There are times when the lights dim, the set clears, and the applause fades, leaving behind silence where voices should still echo.
In industries built on spectacle, recognition can sometimes be as fleeting as the credits rolling on a screen… but every so often, someone flips the script, turning what looks like the end into the perfect setup for a new beginning.
That’s exactly what happened in Hollywood when a brilliant guerrilla marketing campaign borrowed one of the industry’s most iconic promotional traditions and turned it on its head.
No, the campaign didn’t sell a blockbuster film, a TV series, or a celebrity endorsement.
Instead, it sold something far more powerful: The idea that women in film—especially in a time of crisis—deserve to be seen, remembered, and hired.
Photo from Campaigns of the World
When the COVID-19 pandemic hit, thousands of professionals across industries lost their jobs.
In Hollywood, women were hit particularly hard. Careers that had taken years to build suddenly stalled.
Directors, producers, editors, and other behind-the-scenes creatives were left in the shadows, overlooked at a time when opportunities were already scarce.
Yet, if there’s one thing Hollywood knows, it’s the power of visibility.
That’s where Women in Film and creative agency Saatchi & Saatchi stepped in with a daring idea:
Use the very tools Hollywood deploys to sell films and stars—only this time, to put women back in the spotlight.
Flipping the Script on “For Your Consideration”
Every awards season, billboards, posters, and digital ads flood Los Angeles with “For Your Consideration” campaigns, urging Academy members to remember a particular film or actor when voting season arrives.
The tactic is as Hollywood as the red carpet itself.
So what if, instead of promoting movies, those campaigns promoted women?
That’s exactly what Saatchi & Saatchi did!
The ad agency hijacked this beloved Hollywood ritual and redirected it towards over 30 female film professionals who had lost opportunities during the recession.
Each ad spotlighted a woman and her craft, using glowing recommendations from A-list celebrities they’d worked with.
Photo from Saatchi & Saatchi
Just imagine scrolling past a digital ad or walking by a poster that doesn’t push the latest Oscar contender but instead boldly declares:
Consider a Woman.
It was a clever disruption—familiar enough to blend into the Hollywood promotional ecosystem, yet radical enough to make people stop, stare, and think.
What else?
The campaign wasn’t just about visibility; it was also about validation.
Each “For Your Consideration” ad featured endorsements from actors and filmmakers who vouched for these women’s talent.
It was concrete proof that these professionals had made their mark in Hollywood and deserved to keep working.
Director and writer Tara Miele captured the spirit perfectly:
“This campaign has been an important brick in helping me and my work stay at the forefront of people’s minds. So, Hollywood, if you’re hiring, consider a woman.”
It was both a rallying cry and a challenge: Why overlook incredible talent just because the system wasn’t built to hold them up?
The Results
By now, many of you know that the brilliance of guerrilla marketing lies in its ability to infiltrate the culture it critiques.
… and by all accounts, this campaign did exactly that!
Check out these stats:
- 69 million digital impressions amplified the message across online platforms.
- 30+ posters were strategically placed to echo Hollywood’s award-season noise.
- Over USD 300,000 donated to support Women in Film programs ensured that the movement wasn’t just symbolic, but also actionable.
Clearly, the campaign didn’t just raise awareness! It also reignited conversations about gender equity in the film industry, ensuring women weren’t pushed further into the background during a crisis.
Good job on this, Women in Film and Saatchi & Saatchi!
*Applause*
By taking something as ingrained in Hollywood as “For Your Consideration” ads and repurposing it, the team was able to create a campaign that was both recognizable and revolutionary!
In fact, the strategy was equal parts satire and sincerity: Poking fun at the excess of award-season promotions while proving how easily those same resources could be used to fuel equity and change.
Most importantly, it didn’t just raise awareness for an issue; it also created opportunities for real people. It handed women in film a stage when the curtains had unfairly been drawn too soon.
—
At its heart, “For Your Consideration” wasn’t just a marketing campaign but also a cultural intervention.
By hijacking Hollywood’s own promotional playbook, Women in Film and Saatchi & Saatchi showed the industry what it so often forgets: That behind every masterpiece is a diverse crew of professionals whose voices deserve to be heard long after the spotlight fades.
Maybe, that’s the BIGGER lesson.
Visibility isn’t just about fame but also about fairness. Recognition isn’t just about awards but also about access.
… and in the grand story of Hollywood, the best plots aren’t always about the heroes on screen but also about the unsung creators who bring those stories to life.
So, the next time you’re hiring, you might want to also consider a woman.
About The Dynamic Marketing Communiqué’s
“Fridays: Gorillas of Guerrilla Marketing”
Jay Conrad Levinson (1984) said that Guerrilla Marketing “works because it’s simple to appreciate, easy to execute, and inexpensive.”
Guerrilla Marketing is unconventional.
Looking beyond the traditional ways of advertising, marketers and advertisers need to spice things up in order for their brand to have campaigns that not only make an impact but also stick to their target market’s mind.
Guerrilla Marketing usually aims to have direct contact with consumers.
This type of direct contact should spark an emotional reaction that leads to consumers effectively remembering the brand.
It’s about making a big impression and making that impression last a long time (if not forever).
Guerrilla Marketing can be inexpensive.
The effect of this is being able to create a buzz around the brand, and the strategy used to market it. Almost everything is passed around through word-of-mouth.
Word-of-mouth is one of the greatest outcomes and it usually doesn’t cost anything.
This is every business’ or brand’s dream!
Every Friday, we publish tips, examples, and other useful content on unconventional ways of marketing and promotion.
Learn more about how to grab your target market’s attention and make an amazing first and lasting impression without having to spend a lot of money.
Businesses don’t really need to spend much for a guerrilla campaign. You do not need a big budget to be successful. You just need creativity and a good imagination.
Hope you find this week’s guerrilla marketing insight interesting and helpful.
Stay tuned for next Friday’s “Gorillas of Guerrilla Marketing!”
Cheers,
Dyane Diasanta
Senior Content Writer
Valens Dynamic Marketing Capabilities
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