Breaking barriers with female forward advertising - powered by Ipsos

Ipsos’ commitment, along with our partners and clients, is to push boundaries and elevate how brands appear to consumers. This involves holding us and the industry accountable for depicting women and girls positively and strongly. Advertising has the power to shape societal expectations, a fact recognised by almost 80% of people. This “superpower” comes with high expectations of brands, which is both an opportunity and a responsibility. Brands that succeed in this area can drive significant business growth, including a 20% increase in purchase interest and a 35% increase in stronger brand relationships. 

Launched in 2016 by the Association of National Advertisers (ANA), SeeHer’s coalition of leaders is committed to setting the gender equality agenda for the industry and driving growth for their businesses. The Gender Equality Measure (GEM®), spearheaded by SeeHer is the first research methodology that quantifies gender bias in ads and programming. Ipsos was selected as the first research member of SeeHer. With over 7,250 brands involved, GEM® assesses four key characteristics of female and male representation in advertisements:

1. Presentation – the opinion of how the woman/man is being presented, 

2. Respect – whether they are shown in a respectful manner

 3. Appropriate – if the women/ men are presented in an appropriate manner 

4. Role Model – whether they are seen as positive role models.

Heineken has been proactive in supporting diversity through its campaigns. The first advertisement we would like to highlight in this article is called “The Social Swap.” Soccer experts and live commentators Jill Scott and Gary Neville exchanged phones for a night to comment on their respective leagues. The campaign clearly exposed the preconceived notions we have on gender bias. 

The beer category, traditionally male-dominated, has seen a shift as Heineken brings female representation to the forefront. The “Cheers to All Fans” campaign, part of the Fresher Football platform, includes diverse executions across markets such as the UK, Africa, and Brazil. This approach has led to significant brand growth, with meaningfulness and differentiation increasing by over 15 points says Olya Dyachuk, Global Media & Data director at Heineken. Heineken’s commitment is not just about business growth but also about driving positive change in society.

The second advertisement to highlight is created by Opella for Aspercreme, a product to relieve pain when wearing heels. 

Opella’s campaigns aim to challenge conventional representations in the healthcare category, which traditionally lags in diversity. The business results have exceeded expectations, but the primary focus is on systematically improving representation. Thanks to Ipsos’ Gender Index (Figure 1) , Opella can measure its progress and push for better representation says Julie Regis, Opella Global Creative Excellence, Content & Partnerships Lead. The goal is to move from being above average to becoming best in class in this area. 

“I think why AsperQueens worked so well is that its representation is authentic and was created with both the end consumer and product benefit at the heart of the campaign.” Bill Ulrick, Creative Excellence Lead, Opella, North America said about this multi-awarded campaign.

When accepting the SeeHer Award at the ‘Critics Choice Awards,’ America Ferrera gave a powerful speech highlighting the importance of representation on screen. 

SeeHer continues to develop products and insights that hold global relevance. “It’s important to note that 96% of female executives played a sport, yet girls are three times more likely to drop out of sports than boys” says Christine Guilfoyle, president of SeeHer. By not supporting girls in sports, we limit their opportunities for future leadership roles. The GEM® benchmarks have shown a need for improvement, especially as only one-third of Super Bowl ads met the benchmark. The work to improve representation is ongoing, and consumers demand that brands remain relevant and successful.

In France, only three major companies have female CEOs, one of which is Orange. As a major partner of the French national soccer teams, Orange decided to support women’s football during the World Championship. The campaign aimed to address and change societal perceptions of women in sports. The creative execution by Marcel agency went viral, far exceeding expectations and generating positive reactions worldwide. This award-winning campaign not only supported the team but also made a significant impact on gender equality in sports and society. 

The highly acclaimed campaign has won multiple prestigious awards, including two Grand Prix, three Gold, two Silver and three Bronze at Cannes Lions 2024.

Start by measuring things to ensure that perceptions are based on data, which is critical for promoting gender equality, diversity, and equity internally. Focus on external communication to bring these values into the world. Internal change is crucial; if a business does not support these values, external communications will lack authenticity. Such a strategy encompassing diversity, equity, inclusivity, and sustainability is essential. Supporting women in sports and role-modelling these behaviours is key. Sincerity is important – if gender equality does not align with a company’s values, it is better not to communicate it. 

Representation both in front of and behind the camera is crucial. Embedding these practices into a business ensures genuine progress. Sponsors such as AT&T and Coca-Cola have pushed for progress in women’s sports, leading to record-high statistics. We congratulate brands pushing boundaries for greater equity.

In conclusion, the efforts by Ipsos, Heineken, Opella, SeeHer, and Orange demonstrate that advertising can be a powerful tool for promoting female equality. By challenging traditional stereotypes and pushing for more accurate representations, brands can drive both societal change, brand success and business growth. The journey towards gender equality in advertising is ongoing, but the progress made so far is both encouraging and inspiring. 

Ipsos’ R&D research shows that brands which understand the context of the world people live in, and act with empathy, can create bonding connections with consumers that drive brand success. As such genuine female representation in advertising with empathy is good for the brand and good for society. 

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