Statue of Girl Confronts Bull, Captivating Manhattanites and Social Media

At just over four feet tall, she appears ready to take the bull by its horns.

A bronze statue of a girl, fists on her hips, staring down the famous 7,000-pound “Charging Bull” sculpture near Wall Street, captivated passers-by on Wednesday and drew an overwhelming response online, where many viewed it as a powerful symbol for International Women’s Day.

Stories and images of the statue, called “Fearless Girl” and placed on behalf of the investment firm State Street Global Advisors, trended on Facebook and appeared thousands of times on Instagram and Twitter, garnering praise from women including Chelsea Clinton and the actress Jessica Chastain, who called for it to remain in Lower Manhattan beyond its one-week permit. The statue already has its own Wikipedia page.

It was a hit as a marketing stunt, initiated by the advertising agency McCann New York and State Street Global Advisors, which is the asset management arm of State Street.

State Street Global Advisors, which is based in Boston, has been a vocal advocate for gender diversity at companies, pushing for more women on boards and in leadership roles, and was looking for a unique way to highlight that message, said Stephen Tisdalle, its chief marketing officer. The agency has three women on its 11-member board, according to its website.

“What this girl represents is the present, but also the future,” Mr. Tisdalle said in an interview, adding that the firm was open to making the statue a permanent fixture. “She’s not angry at the bull — she’s confident, she knows what she’s capable of, and she’s wanting the bull to take note.”

He added, “We thought this was the most tasteful, respectful and effective way for us and others to participate in the national dialogue around International Women’s Day,” on Wednesday.