A word from UM. There has never been a better time to be a woman.

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2 A word from UM There has never been a better time to be a woman. Yet 2017 is also a year when millions of people across the globe have taken to the streets to participate in the Women s March because, paradoxically, equality is still not a given even in the most progressive of cultures. Harmful stereotypes, woven tightly into the fabric of our society, perpetuate the fight for egalitarianism and there is no space where such stereotypes are more discernible than in advertising. It is for this reason that we, at UM, have embarked upon UK by UM a series of initiatives designed to challenge and throw a spotlight on unnecessary stereotyping in our industry. This latest instalment focuses on the pertinent topic of women in ads. The research highlights that our industry has a pivotal role to play in reflecting and defining realistic identity roles this goes beyond embracing one dimensional femvertising. At UM, we are committed to delivering Better Science, Better Art, Better Outcomes for our clients. By harnessing the Better Science yielded by the data-driven insights in this thought-provoking research, we hope to inspire Better Art and creativity for all, ultimately driving Better Outcomes as we set a new equality agenda for the industry.

3 female stereotypes are rife Q: how stereotypical do you find the way women are generally portrayed in advertising? Both men and women are cognisant of the use of these shortcuts in advertising. Brands can no longer ignore the prevalence of this issue. 77% SAY VERY OR QUITE STEREOTYPICAL 65% SAY VERY OR QUITE STEREOTYPICAL

4 ads put women under pressure 1 in 2 UK women claimed they have previously felt identity pressure from ads to be a certain way. Many women don t feel good enough- a poignant metric that should encourage all of us to consider how we can address this. Guy Parker, the Chief Executive of the Advertising Standards Authority, said: Portrayals which reinforce outdated and stereotypical views on gender roles in society can play their part in driving unfair outcomes for people. 49% I have felt pressure from ads to be a certain way 44% Ads have previously made me feel like I m not good enough

5 not just an issue for the youth Adverts have previously made me feel like i m not good enough Cutting into that startling 44% not good enough metric by age, it becomes apparent that younger women are most sensitive to idealised, simplistic or contorted representations of female identity in ads. 67% 61% There s another interesting peak, however, in the middle age range, which correlates with a time of life when research has shown that women are psychologically vulnerable for a number of reasons. 53% 39% 46% 38% Regardless of the root cause, these women are looking for messages and ideas that inspire and empower, rather than ones that generate feelings of inadequacy. 28% Age

6 female stereotypes are prolific and wide-ranging Q: which of the following stereotypical depictions of women do you think are most common in the media today? Thinkbox recently launched a thought-provoking film, 10 from 50, which highlighted the recurring stereotypes that brands have gravitated towards over the last 50 years. Our research demonstrated that there is a worryingly long list of clichéd identity roles that still exist in advertising today, but the 3 most prevalent stereotypes were said to be Bimbo/Footballer s Wife, Domestic Goddess, and Shopaholic. 55% 50% 53% 50% 50% 37% 40% 25% 40% 37% 19% 35% 29% 27% 15% 14% 13% 12% 13% 11% 12% 12% 12% 4% 7% 6% 2% 5% 3% Bimbo / Footballer s Wife Domestic Goddess Shopaholic It girl Housewife Flawless Wealthy suburban mum Hassled, over-stretched mum Bitch Sex-crazed nymphomaniac Hard working salt of the earth Know-it-all Blushing, shy rose Just an extra Butch girl Warts and all Leader Women Men

7 some stereotypes are more offensive than others Q: how stereotypical do you find the way that women are portrayed in advertising? Brands should stop and think before lazily leaning back on potentially harmful stereotypes. 72% 69% 65% 54% Brands should tread very carefully whenever showing women in these moulds, or they ll risk alienating a large part of their market, unless it s done with a giant dose of irony and with the aim of subverting these clichés. 43% 40% 39% 36% 34% 33% 31% 29% 29% 23% 19% 15% 3% Bitch Sex-crazed nymphomaniac Bimbo / Footballer s Wife Butch Girl Know-it-all Just an extra It girl Shopaholic Flawless Wealthy suburban mum Domestic goddess Hassled, over-stretched mum Warts-and-all Housewife Blushing, shy rose Salt of the earth Leader % find offensive

8 feminism is not the norm Q: would you personally define as a feminist? For the progressive youth, feminism is second nature. However amongst the older audiences there is perhaps a tainted legacy that still needs to be overcome. Likewise, only 22% of men self-define as a feminist. 46% SELF-DEFINE AS FEMINIST 69% 54% 44% 43% 22% SELF-DEFINE AS FEMINIST Age 38% 36% % defining as feminist

9 feminist icons come in all shapes and sizes Q: who are the top three people that you respect as a feminist inspiration When asked who they considered to be their top three feminist icons, post-millennial women tended to name people who play or have played a significant role in setting political agendas, whereas younger women s feminist icons tended to be figures in popular culture who have used their profile to promote their strong ethics and beliefs.

10 men don t escape the pressure This is not a female-only issue - gender stereotypes oppress men as well as women. While female stereotypes are under the spotlight, brands can t forget that men also bear the burden. Our study also didn t yield an analysable base of transgender people, who represent 0.1% of the UK, but given the amount of pressure we ve heard of amongst women and men, we can only imagine how the transgender community must feel. 46% I have felt the need to behave in a certain way because of how men are portrayed in advertising

11 the emotionless male stereotype Q: which are the most damaging male stereotypes that advertising today Creates and maintains Our male respondents called out 6 damaging stereotypes that ads tend to perpetuate. The common theme: the need to repress emotion. Societal and cultural pressures to conform to this stereotype have often been linked to the distressingly high levels of suicide amongst young men in this country. As Paul Farmer, CEO of Mind, said last year upon the publication of 20-year-high suicide rates: It s time for us all to stop holding back the tears and reach out for support. Again, brands have the opportunity (if not the responsibility) to show UK men that it s OK to feel openly, and that emotion is worthy of celebration rather than shame. most prolific male stereotypes Be unemotional - 41% Be laddy - 34% Don t cry in public - 33% Be strong - 29% Be sporty - 27% Be the breadwinner - 19%

12 content and context are key Q: which of the following would you associate with sexist content There is a strong correlation between mass media environments and associations with sexism. Brands need to tread carefully in this space, since we discovered that women are likely to think worse of brands placed in potentially toxic environments. So, the media and media agencies clearly have a part to play in delivering freedom of identity to society. 71% 63% 58% 58% 63% 41% 47% 48% 38% 37% 50% 45% 38% 50% 31% 29% 26% 22% 21% Red top newspapers Reality TV Comedy platforms Young women s magazines Fashion magazines Facebook Middle-market newspapers Women s magazines Instagram Sports platforms Associate with sexist content Think worse of the brand

13 DESPITE SEXIST ASSOCIATIONS, MANY WOMEN STILL CONSUME THESE MEDIA Q: WHICH OF THE FOLLOWING DO YOU STILL CONSUME REGULARLY, DESPITE ASSOCIATING WITH SEXIST CONTENT This is an interesting tension, perhaps explained by the breadth of content available across these channels. Advertisers do not have this advantage. So, the pressure is on them to shift away from stereotyping behaviours far more quickly. 77% 72% 63% However, women are less likely to seek out sexist media, which has ramifications for media owners and publishers, who don t address this issue with their content - they could stand to lose a big part of audience. 35% 30% 30% 29% 26% 23% 16% Major commercial TV channels Non-commercial platforms Facebook Instagram Twitter Broadsheet Comedy newspapers platforms Middle-market newspapers Reality TV Women s magazines Consume regularly despite associating the sexist content

14 progressive brands steal the limelight As 10 from 50 highlighted, there are a pack of brands doing this well. For adopting bold and principled strategies in this space, brands have been rewarded with engagement and even, it seems, with increased sales. Malteser s New Boyfriend campaign challenges conventional representations of femininity and disability. This is credited by Mitch Oliver, their Marketing VP, as being the brand s best performing campaign for a decade, driving sales uplifts of 8% - more than any recent campaign.

15 brands can t afford not to do this There is no future for brands that choose to show outdated stereotypes of women in their ad campaigns The link to sales looks strong. 6 in 10 feminist women would be more likely to buy from brands who challenge stereotypes of women. With feminism becoming more mainstream and our younger audiences gaining more influence and buying power, this is something forward-facing brands should consider. The future looks uncertain for brands who choose not to behave progressively: 1 in 2 Brits suggest there s no future for those brands. 48% OF WOMEN AGREE would you be more likely to buy products by brands that challenge stereotypes of women? 64% 49% OF WOMEN SAY YES OF MEN SAY YES 62% OF FEMINIST WOMEN AGREE

16 people want boundaries to be pushed society is looking to us to rename the conversation We also heard that most people actually enjoy the process of pushing accepted truths. 65% of women and 59% of men like it when brands use traditional media (like TV) to challenge stereotypes. I like it when brands use traditional media (like tv) to challenge stereotypes advertising and brands have a big part to play in defining identity roles in society We have both the power and the responsibility to reset what is normal in society, and to make people feel like they are free to be whoever and whatever they are. 65% AGREE 59% AGREE 72% OF WOMEN SAY YES 61% OF MEN SAY YES

17 so what should we do? understand your audience no need to challenge overtly look around the table tell a story they care about walk the walk Avoid sweeping generalisations. Challenge your teams, agencies, and data providers to move away from tired clichés and really get to grips with your audience as humans. Not every ad needs to make a political statement. Simply reflect reality rather than a short-sighted and harmful caricature. Diversity breeds innovation and creativity. It also helps to avoid huge marketing mistakes, as long as every voice around the table is heard. Personalisation is key. Tailor creative and placement by engaging people in ways that are relevant and meaningful to them not the group you think they belong to. To help people break free of the pressures of identity norms, you need to ensure there is substance behind your words. Your business needs to walk the walk otherwise savvy consumers will see through you.

18 All the data within this study was collected via an online survey amongst 2,000 nationally representative UK adults in June 2017 For more information about this project, or if you d like to speak to our insight team, please contact london@umww.com

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