At the current pace of progress, most women alive today will not see gender equality in their lifetime. 

A bold new campaign from Plan International UK, developed by The Gate, spotlights the stark inequalities girls are born into to push for progress. 

The increased risk of harassment. The reduced access to education. The limited bodily autonomy. The restricted choices, freedoms and safety. These are but a few of the ‘terms and conditions’ of being a girl that women are born into. 

The campaign titled ‘The Fine Print’ forces audiences to confront the inequalities that girls face simply by being born.  

A campaign film shows a newborn baby girl against the recognisable terms and conditions agreement that most people scroll past and agree to without reading. However, when it comes to the terms and conditions of being a girl, there is no ‘decline’ button.

An out-of-home execution of the campaign shows a phone with the familiar terms and conditions screen, filled with the inequalities women face, but with only one option to ‘agree’. 

Another execution shows a hospital wristband, printed not with a name but with pages of fine print, wrapped around a baby’s wrist. 

Pairing the striking, candid copy with the visuals of an innocent baby forces audiences to face the harrowing ongoing issue of gender inequality.

“Gender inequality isn't a distant problem - it's written into girls’ lives from the moment they're born. 'The Fine Print' lays bare the hidden rules and restrictions girls never agreed to,” says Nick Radmore, Director of Fundraising & Supporter Engagement at Plan International UK, continuing: “We hope it stops people in their tracks and moves them to act, because the world girls are inheriting is failing them and it won’t change without all of us refusing to accept the status quo.”

Rather than cast a real infant in the campaign, the production used AI to remove issues around consent and protect the creative. While the marketing industry grapples with conversations around the ethics of AI, this campaign shows how the technology can be used to deliver a hard-hitting message without putting talent at risk. AI was used to bring the baby’s expressions and movements to life and give the team the full creative freedom.

“When you see our innocent, newborn baby girl, it’s chilling to think that parts of her future may already be written for her. An invisible contract. Terms she cannot see, let alone understand, yet powerful enough to shape the course of her life. This campaign is designed to land like a gut punch,” says Maisie Willis, Creative Officer at The Gate.

The campaign is made up of a 40-second hero film, a 15-second YouTube cut, and a suite of stills for OOH and Meta. The film was produced by M3 labs/ MSQ Global Studios and directed by Mary-Sue Masson and Media planning and buying was handled by MediaLab.

Subverting the terms and conditions page we so often scroll past with copy that forces people to pay attention, the striking campaign stops audiences in their tracks. Gender equality can only be achieved with active effort. This campaign is a confronting call to action and a rallying cry that cannot be ignored.