Last year was dubbed the ‘Year of the Girl’ but with marketing’s gender pay gap stuck at the 16% mark and women revealed to be taking on more additional responsibilities than men for no extra pay there is clearly still work to be done.
Heads up, this column is about Christmas ads. If you’ve already seen more analysis than you can bear, look away now. But if you’re a woman with a festive to-do list as long as your arm, you might want to read on.
Over half of female motorists don’t feel seen by motoring marketing comms. If the industry wants to grow in the face of a clampdown on petrol vehicles perhaps it’s finally time for women to be targeted.
Gender-fluid fashion is reaching a cultural apex so mainstream fashion brands looking to capitalise on its growing popularity need to be prepared to speak about it authentically – and with confidence.
When purpose is done right it has the potential to be an absolute winner – Mattel and Orange are two examples of how from this summer. But what precisely does ‘done right’ mean?
On 22 July, the Lionesses begin their World Cup quest and girl, I can’t wait. But up until last month, it seemed we, the British public, wouldn’t be watching.
Women hold an increasing portion of the UK’s wealth yet many lack financial confidence. It is incumbent on financial institutions to remove this confidence gap and marketers have an important role to play.
Businesses looking to better target women should pay attention to three key areas where disruptive brands excel.
Hysterical versus passionate, pushy versus ambitious, bossy versus assertive; the use of certain language in marketing is perpetuating everyday sexism.
There are many intersecting causes for marketing’s gender pay gap – and the fact it has got worse – but failure to address it now will only exacerbate the issue.
While it won’t come down to marketers alone, our industry does have a role to play in helping shift the focus from body positivity to body neutrality, which means forgetting ideals, letting go of so-called flaws and letting people just be.
While marketing alone won’t be able to close the gender health gap, it can certainly help to increase awareness of female-only health issues and remove taboos, which is definitely a step in the right direction.
With so few people aged over 50 working in marketing, is it any wonder those in their later years – and particularly women – feel underrepresented in advertising? Marketers need to double down on audience research to truly understand this vast demographic.
It’s easier said than done but if you’re a female marketer trying to progress into leadership, grant yourself permission to be the real you, as authenticity will help you avoid the trap of being torn between trying to be more visible and following suit.
If brands really want to empower women they need to ride the ‘fempowerment’ wave with intention, not simply jump on the bandwagon.