In the past few years, we have seen the rise of gender inclusivity in marketing. For the first time in 56 years, the face of the Mattel brand was a little boy holding a Moschino Barbie purse. We also saw Jaden Smith model for Louis Vuitton’s new women’s line, sporting a black skirt and mesh as he blended in effortlessly with three other female models. Likewise, for the first time in history, a teen like James Charles took a turn as the face of CoverGirl.
Interestingly, this change in marketing strategy by major brands encourages stamping out sexism and outdated stereotypes that have become a focus for brands, and thus promotes a more gender-neutral image.
The advertising world is inundated with different types of stereotypes, ranging from gender and race to socioeconomic roles. Gender roles in commercials are especially prominent. Women face the so-called “pink tax,” in which throughout their entire lives, they pay more on average for everyday products such as razors, haircuts, clothes, shampoo, and cosmetics compared to men. A study of 1,377 men and women found that, for the same disposable razor brand, women were charged 60% more than men.
However, fashion and beauty brands have begun adopting gender-neutral marketing, but many companies are still struggling to tackle gender bias and shake off the stereotypes that have influenced ads and product design for generations.
More women are choosing to buy male-branded products and vice versa. Undoubtedly, brands won’t be the only ones saving money on gender-neutral marketing. Many consumers, especially women, stand to save money if businesses shift away from gender-specific marketing.
Additionally, Generation Z and Millennials value individual expression and uniqueness. This behavior of self-awareness has big implications for the economy and businesses. Companies need to ensure relevance in their messaging to younger customers and prioritize personalization and self-expression.
Designing gender-neutral packaging will encourage gender equality and help create a more sustainable world. Here, we explore four ways brands can adopt a more gender-inclusive approach to marketing:
Team Diversity
Team diversity breeds diverse outcomes. If you have a mixed-gender team, the products you develop will naturally be more inclusive. And whatever the project or product, it is important to ensure that consumers aren’t excluded or put at risk as a result of gender bias. This extends to all projects, even those that are aimed specifically at a certain gender. Brands can break down barriers and presumptions about products, especially those seen as very male- or female-focused.
Product Review
Ensure that you share your product or project with a wide range of people, even those who might not be the target market. Feedback helps, not just in making something more gender-inclusive, but also in making it more user-friendly. In fact, it allows you to gain insight into how society perceives the products or services you design.
Promotion
A brand must adapt its communication to reflect both new thinking about gender and speak to a society that has adopted a very different gender identity than in the past. For instance, in 2018, Coca-Cola gave a subtle nod to gender-neutral pronouns in its Super Bowl commercial. Also, in the U.K., the Advertising Standards Authority established guidelines against promoting harmful gender stereotypes and banned ads by Volkswagen and Mondelez for violating them.
Awareness
Brands need to be aware of how attitudes and perceptions of gender might differ in different markets and tailor campaigns accordingly. Understanding your target audience’s views on gender helps create more informed and sensitive advertising. You can achieve this by not making assumptions about what consumers really want, but by spending time with them, testing ideas before launch, and listening carefully to ensure your message is meaningful.
Conclusion
Gender roles have changed. Men and women cook, clean, and tend to other household responsibilities. Women and men hold strategic, decision-making business positions. Instead of gender-specific marketing, brands need to better understand how they authentically fit into the professional and personal lives of consumers. This change will be a major key to brand longevity and success as we move forward.
Apple is one company that does a notable job of designing products without a gender overlay. iPhone marketing assumes everyone wants one, and none of the iPhone 11’s six colors are associated with a particular gender. Everyone gets to pick the color they like, without being told what color they should want based on their gender.
Nonetheless, gender inclusivity does not equal blandness or toning down your uniqueness. Brands must beware of the danger of becoming too scared of turning anyone off and risk becoming bland. The marketplace is being flooded every day with startups that have bold brands.
There’s no need to be male- or female-specific in the messaging of a product if it could appeal to either. That doesn’t mean you can’t tailor messaging to segments, but don’t assume they are gender-based in traditional ways. That assumption will likely prove costly. Start by evaluating the target audiences for your brand. Whenever this analysis is based on gender, ask yourself if there’s another way to define the people most likely to buy your product.
