Study Finds Whether International Women's Day Advertising Is Effective

Research firm Kearney just completed its 2020 Women Consumers Study which examines women39s reactions to marketing around International Women39s Day The upshot is that female consumers amp8212 who dramatically overindex in responsibility for spending decisions according to the study and to popular wisdom amp8212 want more than lipservice Companies courting women as customers or as employees should take note The study identified three areas the 1000 women surveyed said needed attention equality in marketing existence of genuine product benefits for women and that companies quotwalk the walkquot in supporting equal opportunityquotStereotypes need to goquot says Alex Fitzgerald a manager in the consumer practice at Kearney who authored the study quotOur study looked at women as consumers to examine the strategies targeting us to see what actually resonatesquotEquality in MarketingOne aspect of advertising that resonates with women is when it promotes equality examples include some of this year39s offerings from BMO Harris Bank Hershey39s and Orange Theory According to the study prowomanfemale empowerment marketing influences women39s purchasing behavior with 39 percent of respondents saying it39s a primary consideration or that they try to buy from companies that do this type of advertisingThe Geena Davis Institute on Gender in Media the nonprofit research organization that studies gender representation in media and advocates for equality both in front of and behind the camera conducted a study with Google on how viewers respond to YouTube videos that came to a similar conclusion In the study marketing content on YouTube featuring femaleled and genderbalanced content attracted 30 percent more views than maledominant videosGenuine Product Benefits for WomenWomen as a group make a disproportionately high percentage of household buying decisions the Kearney study says and when women are doing the buying they appreciate products made with their needs in mind The study identified categories where women polled deemed genderconscious product benefits important including beautypersonal care apparel health and household productsFor categories where a genderdifferentiated approach didn39t offer benefits or where choices in the category were sufficient the study indicated that differentiation in those areas would not be appealing For the poll respondents quotshrink it and pink itquot making quotwomen39squot versions of items that are typically for men and brands using femalefocused cause marketing that39s inauthentic or solely with a profit motive quotthe pink taxquot are unwelcome tacticsSarah Crandall product manager at The Forem a career advancement program aimed at moving a million women into leadership roles by 2030 notes that the finding that women want genuine benefits makes sense quotFor us it is the individual woman that is our true focusquot she says That39s why the Forem39s products are designed to empower women quotto maximize their impact in the workplace and take control over their careersquot Crandall addsSupporting Women39s Advancement and EqualityFor women in the media and advertising industries the story of true empowerment in the workplace isn39t always rosy According to the She Runs It Inclusive 100 study last year women and people of color are actually declining in executive representation and nowhere near parity yet Many organizations want to change that and while there is a lot to do there are many benefits for organizations that take women39s advancement seriouslyThe Kearney study found that women will pay more for or walk away from brands based on how those brands support the advancement of womenFitzgerald says that based on her study quoteffectively selling to women requires companies to take an integrated holistic and consistent approach anchored by true gender equalityquotCompanies need to make sure that everything they do amp8212 including talent development leadership practices product design advertising and public support for women39s causes as well as the language used in job listings or the executives pictured on company websites amp8212 reflects their commitment to gender equity Women are looking at how companies demonstrate their commitment to equality in every way and are making buying decisions and career decisions based on that informationFor more onamp160how much influence advertising and media have on women watch our video quotNew Yorkers Talk Media and SelfImage for International Women39s DayquotDon39t stop now Stay in the know on women39s advancement and equality in advertising media and marketing with more from Women AdvancingClick the social buttons to share this story with colleagues and friendsThe opinions expressed here are the author39s views and do not necessarily represent the views of MediaVillagecomMyersBizNetamp160

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Study Finds Whether International Women's Day Advertising Is Effective

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Kathy Newberger

"About That with Carl Mayer": Involved Media Connected Audience Fall 2024 Report (Episode 5) - By Carl Mayer

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Study Finds Whether International Women's Day Advertising Is Effective

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