MINNEAPOLIS – Yoplait announced a new campaign and partnership with Girls Inc., a nonprofit organization that inspires girls to be strong, smart and bold through direct service and advocacy.

The campaign aims to strengthen confidence among girls and women by encouraging them to “open up and be bold” and talk about “the qualities they love most about themselves.”

Yoplait shared that it conducted a survey in January 2023 among 1,000 nationally representative US girls between the ages of 11 and 18. The survey found girls in that age group are “less likely to say positive things about themselves out loud and by age 16, nearly half (44%) of all girls are not comfortable speaking positively about themselves at all.”

The survey also showed that the older girls were less likely to talk about their strengths because of concerns of not living up to expectations and fears about how others will view them. Among those surveyed, 35% of 16- to 18-year-olds thought “they might not live up to the nice things they say about themselves,” while only 16% of 13- to 15-year-olds expressed those same concerns. The survey also found 60% of girls between 16 and 18 didn’t feel comfortable describing themselves positively in front of peers because “they would feel conceited or like they were bragging.”

During its campaign, Yoplait products will feature pink Girls Inc. lids that intend to “spark conversations on how to share your strengths.”

“For years, Yoplait products have provided important nutrients like calcium for women and girls, but now we’re focused on bringing emotional and mental wellness to the forefront – because mental strength is just as important as physical,” said Kaylee Pohlmeyer, marketing communication manager for Yoplait. “Our core belief is to encourage and support women to open up and be bold and we are thrilled to announce our investment in a partnership with Girls Inc., who shares our mission.”

The nonprofit’s president and chief executive officer, Stephanie J. Hull, said Girls Inc. equips girls to realize their full potential.

“When girls have strong mentors, a supportive environment and great opportunities, they build their confidence and they see all their possibilities,” Hull said. “We are grateful to partner with Yoplait as they inspire girls to live boldly. I'm often in awe of what girls achieve when they believe in themselves. Powerful things happen — not only do they change their own circumstances, but they also create positive change for everyone around them.”

Data from the survey also showed that older girls were less likely to hear peers or older female role models say nice things about themselves – 41% of girls from 16-18 said ” they rarely or never hear women they’re close to sharing positive traits about themselves.”

Yoplait and Girls Inc. also partnered with actress JoAnna García Swisher to help young girls and women of all ages “empower each other to open up and be bold.”