’re hiring, consider a woman.

Just like any For Your Consideration campaign, ads ran where studio executives were sure to see them: as out of home all over Los Angeles, on top industry websites like Variety.com, in newly reopened cinemas and through retweets from celebrities like Lake Bell. The movement grew to include a televised event on The CW (aired on Women’s Equality Day) in which Hillary Clinton introduced the concept of recommending women for consideration, and celebrities like Jennifer Garner and Isla Fisher recommended women they’ve worked with for consideration to be hired.

The campaign launched on August 20, 2020 on Women in Film’s social channels, and had various ongoing media placements until October 28, 2020. This timing coincided with the Emmy’s and the beginning of the 2021 awards season when For Your Consideration campaigns were top of mind.

This campaign got Hollywood’s attention and drove traffic to the websites, social media, and LinkedIn profiles of the women featured in the campaign, but it didn’t end there. Our wake up call to Hollywood mobilized studios, networks and advertisers to join our movement and donate hundreds of thousands of dollars to make sure women in Hollywood are hired back. The campaign received 65.4MM earned impressions.

Quotes from women featured include “I am working so much it’s a bit intense,” “I got a call from a Hulu producer,” and “I have definitely had a lot of big jobs come my way since last August.”