“It’s a she thing, and it’s all in me.” Salt ‘N Pepa’s words of wisdom instill female pride. Statements like these resonate with me as a woman, and I would venture to guess I’m not the only one.
In reading through a recent edition of Ad Week magazine, there was an article I was immediately drawn to: “How to Talk to Women.” While women have made incredible leaps and bounds over the past five or six decades, too many of today’s advertising and marketing campaigns say otherwise. According to the article, written by Noreen O’Leary, there seems to be a disconnect between how some marketers and advertising execs view women and women’s perceptions of themselves. Apparently, the creative departments at many such firms are still dominated by men. Thankfully, Winstanley Partners does not fall into this designation; and unfortunately, industry experts would likely put us in the minority.
As the definition of an average woman continues to evolve, we are seeing more financially (and overall) independent ladies than ever before. More and more women are emerging as their family’s primary decision makers when it comes to household purchases. In the wake of the recession of recent years, more women are emerging as equal or primary “bread winners,” as a lot of the jobs lost in the U.S. over the past several years have been blue-collar, manufacturing jobs more often held by men. Yet, still, hurdles exist when it comes to marketing and advertising. All one needs to do is turn on the television or open a magazine to see examples of this.
Despite our advances, too many outdated stereotypes remain in ad campaigns—woman cleaning the house, women cooking for their family, female waitresses serving men, women taking care of the children, etc. Today, women are more in command of their finances. More women are graduating from college and developing successful careers. They’re buying their own homes, living independently, raising children on their own—no longer depending on men for their financial needs. The tables are continuing to turn, and this should be recognized across the marketing and advertising board.
Female consumers should be among key focuses of relative ad or marketing campaigns. With a number of companies this is happening, as women are now fueling online resources as well as social media and networking. Harley-Davidson is one such company—in fact, I learned today that the 100+-year old motorcycle manufacturer has targeted women in its marketing efforts since the 1920s. Kudos! Others, such as Axe (makers of body fragrances and other hygiene products for men), are now expanding into co-ed campaigns with products for women.
Image source: MSN.com
For many years, marketing and advertising strategies have focused on gender. Slowly, these campaigns and related social media networks are becoming less gender-centric and more about a person’s interests, much to this gal’s delight. I want to be seen and defined by marketers based on what I like, what I need, and what I want, not based on my gender. I want to be targeted with just as many power tool and new car ads as those for cleaning supplies and make-up. It’s only fair.
– Justine Murphy, PR Specialist, Winstanley Partners