Women’s History Month: Empowering Women Through Authentic Marketing and Beyond
March is Women’s History Month, and as a founder of a women-led agency and team, I couldn’t be more excited to honor and celebrate the many accomplishments women have made throughout history. Women continuously juggle so much – being caregivers, excelling in the workplace, taking care of themselves, and finding their voice in today’s fast-moving society. While we’ve come a long way with women’s rights, we still have much work left to do.
Women’s History Month is not just a time to celebrate women everywhere – it’s a critical moment to pause and reflect on our current place in the world and how we can continue making it a better, more welcoming place for all. We’ll go over marketing around Women’s History Month, some reflections on the role of women in today’s world, and how to empower women to pursue their goals through marketing and beyond. Let’s dive in.
Marketing for Women’s History Month
Before we go over how to choose intentional materials and content for your Women’s History Month marketing, it’s important to understand the history and context behind the observance. The celebration of women’s history began as just a day in 1978 and later evolved into an internationally recognized month in the 1980s. While the 20th century saw a shift in what was considered the expected role of women in society, it wasn’t until the late 1900s that things began really changing – more and more women graduated from college, took jobs outside of the house, and began taking on leadership roles across various industries.
While a huge step forward for women, we have to admit that the late 1900s wasn’t that long ago. You can probably see this gap most clearly in the generational divides we have today. Many of our own grandmothers and even mothers grew up in a world very different from the one we know today. That’s why it's critical that we acknowledge this past and continue building upon the work of those who came before us in fighting for women’s rights and giving us a seat at the table.
When developing a marketing campaign around Women’s History Month, it’s important to be intentional and thoughtful with the content you produce. Recognize the past while also addressing the work that needs to be done ahead. If you’re struggling to come up with creative ideas, consider presenting your audience with a compelling research study or doing an in-depth profile of a few women you admire. Representation matters, and the way you talk about women’s history will speak volumes about your brand and values.
Women Today
Women today are accomplishing incredible things. According to Statista, the last decade shows women graduating college at higher or equal rates to men and making up almost half of leadership roles in the U.S. cabinet. That same chart, however, also shows that less than 11% of women hold CEO titles at Fortune 500 companies and many countries still face stark gender gaps in economic, health-based, political, and educational criteria.
We don’t need research surveys to tell us that while we’ve come a long way, there’s still much work to be done to receive the credit we deserve. Perhaps nothing represents today’s situation better than the Oscar nomination snubs around the film, Barbie. While the movie was an ode to feminist rights and girl power everywhere, its leading lady, Margot Robbie, and director Greta Gerwig, failed to secure nominations (while Ken star Ryan Gosling received a nomination in his category).
The internet reacted with outrage as memes of the film circulated in support of the female cast – but were we really surprised? Although women are given more power and agency today, recognition and appreciation is a battle we’re still fighting, which brings me to my concluding section on what we can do to better empower women – as marketers and beyond.
Use Your Own Voice to Empower Women
We know there’s still a lot of work left to do when it comes to gender equality, and every one of our voices matters. As a marketer or content creator, be sure to empower female voices in your materials and highlight those making a difference for women in various industries. Women are increasingly making a mark across the world, and it’s crucial that your marketing tells a story where women are also the main characters, not just there to make your materials look pretty.
In today’s increasingly digital world where photo editing apps are quickly becoming the norm, use your brand to show the world what real women look like, act like, and deal with on a daily basis. People value authenticity and notice when they see people who look and act like them as the face of a brand. Remember that perfectly curated content is out – real, raw, and human content is in.
Lastly, use your voice to empower women and women’s rights outside of your field. Support causes that give women more freedom, whether through access to birth control or paid maternity leave from the workplace. Meaningful change often starts at the local level, and the conversations you have in your community matter.
Conclusion
Women’s History Month is around the corner, and with that, it’s important to craft an intentional marketing strategy that celebrates how far women have come while also acknowledging how far we have left to go. If you’re stuck on developing a compelling campaign or need help with your strategy, fill out the form to get started.
