During a particularly divisive time following the US election, we used our Believe in Music campaign to bring hope to a group that needed it most: young women.

Taylor Swift’s 58th GRAMMY Record of the Year acceptance speech was a defining moment that transcended music. Her powerful words were a passionate message inspiring young women to reach for their dreams, and to not let anyone, or anything, get in their way. In “It Was You,” Swift’s words have been internalized by young women and have become their own mantra of inspiration, hard work and hope.

The film’s cast consists of young female artists between 5 and 18 years-old, including a drummer, a conductor, and a violinist, and dancer. The film was strategically released online during a usual lull of GRAMMYs chatter (between nominations and the actual show), creating enormous buzz in social media and the mainstream press. The launch was all the more impactful with its timely release just days after the Women’s March.

The film was released with exclusives in empowering women’s publications - Seventeen, Elle and Marie Claire - driving buzz among the target. The film was then shared on GRAMMYs-owned social platforms, setting off praise from media, influencers and the public. Following the film’s release, vignettes of our young stars and their personal motivations were posted on social, reinforcing our message and keeping the buzz going.

“It Was You” launched on The Recording Academy’s YouTube channel, with no paid media against views or coverage. To date, it’s generated nearly 3 million views across Facebook and Youtube. In the first 24 hours, along with considerable coverage in global mainstream media (in publications like Time Magazine and BBC), the film garnered 254,491,331 impressions and was received with an overwhelmingly enthusiastic 94% net sentiment.

Most importantly, the film contributed to a huge increase in viewership, with 1 million more people turning into the broadcast than last year. In contrast, the Oscars (the most-watched annual awards show) saw their lowest ratings in 9 years and a significant dip in viewership in 2017.