#LikeAGirl “You fight like a girl!” “Haha you throw just like a girl!” “Common! Don’t be running like a little girl!” These are harmless comments every person has grown up hearing and using; but are they really that harmless? Teens and adults commonly use this phrase “like a girl” as a joke, not truly understanding what they are saying or how it affects girls growing up. As the Always commercial ad points out, girls’ self-esteem drops drastically during puberty, leaving them to feel insecure about themselves and not act as their true selves. This Always #LikeAGirl commercial ad uses rhetorical devises such as pathos through story and soundtrack; ethos through word/text choice and color; and the effects language has on ideas to successfully promote their message of changing the preexisting view of what “like a girl” means into a strong and uplifting phrase directed toward boys and especially girls of all ages. Their goal is to make this quote “mean amazing things”.

The first thing noticed in this commercial that draws attention is the situation and story that is portrayed. These are real girls going through an audition sharing their true opinions with the world. They are all being recorded allowing the audience to see a film of a film. This has an interesting effect for pathos as the viewer’s receive a realistic feel to the ad as opposed to a typical commercial which is scripted and staged. There is a clear difference in acting done by pre-teens and teenagers than by children around 10 and younger when asked how to do things like a girl. The older girls and boys chose to portray this phrase in a negative connotation and created a joke out of it, not being able to keep a straight face. They flailed their arms and pranced as they ran, slapped the air when asked to fight, and daintily tossed an invisible ball through the air. None of these actions are viewed as strong or empowering, although it does make for a good laugh. On the other hand, the younger children took this phrase seriously and portrayed the actions in a positive view. They do this by running as fast as they could, punching the air with visible force, and chucking an imaginary ball across the room. Unlike the first clips, the actions are strong and empowering.

But why is this opinion by the children different than teenagers? The audience realizes how saddening these two opinions are when the point of girl’s confidence disappearing from phrases as simple as this is brought up. The realization also takes place behind the cameras as the girls explain how difficult and disappointing it is for little girls when they believe they are strong and confident to just be put down telling them they are weak. The way the commercial was set up, making a realistic setting and characters and distinguishing the drastic difference in beliefs causes audiences to relate to the commercial and supports the pathos of the ad.

Choice of soundtrack and/or lack of truly adds to the pathos as the different sounds through the video resembled the range of emotions the audience feels while watching. At the beginning of the commercial, the music sounds positive and light-hearted as the highlighted teens joke around with the actions of what “like a girl” would look like. This causes the audience to laugh along as people of all ages have participated in these stereotypes. It is obvious when the music builds in suspense and strength as soon as the first young girl is shown on screen. The music works in parallel with the confidence of the actresses. These young girls are using all their strength to resemble the power they have which is supported by their high self-esteem. It is only when the question of “When did doing something “like a girl” become an insult” does the music completely cut off. This resembles the turning point when the realization settles on what the phrase really means. The silence is like the blindness society has to the meaning and how it affects the mindset of girl’s confidence growing up.
It is only when the older kids realize the mistakes they have made and the damage these words have does the music begins to come back in. This time, unlike the playful music at the start, this sound is inspirational and builds as advice is being given to all girls who have been affected negatively by these words “like a girl”. The audience’s emotions follow the path of the music from playful to serious and ending with motivational. This movement of emotions by music highly supports the pathos presented in this video and helps create a movement of now change.

Throughout this video there are not many words as the images are the main focus, but the words that are depicted are chosen very carefully to build support and ethos. Most of the text within the video is bolded a light blue color with a darker blue as the background; this is also the same dark blue background in the videos. The contrast is that the only words that are different are the words “Like A Girl” and “Always” which are written in white. At first the reason for the color change is to highlight the phrase the video is focused on. But at a closer look when keeping in mind the only other white words, the company is purposefully directly connecting these two ideas. Always wants to be remembered by the phrase “like a girl” but in a positive manor. Through this act, the company is clearly stating they are fighting for a change of the connotation of the word, supporting the amazingness aspects of what girls do.

The quote “rewrite the rules” is featured in many of the Always commercial ads and is featured at the end of the video also shown in white. This white color, which stands out from the background, catches the eye and alerts the audience this is something they need to look at. This quote inspires girls to forget all the negative words being said against them and be yourself; to rewrite the preexisting rules girls must follow, being weaker, less smart, less useful and productive than boys. This is known to be true but the societal norm and idea is too overpowering that our communities are still surprised when women accomplish things in life. This is where young girls can take the power in to their own hands and rewrite these ideas of strength and accomplishments made by girls to a norm.

Furthermore is the idea presented that certain language shape the way in which people think. When certain words are heard in everyday life, they are paired with positive or negative connotations or meanings greater than is being said. There are reasons why the phrase “like a girl” became so popular and has such a negative sense to it. The word “girl” has a large impact when reading this quote. The word encapsulates visions of youth, innocence, dependence, and fragility. Not all of these are seen in a positive way and can be used to degrade girls. But on the other hand when you hear the word “boy” you think of playful, energetic, explorative, and tough; all words that show positive meanings and help build a dominant word. Yes girls can be dependent and boys can be tough, but these roles can just as easily be switched. The word “like” is also used as a tool to generalize the weakness of all girls. This word creates a bridge leading from the action taking place to focus on words that only show a part of girl’s traits. Instead of addressing the mockery of whatever the original action was, let’s say a boy not running up to par in a school soccer game, the jokes are shifted to insult girls who had absolutely nothing to do with the original situation! The language that is used in the phrase “like a girl” has developed over the years to shape our mind into the image of something negative. In life the people perceive life or aspects of life by the language presented at the time. The different types of language and word choice than influence how humans think.

Therefore, it can be seen how effective language is in our society, that just by asking different aged girls and boys to act “like a girl” they react in specific but different ways. Always doesn’t want this split of ideas between the ages and makes this video to promote the idea to change it. Through the use of analyzing language, the story portrayed, the music used, and word/text and color type chosen; the Always #LikeAGirl commercial ad wants to change this negative view on being a girl to an uplifting and accomplished phrase. All girls need to remember this quote, “It doesn’t matter what they say. Yes I kick like a girl and I swim like a girl and I walk like a girl and I wake up in the morning like a girl, because I am a girl, and that is not something that I should be ashamed of. So I’m gonna do it anyways.”