We’re thrilled to announce that our work with the U.S. Air Force on the Origin Story campaign earned Adweek’s Media Plan of the Year for its innovative use of media placement and for leveraging the huge cultural moment during the release of Captain Marvel.

Out of over 12,000 pilots currently serving in the U.S. Air Force, less than 10 percent are women. To increase these numbers, the USAF needed to show young women the incredible heights these pilots reach every day. A record number of female pilots came together to tell their stories, providing content to inspire a new generation. We then timed the launch of the Origin Story campaign with both International Women’s Day and Marvel’s first female superhero film, Captain Marvel, whose origin story also happens to include being a pilot in the Air Force. 

The Origin Story content was placed throughout movie theaters in tandem with Captain Marvel alongside targeted digital content on YouTube, Hulu and Facebook to allow young women to see themselves in powerful roles. 

The campaign drove double-digit lifts in key brand metrics and triple-digit increases in female social engagement and pilot searches. This translated into a new monthly site traffic record on airforce.com and an increased number of young women raising their hands to serve.

See the full list of winners here.