Merchandising for Different Demographics

Is THIS the best ad campaign ever? In 2015, Sport England challenged ad agency FCB Global to close the 2 million strong gender gap by getting women more active. The agency used the insight that women often feel 'fear of judgement' in exercise, to create the campaign 'This Girl Can'. The campaign is a rallying cry to women to get active in THEIR own way by replacing fear with a 'don't give a damn' attitude. This is shown with bold copywriting, relatable casting, REAL moments (the make-up smudged under the eyes, normal jiggling bodies, menopausal sweat, period cramps, tampon string hanging out your pants) and a true sense of female camaraderie. Since it's launch: - 3 million women were inspired to exercise as a direct result of seeing the campaign - 1000+ social media mentions each day - 37m views across social media - 500,000 active members in the This Girl Can community - Cannes Lions award The campaign is evidence that advertising can make great impact and drive change in many little corners of the world. THIS is the result of a clear brief, unifying insight and - in this case - a dedicated female creative team who truly 'understand' their audience. But more than that, it's the result of a LONG-TERM campaign that has been running for almost decade, and continues to re-engage the audience in various different ways, globally. I think there is such a short-term mindset in advertising nowadays. Mainly due to the fast-paced nature of social media, the need to 'go viral' and the economic need for performance marketing tactics to generate cashflow. But without the longer-term brand campaigns, we are missing the ability to build strong narratives and make REAL change in the world. And with that, stronger brand salience, brand love and LEGACY. This is an element of advertising that I fell in love with years ago. And an element that I see really defining which brands stand the test of time, an which fall apart years down the line.

75% of femtech startups were refused a bank account. In any other industry, this would be a scandal. For femtech, it's just another day battling systemic bias that's stifling innovation in women's health. I've backed multiple femtech businesses and regularly speak with women in the industry. Their stories are both shocking and depressingly familiar. Despite serving half the world's population and a £22.3 billion market, femtech receives just 1-2% of health tech funding. This disparity isn't just unfair—it's dangerous. An article by The Guardian last week revealed: • 60% of femtech companies had bank accounts closed • 50% faced "excessive scrutiny" from financial institutions • Many spend £100,000 monthly on digital ads, only to face constant bans censHERship's research of 35 femtech companies found 100% experienced similar issues. The result: Two-thirds lost revenue, 54% faced higher costs, 43% delayed launches (credit to Clio Wood for exposing this). My own health tech startup faced weekly campaign suspensions, no-one-to-talk-to appeals, and ‘black box’ algorithms. But my experience isn't unique. Even product descriptions face absurd scrutiny. Béa Fertility couldn't use 'vagina' on Amazon, forced to use 'birth canal' instead. But anything with the word 'semen' in it? No problem at all. Between 2011-2021, only 4% of new drugs for female-specific conditions were approved in the US. We're not just losing products; we're losing progress. This isn't just a women's issue—it's a business, innovation, and human rights issue. Femtech isn't 'niche'. Women are 75% more likely to use digital health tools and spend 29% more on healthcare. The demand and innovation are there. What's missing is equal opportunity. Ironically, the UK has the second-largest share of femtech globally. We have the potential to lead change. Here’s what we can do:  • Follow and amplify femtech voices • Challenge biased policies when you see them • Educate your network about these issues Progress in femtech benefits everyone—women, business, and society. P.S.  Kudos to Farah, Valentina, Alice, Peony Li, and other femtech leaders. Keep fighting the good fight 💪

Fluid Future: Genderless beauty your untapped opportunity? Makeup has always been an art form, irrespective of gender, and this is now widely recognized. Brands now see a significant opportunity to position themselves in a receptive market, are you ready for that challenge? x 1.5 times faster grew for certified inclusive beauty brands than less inclusive competitors. + 393% surge in searches for 'men's makeup,' underscoring the growing fascination with men's grooming and cosmetics. After the launch of Pleasing form Harry Styles, a "life brand" with a diverse lineup of unisex skincare and nail products. → Skin differences between men and women. While there are distinctions between men's and women's skin, certain natural ingredients are effective for all genders. Men's skin, being 30% thicker with 20% more layers than women's, has enhanced sebum and collagen production, slowing down aging. Women may experience these effects earlier due to menopause and reduced collagen. + 30% Men's skin thicker + 20% Men's skin more layers than women's → Focus on performance and problem-solving. Men are facing similar issues as women such as acne and under-eye circles. Acceptance of men using concealer to address these concerns reflects a broader concept of makeup aimed at boosting individual confidence. Despite challenges in formulation and packaging, brands embracing inclusivity and diversity set new industry standards, expanding their consumer base. → Shift in consumers behavior, Gen Z taste: Consumer behavior is shifting, with a growing appreciation for perfume based on notes, sourcing, and artistry rather than traditional gender appeal. This generation embraces gender fluidity and supports brands aligned with their values, actively participating in protests against climate issues and sexism. + 44% Gen Z challenges gender, believing it's not binary, and they are less attached to traditional gendered activity labels. → Packaging design, Inclusive, bold and wise: The key lies in flexibility and the personality of the design, the choice of packaging and composition, enhancing individuality over stereotypes and gender-related colors or shapes. Focus on shared values like authenticity, performance, form, function, and sustainability if you want to get it right. To finish: Genderless makeup is undeniably appealing to a broad consumer base. Prioritizing simplicity, functionality, and product performance, this approach to cosmetics has shown exceptional performance and growth. Here's a curated selection of brands I have searched for your reference and inspiration as you embark on your next successful venture. Featured Brands: Being Big Lip Crtl+Zit Hiki Innisfree PH-In Sepibu Star Face Tower28 #beautypackaging #beautybusiness #beautydesign #genderless #fluidbeauty #genz

We talk a lot about how brands can connect to women. But here’s where I think the conversation goes wrong: Women are not one group of like-minded consumers. The category of “women” comprises 4 billion people with different preferences, professions, purchasing habits, and personal lives. So how can brands connect with women? Authenticity. I'm talking about the kind of authenticity that comes from truly understanding, representing, and serving the people your brand reaches. Why does this matter? Let's look at the numbers first:  • Women are overseeing $32 trillion in spending globally.  • By 2028, 75% of discretionary spending will be controlled by women. These aren't just statistics—they're a wake-up call for brands trying to connect with women. Brands historically miss the mark when they focus on women as "consumers," rather than as people. Take Dove's work with the CROWN Act, a movement and legislation aimed at prohibiting race-based hair discrimination in workplaces and schools. By bringing attention to how women of color—particularly Black women—have historically been told how to wear their hair at work, Dove drove meaningful change that extended far beyond marketing. The result for Dove (and its parent company Unilever) hasn't just been products sold, but actual legislative change—all because they stood for something that impacts the day-to-day life of their consumers. The key to the consumer paradigm: You cannot effectively serve women if you don't represent them at every level of your organization. Women continue to hold relatively few leadership positions in industries primarily serving women. The fashion and beauty industries, for example, are dominated by male leadership. When brands get it right, it shows. A few examples? FERRAGAMO appointed a female CEO back in 1960—long before it was trending—and that commitment to women in leadership has been woven into their DNA ever since. It’s not a campaign. It’s who they are. Or formula company Bobbie, which doesn’t just have consumers, they have devoted brand ambassadors, families, and loyal subscribers. True representation isn't about optics—it's about women making decisions at all levels—from product development to marketing to the C-suite. Maybe we need to retire the word "consumer" altogether. Because if we're talking about real, authentic connections, shouldn't we instead be focusing on people as human beings. It's no longer about thinking what you “should” create to get them to buy—it's about genuinely making that woman’s life better because you know exactly who she is. And your company’s leadership reflects that. 

HOW CRAPPY IS DIGITAL AD TARGETING, REALLY? Like, one of the big promises of digital media is targeting. HYPERtargeting, even. But how accurate is the data these big ad platforms have on us? Adlook decided to find out. They bought a bunch of banner ads from several popular data providers. They targeted specific segments with broad socio-demographic variables like gender or education. And then instead of running ads, they showed in-ad-unit survey questions asking about those exact socio-demographic questions. (“Do you have kids?” “Do you rent or own your home?” etc.) They got about 2,500 responses. And the results were cray cray. F’rinstance, 40% of the folks who were tagged as homeowners were actually renters. Roughly half of everyone was tagged the wrong gender. And a whopping 76% of folks tagged as being married were not. (They didn’t ask if “it’s complicated”….) That’s pretty craptastic. Several of these basic questions are WORSE than a coin toss.Granted, demographics might not matter if you’re selling coffee. But it might matter a ton if you’re selling mortgages or diapers. I mean, how’s P&G gonna get their Venus & Gillette ads to the right audiences if half of the gender tags are wrong? Caveats galore, of course. But this isn’t the first study to show how bad digital targeting seems to be. And hopefully won’t be the last. But the big data providers have very little incentive to fix things right now. Some lessons: 🍊 When it comes to digital ad targeting, don’t trust; verify! (E.g., run experiments to check your provider’s work.) 🍊 Consider paying more for high-quality & first-party inventory. ~~~ Sign up for The Irregular News & never miss a post, at AppliedBrandScience com/signup

To grasp the depth of women's frustration regarding the latest announcement of a women's health unicorn (founded and led by men), you must delve into the hidden struggles women encounter during fundraising for similar ventures. In the past year, I've guided many female founders through the fundraising maze and witnessed firsthand the unparalleled challenges women endure compared to men. 👉🏽 An investor told one female founder, "I hope your husband is successful because you won't be." 👉🏽 Another was urged to shift focus from women to men in her women-centric company despite the unique challenges faced solely by women. 👉🏽 I recall a male investor challenging my pitch for Expectful, disputing the disparities faced by pregnant women in the US compared to other developed nations despite precise data on the soaring maternal mortality rates in the US. The discontent around an all-male-led women's health unicorn stems from not only the disparities in funding opportunities but also the gaslighting of women's needs in today's landscape. The positive? Despite these obstacles, we persevere. #womenshealth #femalefounder #unicorn

🤔 𝐃𝐨 𝐲𝐨𝐮 𝐟𝐞𝐞𝐥 𝐬𝐨𝐜𝐢𝐞𝐭𝐲 𝐢𝐬 𝐮𝐧𝐟𝐚𝐢𝐫 𝐭𝐨𝐰𝐚𝐫𝐝𝐬 𝐰𝐨𝐦𝐞𝐧 𝐚𝐬 𝐞𝐧𝐭𝐫𝐞𝐩𝐫𝐞𝐧𝐞𝐮𝐫𝐬 𝐚𝐧𝐝 𝐰𝐞 𝐡𝐚𝐯𝐞 𝐭𝐨 𝐠𝐨 𝐭𝐡𝐫𝐨𝐮𝐠𝐡 𝐚 𝐥𝐨𝐭? 🤔 👩💼 As women in entrepreneurship, we navigate a landscape filled with unique challenges: 🎭 𝐈𝐦𝐩𝐨𝐬𝐭𝐞𝐫 𝐒𝐲𝐧𝐝𝐫𝐨𝐦𝐞: The inner voice that whispers, "You're not good enough." 🗣 ⚖𝐖𝐨𝐫𝐤-𝐋𝐢𝐟𝐞 𝐁𝐚𝐥𝐚𝐧𝐜𝐞: The high-wire act of managing business and personal life. 🚫 𝐏𝐚𝐭𝐫𝐢𝐚𝐫𝐜𝐡𝐲: The outdated yet persistent belief that business is a man's world. 💸 𝐀𝐜𝐜𝐞𝐬𝐬 𝐭𝐨 𝐂𝐚𝐩𝐢𝐭𝐚𝐥: The uphill battle to get the funding that breathes life into our ideas. 👩🏫 𝐋𝐢𝐦𝐢𝐭𝐞𝐝 𝐖𝐨𝐦𝐞𝐧 𝐌𝐞𝐧𝐭𝐨𝐫𝐬: The scarcity of role models who have walked in our shoes. 𝐁𝐮𝐭 𝐡𝐞𝐫𝐞'𝐬 𝐡𝐨𝐰 𝐰𝐞 𝐜𝐚𝐧 𝐫𝐢𝐬𝐞: 🤝 𝐁𝐮𝐢𝐥𝐝 𝐂𝐨𝐧𝐟𝐢𝐝𝐞𝐧𝐜𝐞: Let's remind each other of our worth. Networking groups and workshops can turn whispers of doubt into roars of confidence. ⚖️  𝐒𝐡𝐚𝐫𝐞𝐝 𝐑𝐞𝐬𝐩𝐨𝐧𝐬𝐢𝐛𝐢𝐥𝐢𝐭𝐲: Cultivate environments—both at home and work—where duties are distributed fairly, enabling a true balance. 🔄 𝐂𝐡𝐚𝐥𝐥𝐞𝐧𝐠𝐞 𝐒𝐭𝐞𝐫𝐞𝐨𝐭𝐲𝐩𝐞𝐬: By showcasing our successes, we break down patriarchal barriers, one achievement at a time. 💰 𝐅𝐢𝐧𝐚𝐧𝐜𝐢𝐚𝐥 𝐍𝐞𝐭𝐰𝐨𝐫𝐤𝐬: Let's create platforms to connect women with investors who are committed to funding female-led ventures. 🙋♀️ 𝐌𝐞𝐧𝐭𝐨𝐫𝐬𝐡𝐢𝐩 𝐏𝐫𝐨𝐠𝐫𝐚𝐦𝐬: Establishing mentorship channels ensures that experienced women can guide the next generation of leaders. Supporting women entrepreneurs isn't just about fairness; it's about enriching the business landscape with diverse perspectives and innovations. When women succeed, society prospers. 🤝 𝘐'𝘷𝘦 𝘩𝘢𝘥 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘱𝘳𝘪𝘷𝘪𝘭𝘦𝘨𝘦 𝘰𝘧 𝘤𝘰𝘢𝘤𝘩𝘪𝘯𝘨 𝘯𝘶𝘮𝘦𝘳𝘰𝘶𝘴 𝘚𝘮𝘢𝘭𝘭 𝘢𝘯𝘥 𝘔𝘦𝘥𝘪𝘶𝘮 𝘉𝘶𝘴𝘪𝘯𝘦𝘴𝘴 𝘰𝘸𝘯𝘦𝘳𝘴 𝘰𝘯 𝘵𝘩𝘦𝘪𝘳 𝘫𝘰𝘶𝘳𝘯𝘦𝘺 𝘵𝘰 𝘮𝘶𝘭𝘵𝘪𝘱𝘭𝘺𝘪𝘯𝘨 𝘵𝘩𝘦𝘪𝘳 𝘳𝘦𝘷𝘦𝘯𝘶𝘦. 𝘞𝘪𝘵𝘩 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘳𝘪𝘨𝘩𝘵 𝘴𝘬𝘪𝘭𝘭𝘴 𝘪𝘯 𝘩𝘢𝘯𝘥 𝘢𝘯𝘥 𝘢 𝘳𝘰𝘢𝘥𝘮𝘢𝘱 𝘵𝘩𝘢𝘵'𝘴 𝘤𝘶𝘴𝘵𝘰𝘮𝘪𝘻𝘦𝘥 𝘵𝘰 𝘵𝘩𝘦𝘪𝘳 𝘴𝘱𝘦𝘤𝘪𝘧𝘪𝘤 𝘨𝘰𝘢𝘭𝘴 𝘢𝘯𝘥 𝘢𝘮𝘣𝘪𝘵𝘪𝘰𝘯𝘴, 𝘵𝘩𝘦𝘺 𝘢𝘳𝘦 𝘢𝘣𝘭𝘦 𝘵𝘰 𝘴𝘦𝘦 𝘳𝘦𝘢𝘭, 𝘵𝘢𝘯𝘨𝘪𝘣𝘭𝘦 𝘳𝘦𝘴𝘶𝘭𝘵𝘴. #WomenInLeadership #Entrepreneurship #OvercomingObstacles #BusinessGrowth #SupportWomen #Coachishleenkaur #Businesscoach LinkedIn News LinkedIn News India LinkedIn for Small Business 𝐕𝐂: Unknown Social Media

The last time I bought a razor, I noticed something odd. The men’s razor was priced at ₹150, while the women’s version, with identical features, cost ₹190. The difference? A pink handle. This is an example of the pink tax—a silent penalty women pay for products marketed to them. 𝐖𝐡𝐚𝐭 𝐢𝐬 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐩𝐢𝐧𝐤 𝐭𝐚𝐱? It’s not an official tax, but a pricing strategy where products marketed to women cost more than those marketed to men.   𝐒𝐨𝐦𝐞 𝐨𝐟 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐞𝐲𝐞-𝐨𝐩𝐞𝐧𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐞𝐱𝐚𝐦𝐩𝐥𝐞𝐬 𝐭𝐡𝐚𝐭 𝐈 𝐂𝐚𝐦𝐞 𝐚𝐜𝐫𝐨𝐬𝐬: 𝐑𝐚𝐳𝐨𝐫𝐬: Women’s razors cost 66% more than men’s Shampoos: On average, women’s shampoos are priced 48% higher than men’s. 𝐂𝐥𝐨𝐭𝐡𝐢𝐧𝐠: Women’s shirts and jeans carry an 8%-15% markup compared to men’s (Economic Times). 𝐏𝐞𝐫𝐬𝐨𝐧𝐚𝐥 𝐜𝐚𝐫𝐞 𝐩𝐫𝐨𝐝𝐮𝐜𝐭𝐬: Women pay 6% more for body washes and deodorants (Time). 𝐓𝐨𝐲𝐬: Even items like bicycles and backpacks marketed to girls cost 7%-13% more (NY Times). 𝐈𝐦𝐩𝐚𝐜𝐭 𝐢𝐧 𝐈𝐧𝐝𝐢𝐚: Despite facing a 20% wage gap, I read a news where a medical student claimed that women in India pay an estimated ₹1 lakh more annually for comparable goods and services. 𝐖𝐡𝐲 𝐝𝐨𝐞𝐬 𝐭𝐡𝐢𝐬 𝐡𝐚𝐩𝐩𝐞𝐧? Marketing tactics frame women’s products as “premium” or “specialized,” exploiting societal norms to justify inflated prices. 𝐇𝐨𝐰 𝐜𝐚𝐧 𝐰𝐞 𝐜𝐡𝐚𝐥𝐥𝐞𝐧𝐠𝐞 𝐭𝐡𝐢𝐬? Compare prices carefully. Opt for unisex or generic products. Choose men’s versions strategically. Support brands promoting gender-neutral pricing. Equality shouldn’t come with a premium. By making informed choices and advocating for fair pricing, we can push back against the pink tax and build a truly inclusive marketplace. #taxation #women #equality #marketing #pinktax  

Sometimes, the smartest way to fight unfair laws is with a loophole. To challenge Germany’s tax system that treated tampons as luxury items, The Female Company launched a powerful protest disguised as a publishing project - with bold results. 𝐓𝐡𝐞 𝐏𝐫𝐨𝐛𝐥𝐞𝐦: In Germany, tampons and other menstrual products were taxed at 19% - the same rate as luxury goods like caviar and paintings. Meanwhile, items like books and paintings were taxed at a reduced 7%. This unjust classification placed an extra financial burden on women and perpetuated gender inequality in the tax system. 𝐓𝐡𝐞 𝐒𝐨𝐥𝐮𝐭𝐢𝐨𝐧: Instead of launching a traditional protest or petition, The Female Company sold tampons inside a book. Literally. “The Tampon Book” was a beautifully designed, cleverly packaged book that told stories about menstruation, taboos, and gender politics - while hiding 15 tampons between its pages. Because books were taxed at 7%, the product bypassed the “luxury” tax applied to tampons. The campaign went viral, selling out its first 10,000 copies within days. It sparked outrage, conversation, and support from politicians, influencers, and media outlets. 𝐓𝐡𝐞 𝐓𝐚𝐤𝐞𝐚𝐰𝐚𝐲: Creativity can expose injustice where petitions can’t. By using legal loopholes as storytelling tools, “The Tampon Book” not only avoided an unfair tax - it forced a national conversation. The campaign received global acclaim and ultimately helped push legislation forward: Germany reduced the tampon tax from 19% to 7% in 2020. It’s a reminder that when it comes to activism, design, wit, and persistence can be powerful tools for change.