Director duo Similar But Different (Charlotte Fassler & Dani Girdwood) worked with Free The Bid-pledged agency The Martin Agency on the Land O’Lakes “All Together Better” campaign.
Showcasing the hard work of real Land O’Lakes female farmers, the duo’s video for country star Maggie Rose‘s “She-I-O,” is a woman-centric reimagining of classic nursery rhyme, “Old MacDonald”. The campaign aims to raise awareness of women farmers, in celebration of Women’s Equality Day on August 26th.
As an added Free The Bid bonus, the video was edited by Whitehouse Post editor Heidi Black!
We spoke with the directors and The Martin Agency’s team about their work on the project, maintaining authentic portrayals of the “gutsy and unstoppable” women, and how Free The Bid helps the industry put diversity talk into action.
Similar But Different (Dani Girdwood and Charlotte Fassler)
“We wanted to celebrate the unapologetic confidence that drives these badass women — they are gutsy and unstoppable. It’s rare for working women of any industry to be captured in a way that shows grit and strength — and that has got to change. We were lucky to collaborate with a predominantly female team at The Martin Agency. There were never any talks of sugarcoating or adding a disingenuous gloss to the hard work of our female farmers. We wanted our lens to feel authentic and powerful. For us, tapping into the reality of this spot was crucial — a bold opportunity to champion these unsung heroes.”
Anne Marie Hite, Creative Director, The Martin Agency
“We only considered female directors for this project – and there were so many amazing ones – because we felt it was really important to understand and relate to the strength and struggles of the female farmer on an intuitive level and bring that to life in an authentic way. Dani and Charlotte of Similar but Different were the perfect choice. From the first call forward, they got our vision and plussed it up every step of the way. The result is a film that is resonating with all women, whether in film, advertising, farming or the corporate world. We and our clients at Land O’Lakes could not be more thrilled.
I am so proud to work for an agency that supports Free the Bid. There are so many amazing female directors out there and we are excited for them to finally get the jobs that put them in the spotlight. “
Karen Costello, Chief Creative Officer, The Martin Agency
“Diversity is something we all talk about, but Free The Bid is a simple but powerful action we can take that moves beyond just talk. Opportunity, access and exposure are the only ways more diverse voices will find their way into all aspects of what we do. And both the work and the world are better when they do.