How Brands Can Win with Women Through Inclusive Marketing

Women drive most household purchases and control up to 80% of consumer spending, yet many brands still struggle to connect with them. It’s important to remember that women are not just one audience—they are every audience. They are CEOs, athletes, doctors, artists, engineers, mothers, and innovators. They come from different racial, cultural, and socioeconomic backgrounds, and they want to see themselves reflected in the brands they support.

Yet, too many companies treat women as a monolithic group and rely on outdated stereotypes and cultural norms that fail to reflect their diversity and evolving roles.

So, how can brands authentically market to women without perpetuating these false narratives? Let’s explore.

The Situation

The difference between success and failure when marketing to women lies in how brands approach engagement. Today, more than ever, women seek storytelling that authentically reflects the intersectionality of their diverse lived experiences and identities. However, the data indicates that intersectionality is not being represented in advertising. A 2021 report by Citi and Getty Images found that while 94% of brands featured women in primary roles within advertisements, many relied on outdated stereotypes—often depicting women as only nurturing mothers or devoted wives. The report also revealed that one-third of ads portrayed women in domestic settings, reinforcing traditional roles rather than showcasing the full spectrum of their identities and contributions.

Missing the Mark

Tapping into how women see themselves is vital, whether in their day-to-day roles or when they look in the mirror. One brand learned this the hard way after sending the wrong message about beauty. For years, Dove’s ‘Real Beauty’ campaign has been the gold standard for inclusive marketing. But in 2017, everything changed, and the beloved brand went viral for all the wrong reasons.

The ad featured a Black woman removing her shirt, revealing a White woman underneath.  Dove’s intended message? Their products work for all women. But what did consumers see? A problematic visual suggesting “whiter” equals “cleaner” or “better.”

The backlash was swift. The ad was heavily criticized for its racist undertones. Dove issued an apology and pulled the ad, but the damage had already been done.

Getting it Right

This year, on the other hand, Nike’s Super Bowl LIX ad stood out, and for good reason.

Narrated by Grammy-winner Doechii, the ad “So Win” featured Jordan Chiles and Sha’Carri Richardson, two Olympic gold medalists, along with other powerhouse female athletes. The campaign took direct aim at stereotypes—highlighting the countless things women are told they “can’t do,” only to show them doing precisely that. 

Nike succeeded by:  

• Authentically representing women in sports  
• Challenging outdated gender norms  
• Delivering a message of empowerment, not tokenism 

And it paid off—big time. Representation leads to a 40% increase in consumer trust and a 25% lift in brand affinity. Women don’t just buy from brands that acknowledge them—they buy from brands that see them. 

Nike nailed this campaign and went on to take home the Super Clio Award for the best Big Game commercial while connecting with women worldwide.

Implementing Inclusive Marketing

Now that you understand both the pitfalls to avoid and the best practices to follow, you are ready to start crafting your organization’s inclusive marketing strategy. Leading brands create campaigns that genuinely reflect the diverse experiences, identities, and roles of women today. Here’s how you can do the same:

1. Foster Authentic Storytelling: Highlight authentic stories of women across all ages, races, ethnicities, body types, and abilities. Instead of simply promoting your product or service, focus on building a genuine connection by showcasing how it fits into their lives. Women should see themselves at the center of your campaigns, not as an afterthought or pushed to the background. 
2. Prioritize Representation: Feature women from all walks of life. Women come from diverse backgrounds and work in a wide range of industries. They are leaders, innovators, and professionals—yet in 2022, their representation in professional settings declined by 21%. Brands need to show women as more than caretakers or beauty icons. Female consumers are more likely to connect with ads that reflect their own experiences.
3. Engage in Dialogue and Own Mistakes: Brands that ignore their audience’s concerns fail to engage with the very consumers they are trying to reach. This can create a snowball effect, leading to a breakdown in trust or a larger crisis. Dove’s 2017 incident is a prime example. After a similar misstep in 2011, Dove initially denied responsibility, attributing the issue to a production oversight. This only intensified the backlash in 2017. When mistakes happen, quickly own up to them and work to do better. In 2017, Dove acknowledged their error, apologized, and took steps to rebuild trust with their female audience.
4. Include Diverse Voices in Campaign Strategy: Inviting diverse voices representing a range of identities, backgrounds, and abilities to participate in strategy and creative brainstorming helps mitigate the risk of cultural missteps, which can lead to backlash from unintentionally offensive ads. If your current marketing team lacks diversity, consider bringing in consultants to fill knowledge gaps. Disney’s 2017 hit Coco is a prime example of this approach. The film was widely acclaimed for its cultural accuracy, featuring an all-Latino cast and hiring Latino consultants to ensure the narrative was authentically portrayed. This commitment to cultural expertise helped Coco resonate deeply with audiences and avoid potential missteps.

The Takeaway

Inclusive marketing is more than just checking a diversity box, and engaging female consumers requires more than simply featuring them in your ads. Successfully marketing to women means deeply understanding their full diversity and showcasing that knowledge through thoughtful marketing campaigns. To do that, brands must continually engage in dialogue with women, learn from them, and adapt to meet their evolving needs.

Ask yourself: When people think of a brand that authentically represents women, will they think of yours? If the answer is not a confident ‘yes,’ it’s time to rethink your strategy.