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Target Unit: Marketing

Getting Gender Right

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ATTRIBUTES
  • Marketing and Advertising

SOURCE
  • Kantar

TYPE OF RESOURCE
  • RReport

TARGET AREA
  • Strategy

TARGET UNIT
  • Advertising, Marketing

LINK TO RESOURCE

Getting Gender Right

Kantar
Kantar’s report is designed to help marketers feel more confident making strategic branding decisions related to gender differences in response to marketing campaigns. The report is based on primary research with over 20,000 respondents in 43 countries, including Canada.

Some key recommendations include:

  • Be bold by consciously considering gender issues and challenging the status quo.
  • Acknowledge and embrace gender differences by recognizing outdated, over-simplistic targeting assumptions that reinforce old decision-making paradigms.
  • Employ the philosophy of “designing to the edges” to create ads that speak to everyone.
  • Assess media targeting and optimization by gender with an understanding that women are less receptive to online media.
  • Organizations need to acknowledge that gender equality is a journey which requires comprehensive gender progressiveness programs where effectiveness can be monitored and measured.

To read more, click here.

Gender Bias in Advertising: Research, Trends & New Visual Language

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ATTRIBUTES
  • Marketing and Advertising

SOURCE
  • Geena Davis Institute on Gender in Media

TYPE OF RESOURCE
  • RReport

TARGET AREA
  • Strategy

TARGET UNIT
  • Advertising, Marketing

LINK TO RESOURCE

Gender Bias in Advertising: Research, Trends & New Visual Language

Geena Davis Institute on Gender in Media
The Geena Davis Institute on Gender in Media at Mount Saint Mary’s University works with media and entertainment companies to improve how girls and women are reflected in media. The Institute developed this report to examine ways that the advertising industry has improved representation of women, and where it can do better.

The report includes a section that discusses what agencies and brands can do to address gender representation in advertising:

  • Think beyond the shortterm – one female-focused ad campaign might generate press, but it won’t ensure representation in the longterm.
  • Build women into the process, not just the results – place women in decision-making roles to add new dimensions to outdated gender-based stereotypes.
  • Look to the challengers – watch your challenger brands that are filling a niche market to see where the culture is headed.

To read more, click here.

Advertising Guidance on Depicting Gender Stereotypes Likely to Cause Harm or Serious or Widespread Offence

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ATTRIBUTES
  • Marketing and Advertising

SOURCE
  • Committee of Advertising Practice (UK)

TYPE OF RESOURCE
  • GGuide

TARGET AREA
  • Development

TARGET UNIT
  • Advertising, Marketing

LINK TO RESOURCE

Advertising Guidance on Depicting Gender Stereotypes Likely to Cause Harm or Serious or Widespread Offence

Committee of Advertising Practice (UK)
The Committee of Advertising Practice of the UK created this guidance to help advertisers, agencies, and media owners interpret the CAP Code. This guidance is based on formal regulation in the UK banning gender stereotypes in advertising; however, it provides examples of scenarios featuring gender-stereotypical roles to avoid in advertisements.

  • Gender-stereotypical roles and characteristics: An ad that depicts a man with his feet up and family members creating mess around a home while a woman is solely responsible for cleaning up the mess.
  • Pressure to conform to an idealized gender-stereotypical body shape or physical features: An ad that depicts a person who was unhappy with multiple aspects of their life, then implies that all their problems were solved by changing their body shape.
  • Scenarios aimed at or featuring children: An ad that seeks to emphasize the contrast between a boy’s stereotypical personality (e.g. daring) with a girl’s stereotypical personality (e.g. caring) needs to be handled with care.
  • Scenarios aimed at or featuring potentially vulnerable groups: An ad aimed at new mums which suggests that looking attractive or keeping a home pristine is a priority over other factors such as their emotional wellbeing.
  • Scenarios featuring people who don’t conform to a gender stereotype: An ad that belittles a man for carrying out stereotypically “female” roles or tasks.

To read more, click here.

Let’s Speak Gender: 10 Principles of Gender-Responsive Communications for Development

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ATTRIBUTES
  • Intersectionality
  • Marketing and Advertising

SOURCE
  • UNDP

TYPE OF RESOURCE
  • TTool

TARGET AREA
  • Development

TARGET UNIT
  • Advertising, All Units, Marketing

LINK TO RESOURCE

Let's Speak Gender: 10 Principles of Gender-Responsive Communications for Development

UNDP
This resource provides guidance on gender-responsive representation in communications based on the premise that language can reinforce or subvert gender inequalities. It lists common mistakes made when communicating and how they contribute to gender inequality, and provides best practice examples to avoid or correct such behaviour.

There are 10 principles that can be used to reduce gender-based discrimination in communications:

  1. Go beyond featuring women: Explore various aspects of gender inequality.
  2. Ensure visibility for men and women: Include perspectives of women in decision-making processes.
  3. Do not diminish women’s contributions: Consider the role and impact of gender relations in portrayals.
  4. Do not reinforce gender stereotypes: Use non-stereotypical colours to represent men and women.
  5. Portray diversity: Consider the variety of experiences of men and women of different backgrounds.
  6. Use gender-responsive language: Use singular ‘they’, gender-inclusive job titles.
  7. Do not victimize: Show women and men as active participants to development, not beneficiaries.
  8. Do not patronize: Portray women accomplishing great results.
  9. Present facts, not judgements: Focus on presenting facts and quotes.
  10. Be open: Be open to listening, learning, and improving.

To learn more, click here.

A Guide to Gender Equality in Communications

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ATTRIBUTES
  • Marketing and Advertising

SOURCE
  • Koç Holding Company

TYPE OF RESOURCE
  • GGuide

TARGET AREA
  • Strategy

TARGET UNIT
  • Advertising, Diversity & Inclusion, Human Resources, Marketing

LINK TO RESOURCE

A Guide to Gender Equality in Communications

Koç Holding Company
The Koç Group, an investment holding company from Turkey, developed this guide to help transform workplaces and advance gender equality through effective communication. Communications professionals can use the guide as a resource to overcome gender stereotypes in marketing, communications, and brand management.

Gender-sensitive communications requires questioning gender stereotypes and enables mainstreaming gender equality. Gender-sensitive communications can be defined as such:

  • Inclusive use of language and visuals
  • Positioning of men and women so that they are equally represented, have equal access to resources and opportunities, enjoy balanced roles and have equal share in decisionmaking

Consider the following elements for gender-sensitive communications:

  • Who?: Question related to representation

Assess: the ratio of men to women; the age of all individuals being represented; the physical appearance and clothing of men and women in visual materials; and, how their roles are being portrayed

  • What?: Question related to the distribution of resources

Assess: who uses the time and for how long; who is pictured in what place; who owns the resources and earns the money; who uses public domain spaces and for how long; who receives what information; who is responsible for what; and, who makes the decisions and implements them

  • Why?: Question related to elements preventing equality

Assess: who owns what and why; why objects or services meet the needs of only men or women; why we assign resources and roles to only one gender; and, why does the slogan address only one gender

  • How?: Question related to determining new course forward to advancing gender-sensitivity

Assess: How does my approach ensure gender equality; is a new framework possible that better ensures gender equality; and, can I change my approach

To learn more, click here.

A Guide to Progressive Gender Portrayals in Advertising – The Case for Unstereotyping Ads

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ATTRIBUTES
  • Marketing and Advertising

SOURCE
  • The World Federation of Advertisers

TYPE OF RESOURCE
  • GGuide

TARGET AREA
  • Strategy

TARGET UNIT
  • Advertising, Marketing

LINK TO RESOURCE

A Guide to Progressive Gender Portrayals in Advertising - The Case for Unstereotyping Ads

The World Federation of Advertisers
This guide emphasizes the need for the advertising industry to move away from gender stereotypes in advertising and provides advice and recommendations on how to do so.

Some of the recommendations include:

  1. Encourage diversity in your teams: Does my internal team and partner team at my agencies reflect my target audience?
  2. Track performance: What is the representation of women versus men in our ads? Are we testing our ads with an equal number of men and women, etc.?
  3. Find your purpose: What does my brand stand for that benefits both men and women?
  4. Think longterm: Where do we want to be in the next three years on gender diversity and proper representation? Campaigners and consumers want to see real commitment that goes beyond a single message or a particular day.
  5. Go beyond marketing: How can I promote more positive, diverse portrayals of men and women internally and among suppliers?

To learn more, click here.

Gender Portrayal Guidelines

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ATTRIBUTES
  • Intersectionality
  • Marketing and Advertising

SOURCE
  • Ad Standards

TYPE OF RESOURCE
  • GGuide

TARGET AREA
  • Development, Institutional Policies

TARGET UNIT
  • Advertising, Marketing

LINK TO RESOURCE

Gender Portrayal Guidelines

Ad Standards
Advertising Standards Canada administers these guidelines with respect to the representation of women and men in advertisements. The guidelines are part of the Canadian Code of Advertising Standards, which is the Canadian advertising industry’s principal instrument of self-regulation. There are six guidelines:

  • Authority: Advertising should strive to provide an equal representation of women and men in roles of authority.
  • Decisionmaking: Women and men should be portrayed equally as single decisionmakers for all purchases, including big-ticket items.
  • Sexuality: Advertising should avoid the inappropriate use or exploitation of sexuality of both women and men.
  • Violence: Neither sex should be portrayed as exerting domination over the other by means of overt or implied threats, or actual force.
  • Diversity: Advertising should portray both women and men in the full spectrum of diversity and as equally competent in a wide range of activities both inside and outside the home.
  • Language: Advertising should avoid language that misrepresents, offends, or excludes women or men.

To read the full guide, click here.

Diversity Primer – Communications and Marketing

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ATTRIBUTES
  • Internal Communication
  • Marketing and Advertising

SOURCE
  • Diversity Best Practice

TYPE OF RESOURCE
  • GGuide

TARGET AREA
  • Development

TARGET UNIT
  • Advertising, Communications, Diversity & Inclusion, Human Resources, Marketing

LINK TO RESOURCE

Diversity Primer - Communications and Marketing

Diversity Best Practice
This guide outlines why communication is integral when developing, implementing, and overseeing a diversity and inclusion program. To prevent these shortcomings, the guide provides recommendations on how to go about creating an effective communication plan.

A communications plan should consider the following:

  • Define need/opportunity: What are the aims of the communication plan?
  • Intended audiences: Who will read or view this message?
  • Goals and objectives: Recommended to define three to five objectives.
  • Define how to implement the plan: Include vehicles of communication, spokespersons, and timeline.
  • Challenges: Anticipate and devise potential solutions.
  • Budget: Anticipate and calculate costs as accurately as possible.
  • Measurement and evaluation: Numerical goals and impact assessment.

Communications plans should be devised and executed with the cooperation of multiple departments or persons. This guide recommends engaging the support of the following functions, including:

  • Internal Communications: Develop, design, and write internal materials.
  • External Communications: Create and edit press releases and manage media requests.
  • Marketing/ Consumer Products: Help develop ideas for articles, partnerships for collaboration, and advice on best practices for advertisements.
  • Legal: Review written materials on complicated topics to avoid risk and controversy.
  • Human Resources: Provide feedback on materials to ensure HR policies are not violated.
  • Employee Network GroupLeaders: Contribute to articles, provide story leads, and serve as resource or subject matter experts to represent the company internally and externally.

The guide also includes a diverse list of appropriate communications materials, including:

  1. Advertisement (in-house and external)
  2. Annual Report
  3. ERG Handbook
  4. Website (with database of diversity resources)

To read the guide in full, click here.