As the competition for STEM talent heats up, the methods that companies use to attract this talent expands as well.
Olay has quite a unique method. On Oct. 19 the company announced that it will be a new participant in the Macy’s Thanksgiving Parade. The “Her Future is STEM-sational” float is the company’s way to remind the more than 50 million nationwide parade viewers about “the importance of maximizing women and their accomplishments.”
Of course, there is a strong underlying business case here as currently only 24% of jobs in the STEM fields are held by women. Olay says it wants to change that. In September 2020, the company announced a 10-year commitment to double the number of women in STEM, and triple the number of multicultural women in STEM. The company says it’s on a mission to #SolveTheSTEMGap.
"We love the tradition of the Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade -- the kickoff to the holiday season, and because it is something that brings the whole country and families to watch together,” said Chris Heiert, senior vice president of Olay, in a statement announcing the float.
The Her Future is STEM-sational float features visual representations of the core STEM fields of science, technology, engineering, and math. A double helix skates around the perimeter of a female astronaut’s galactic float, where a helmet is positioned as a nod to Olay’s #MakeSpaceForWomen campaign from the company’s ad in the Superbowl in February. A robotic arm acknowledges engineering. Mathematical symbols and computer codes climb across one half of the float, and technology is represented by the circuit tree found next to the astronaut. Science-packed with more than 60 years of Olay’s research and development, the symbolic Olay jar ties together the inspiring float.
