International Women’s Day 2022: The marketing campaigns that got it right
There are a handful of key moments throughout the calendar year where, with the right planning and content, brands can grab attention and shine. A chance to spread a message, to do some good, to raise awareness of your brand or product.
International Women’s Day has become an increasingly popular and important day in a marketeers diary. A chance to raise awareness for women’s rights, to discuss issues facing women, and to celebrate women in business. As a female-founded marketing business, this particular date always looms on our planning horizon and often makes us question its place on our own marketing calendar.
Should we have just one day to discuss the issues women are facing on a daily basis? Should we only celebrate women in business on one given day? Is the date slowly becoming another Americanised holiday and a chance for any business to jump on the bandwagon, sharing pictures of their female employees for the first time, sales and discounts, product promotions targeted at women are becoming all too common and for us are diluting the real movement behind the day?
For us, it’s time for brands to take a step back. Ask yourself, do we promote and share information, causes, and products that are important and relevant to women all year round? Do we have something truly important to say around women’s issues this year? If the answer is no then leave this day. Leave the hashtags, leave the image of women working for you or using your brand and leave space for the causes and brands who are truly making a difference, not just on one day of the year but all year round.
What can you do differently on IWD?
Chances are a substantial proportion of your target audience identifies as female. So we understand that staying silent also isn’t an option. But knowing you need to speak up is one thing; finding the right thing to say is an entirely different matter.
Instead of sharing something which is only self-serving why not direct your audience to causes which truly deserve recognition this year, and even donate towards the causes as a brand.
Don’t post for the sake of posting and please don’t send out a newsletter with a promotional code.
Find out which causes are truly making a difference this year and share the ones which will resonate with and help your audience.
Make a donation to a relevant cause.
Charities to support on IWD (and beyond)
Here are some of the causes we’ll be sharing content from and supporting this year. On IWD and beyond.
Women’s Aid - we all remember the impactful campaign back in 2016 with images and video clips of women’s injuries at the hands of domestic abuse shared on billboards and video screens across the country. The tagline ‘Look at me. We can stop it’ was poignant and powerful and did exactly what it intended to do. To get people to stop, think, and act. This year Women’s Aid is focussing on survivors of domestic abuse to ensure they get the mental health support they deserve with their ‘I pledge to #hearher’ campaign. Share their posts, read their resources and donate if you can.
Women Supporting Women - The mission of Women Supporting Women is simple: to provide the right help to nurture, empower and inspire young women to build their own futures through employment, self-employment, education, or training. The organisation believes that young women across the UK need support from other women to allow them to achieve their full potential. You can support in person, donate or donate as a company.
Women for Women International - A charity that helps women survivors of war rebuild their lives across the world - a cause which couldn’t be more relevant with the invasion of Ukraine happening right now. Women in war-torn countries bear the heaviest burden of violence, poverty, and inequality. The charities ‘Stronger Women, Stronger Nations’ program builds women’s self-reliance in four key areas: earning and savings; rights and decision-making; health and wellness; and support networks. Women receive hands-on vocational training in a variety of sectors and are supported to start small businesses, build networks, and take on leadership roles in their communities. Something which we fully endorse and support at The Doers.
Girls Out Loud - A charity with programs and resources created to empower girls to channel their potential and make better life choices. Their purpose is to help empower teenage girls, in particular, to learn, lead and thrive with an emphasis on mentoring and education. The charity recruits ‘Big Sisters’ to personally support and mentor young women with a focus on their wellbeing and education.
Brands who do it right
There are some brands out there who have an authentic connection to these charities and have created limited edition products with 100% of the profits genuinely going towards these ventures and who are supporting the charity in many different ways. If donating time or money feels like a stretch then purchasing one of these products is a good way to show your support.
Papier joyful charity notebook: £21.99, Papier.com with 100% of profits going to Women for Women International.
Mango women’s T-shirt: £17.99, Mango.com with 100% of profits going to Mundo Cooperante, a Spanish NGO that provides support for four social organisations in Bangladesh, India, Pakistan, and Ethiopia and promotes education for vulnerable girls.
Unlock Your Dreams key pendant, £22, Estella Bartlett with 100% of profits going to Young Women’s Trust.
Katie Leamon bloom notebook: £22, Katieleamon.com with 100% of profits going to Equality Now.
Sisterhood tee, £24, Dancing Leopard with 100% of profits going to Women for Women International.