3 minute read
Does your brand connect with today’s women?
More than a mother, wife and home cleaning enthusiast – Yaw Dwomoh, MD of Idea Hive, explores how brand storytelling is missing the mark.
A washing powder advert caught my attention for its depiction of a stereotypical African woman in a rural area, bent over a skottel washing clothes. Her disproportionate excitement over its ‘superior cleaning properties’ was an old refrain.
As a father to a strong daughter and leader to some exceptionally talented and capable young women, it got me thinking. Brands that fly in the face of inclusivity by depicting a lazily formulaic narrative are losing out on telling truly phenomenal stories. Such as those of women who are emergency workers, farmers, bankers, engineers or single mothers.
According to Stats SA, in 2017 young women made up 50 percent of theSouth African population. Considering this, there are three stereotypes brands would be well-advised to avoid, to reach a whole new demographic.
All women are mothers
Not all women are mothers or want to be mothers. If Millennials are said to be having children later or not at all, studies show that Generation Z women will have even less mothers, which should be okay. Infertility, careers, societal pressure, cost of living and the lure of single life have an impact on when and if women have children. Infertility alone affects more than 48 million couples in the world. In South Africa, 20 percent of couples are unable to have children, enough so that some are calling for it to be considered a disability. Addressing women not only as mothers but as leaders, mentors, spiritual mothers, sisters, aunts and teachers, brands have an incredible opportunity to reach women without alienating a significant part of their audience.
All women are married
A Tinder survey of singles aged between 18 and 25 revealed 80 percent of respondents felt staying single was better for work, friendship, fitness and unique experiences. In 2014, statistics showed about 50.2 percent of American adults were single.
A growing number of men and women also choose single parenting for various reasons. Over 62 percent of children born in South Africa have no father listed on their birth certificate. Avoiding following their mothers’ and grandmothers’ paths, many women no longer feel pressurised to get married.
That said, it’s not always a woman who is using a brand’s washing powder. Your consumer could be a father who has his kids for the weekend, or it may be a successful single mom’s helper or mother. Brands need to speak to all these consumers.
All women love cooking and cleaning
Not all women cook and clean. If we are brutally honest – in the South African culture, many women are cleaning homes that are not their own. For example, if we take washing powder, this puts a new spin on the disparity between the target market and buying power and whether the target market actually affects the purchase decision.
There are women who arrive home from work between 18h00 and 19h00, and who then have homework, tests, projects and speeches to complete. Tell them about quick, healthy meals they can serve their family, without the guilt. Give them a product that cleans today’s sports kit in time for the next morning. Tell them about the material their son’s school shirt is made of and how it won’t need ironing if you hang it up tonight to be dry for tomorrow.
Women make up nearly 85 percent of the consumer market. Brands cannot afford to ignore even a small percentage of them, or to only focus on them during Women’s Month. This is sure to see them lose out on market share, brand loyalty, credibility, trust and ultimately, profits.•
ABOUT THE AUTHOR Yaw Dwomoh is an entrepreneur and heads up Idea Hive – a specialist brand storytelling agency, which helps brands like McDonald’s tell authentic stories.
