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Brands have a bit of catching up to do when it comes to meeting the needs of the female audiences they target, according to a new report from Gatesman.
“Women ReKnown,” a project endorsed by the Geena Davis Institute, finds that women are considerably more skeptical about big global brands than men are. While 36 percent of the men surveyed said that they trust those brands to put consumers before profits, fewer than a quarter of the female respondents agreed.
In addition, women are more likely than men to favor price over brand identity. More than four out of ten (41 percent) female respondents said they were “more likely to sacrifice brands for savings,” a number that dropped to 34 percent for male respondents.
Even purpose-driven brands are taking a hit with female audiences. While about half (49 percent) of the men surveyed said they trust purpose-driven brands, only 41 percent of women agreed.
This becomes more important when the financial power of women is taken into account. According to the report, women are the decision makers behind 85 percent of day-to-day spending choices and 80 percent of the healthcare spending choices for their families
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To uncover some of the reasons for this, the study looked at how women feel about a range of topics and then pointed out strategies for how marketers can successfully respond.
Noting that many women are in the process of self-reflection, Gatesman SVP, director of communication Susan English, and author of the report, notes that there is often a tendency to resist when others, including brands, presume understanding. To counter this, it is suggested that marketers avoid language that speaks definitively about women’s lives and tries to tell them how to feel.
The report also says marketers should emphasize positive messaging, focusing on stories that promote empowerment and control, as well as ones that help to solve problems or streamline the steps of day-to-day tasks.
Knowing what female audiences expect from communications is also key to ensuring the success of the messages being delivered. While many of those responding to the survey said they appreciate efforts to be inclusive, they added that inclusivity should consist of more than simply being reduced to a checkbox on a marketer’s to-do list.
Another essential factor is knowing where to reach women. Social media dominates their media consumption, with more than 87 percent of millennial and Gen X women saying that they use social media (with Facebook at the top of the list)—but only 24 percent said they trust social media companies. Plus, such media platforms as TV, radio and magazine (though not newspapers) remain popular.
When it comes to AI, female respondents were more hesitant than their male counterparts, with 33 percent noting that they had experimented with AI, as opposed to 44 percent of men. However, women who have used AI in their work environment are more comfortable using it for personal purposes.
The main takeaway from the report is that marketers should take time getting to know and understand female audiences before delivering messages to them. “By understanding what women value in their lives today,” the report says, “you can tap into their underlying needs and position your offerings to deliver.”
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