Creating a pink palette, changing a product name or two, and pumping up ‘flowery’ language to market a brand to women is pretty much the same as adopting Victorian-age treatment for your health.
In simpler words, it’s archaic, obsolete, and honestly, terrible for business.
Through history, women have been vastly underserved in the market. Even though they are the majority of the driving force behind consideration and purchase. And while a patriarchal ethos remains predominant across the globe, women are increasingly rising to power across economies and industries.
However, stereotypes have always spoken louder than sensitivity. Especially in the world of marketing. But these tactics have very rarely seen any success for a brand. It’s definitely time to turn the tide on this.
“How do you do it all?” This is a question (often well-meaning) asked to many women who are successful entrepreneurs or have a soaring career. The assumption is that a woman who works full-time also does most of the domestic heavy lifting. That includes running a house, caring for the family, planning vacations, handling the lion’s share of the chores, and more. Somehow, the same assumption is never made for men. Yet, while there may be a paradigm shift happening slowly, the reality is that women do hold the ropes of the house in their hands, even as they power through in their workspaces.
This is a complete miss for most brands.
The market still speaks primarily to a male consumer, offering him the vision of a world where women are always the second sex. Think about it. For instance, have you ever seen an SUV being advertised as a convenience for a mother of toddlers? Even though she is most likely the biggest influence on an automobile purchase for the family. Similarly, all domestic gadgets and consumables are marketed to women only. Making it clear that women are expected to belong at home.
In today’s world, this is a highly redundant approach to marketing.
Globally, women make up approximately half the working population of an economy. Despite facing gender inequality at the workplace and being paid lower wages than men, they are still significant contributors to the GDP of a country. In India, if the female working force was all paid employment, the GDP of the economy could increase by up to 27%. However, most women continue to be unpaid labour and unrecognised potential in this ever-evolving marketplace.
How can brands help in representing women more fairly across the board, bringing their economic importance to the forefront?
To begin with, it’s always better to speak to a woman than to target her. A woman often responds positively to a brand that prioritises people over gender and stereotypes. So, research becomes paramount. A woman consumer is much more nuanced, so just painting everything pretty and pink is a definite no-no. A brand should attempt to understand the socio-economic complexities of its female audience before building products, planning marketing strategies, and putting out communication.
Women consumers are also much more multi-faceted than men. This could be a result of the social narrative that constantly places them at the intersections of home, work, play and motherhood. Multiple factors influence a woman’s decision, and her journey is always evolving. It is essential to acknowledge this multiplicity and intersectionality in a woman’s life.
When the groundwork is done, a great choice is to tell women’s stories. The best way to represent them in a brand is by reflecting their experiences. While every woman has a unique journey, there will always be a universality to certain issues and instances that they can identify with and relate to. Telling women’s stories makes them feel heard, understood, respected, and represented.
And of course, a brand that wants to really connect with women must walk the talk. Employing more women and having visible representation of them across levels speak volumes. It will be no surprise if a decision like this builds great affiliation amongst women for the brand.
The female economy is expanding at a rapid rate across the world. The next era of consumers promises to have women in the lead, not just driving decisions but also making the ultimate purchase. To stay relevant, respectful, and loved, it is essential that a brand talks to women in the right way. By letting the women do the talking.
After all, women get women. Like no one else can.
Article is authored by Nishit Nanda, CEO, Consumer Retail, Khimji Jewels and CEO, youlry.com.
