KIM GEHRIG
Kim Gehrig is an Australian director whose body of work spans commercials, music videos, documentaries, short films and branded entertainment. Her notable commercial works include the This Girl Can campaign, the John Lewis Christmas advert in 2015, Stepping for Honda, Gillette's "The Best Men Can Be' and many more for brands including Ikea, GAP, Amnesty International and Libresse. In music videos Kim has collaborated with artists such as Chaka Khan, Wiley, Calvin Harris and Basement Jaxx.
Gehrig directed the multi award-winning advert for the This Girl Can campaign by Sport England to encourage more women to take part in sport. The video features personal and unfiltered clips of women exercising as they would be normally. The advert was praised for its bold and empowering message, winning awards including a Glass Lion for Good at Cannes Lions 2015. Sport England estimated that an additional 2.8 million women decided to take up a sport after the advert's release. The first advert was followed by 'Phenomenal Women', showcasing women from all walks of life engaging in sport set to Maya Angelou's recital of Phenomenal Woman. Gehrig stated in 2018 that 'This Girl Can' is the video she is most proud of.
Later in 2015 Gehrig premiered the first John Lewis Christmas advert to be directed by a woman; 'Man on The Moon'. The advert constituted part of John Lewis' partnership with Age UK to raise awareness of loneliness in the elderly, showing a lonely old man living on the moon being sent a gift by a young girl on earth. The video was set to a cover of Oasis' 'Half the World Away' by Aurora.
Gehrig directed the award-winning 'Viva la Vulva' advert for Libresse, a celebration of the vagina and women body confidence. The video contains many items from normal life which resemble vaginas as well as puppetry and outfits resembling genitalia. It was set to the music of Camille Yarbrough's 'Take Yo’ Praise'.
Gehrig again rose to prominence in 2019 for "The Best Men Can Be" advertising video by razor company Gillette, which challenges its earlier tagline of "The Best a Man Can Get" and the effects of toxic masculinity. The advert was praised by many for its message against the traditional concepts of how men should be, and how this impacts mental health as well as women.
Gehrig is represented by Somesuch, who were awarded Adertising Age's 2018 Production Company of the Year for their work in promoting social justice through advertising.
