A new documentary has launched which tells the origin story of L’Oréal Paris’ iconic ‘Because I’m Worth It’ slogan.
The Final Copy of Ilon Specht, created by two-time Oscar-winning director Ben Proudfoot, pays tribute to Specht, the McCann agency copywriter who came up with the four-word tagline in 1971.
The 17-minute documentary charts how 23-year-old Specht coined the slogan for L’Oréal Paris’ Préférence Hair Color line – the “first in advertising to champion a woman's self-worth”, read a statement from the French beauty brand.
It also explores the obstacles Specht faced as a woman in the advertising industry and her relentless fight for women’s empowerment, before passing away in April 2024.
The 54-year-old slogan is now synonymous with L’Oréal Paris and is the longest running advertising copy in history.
“Ilon Specht’s contribution to our brand and to women's empowerment is immeasurable,” said Delphine Viguier-Hovasse, Global Band President of L’Oréal Paris.
“Her words remind us daily of our worth and encourage us to pursue our ambitions without hesitation.
“Ilon defined a culture of self-affirmation that will echo for generations.
“Her four-word manifesto that changed society forever is the very beginning of L’Oréal Paris’s commitment to empower women.
“Her legacy fuels L’Oréal Paris’ Worth It equity and drives our women’s empowerment mission at scale.”
The Final Copy of Ilon Specht was produced by Breakwater Studios and Traverse 32 and is streaming now on Amazon Prime Video.
The film will also be released on TED and AMC + from 8 March.
“What I found marvellous was that Ilon's iconic tagline, ‘Because I’m Worth It’, was not simply a clever advertising mantra or flippant line,” commented Proudfoot.
“It was a profound reflection of who Ilon was. I love that these words, written by a 23-year-old over fifty years ago, are now embroidered into the fabric of our culture.
“Our film shows that they tell a deeper story that I think will surprise, move and, ultimately, challenge audiences as it did me.”
The documentary originally premiered at Tribeca Film Festival in June 2024.
It won Best Documentary Short at Lunenburg Doc Festival, Hot Springs Documentary Film Festival, Chelsea Film Festival and at HollyShorts Film Festival in Los Angeles, earning its qualification for Academy Award nomination in the short film category.