This document provides an overview of strategic research conducted by The Sound Research on the concept of "Femfillment" and the changing experience of womanhood. It traces the evolution of women's roles and fulfillment from the 1940s-1950s emphasis on serving the home and family, to the women's liberation movement of the 1960s-1970s challenging gender norms, to more recent concepts of gender fluidity and equality. The research found today's women feel empowered to embrace traditionally masculine and feminine traits as they choose, and find fulfillment in balancing multiple priorities rather than feeling pressure to "have it all". The concept of "Femfillment" captures this freedom and complexity in the modern female experience.

1. THE SOUND RESEARCH
FELICITY MOULD
THE BIRTH OF
FEMFILLMENT

2. - JONNY BAUER, HEAD OF STRATEGY, DROGA5
A
team
of
43
strategic
researchers
based
in
New
York,
Chicago,
Vancouver,
Toronto
and
London
!
We
believe
research
needs
to
tell
a
story
-­‐
to
take
you
on
a
journey
and
to
have
a
life
of
its
own
after
the
debrief.
It
needs
to
be
inspiring,
digestible,
sharable
and
impactful
-­‐
research
that
makes
noise
and
needs
to
be
heard!
!
Research
needs
to
do
more
than
simply
answer
your
questions
-­‐
it
needs
to
put
them
in
context
and
enlighten
the
story
behind
the
story
-­‐
because
only
then
can
you
have
an
understanding
of
the
full
picture.
“THE SOUND ARE
PROBABLY THE BEST
STRATEGIC RESEARCH
AGENCY IN THE WORLD...”

3. RESEARCH APPROACH
WE
HAVE
SPENT
COUNTLESS
HOURS
SPEAKING
TO
WOMEN…
For
this
presentation
we
are
referring
to
with
pre-­‐family
women
(LDA-­‐29)
in
USA,
UK
and
Canada
SYNTHESIZE
REPORT
&
DOCUMENTARY
IMMERSE
VIDEO
DIARIES
EXPLORE
FOCUS
GROUPS
EXPERT
INTERVIEWS YOUR
BRAND
-­‐
YOUR
CONSUMER
-­‐
YOUR
COMMUNICATION
YOU WANT TO
INNOVATE
IN
REAL
AND
EXCITING
WAYS
YOU WANT TO BE
INSPIRED
BY
YOUR
CONSUMER
AND
THEIR
WORLD
YOU WANT TO
UNDERSTAND

4. FEMFILLMENT

5. 7
“Feminism
is
the
radical
notion
that
women
are
people.”
-­‐
Cheris
Kramarae
&
Paula
Treichler
!
The experience of being a woman
is changing…
!
... brands are struggling to keep up

6. 67
“Your
goal:
Try
to
make
sure
your
home
is
a
place
of
peace,
order
and
tranquility
where
your
husband
can
renew
himself
in
body
and
spirit..don’t
ask
him
questions
about
his
actions
or
question
his
judgement
or
integrity.
Remember
he
is
the
master
of
the
house
and
as
such
will
always
exercise
his
will
with
fairness
and
truthfulness.
You
have
no
right
to
question
him.”
-­‐
Housekeeping
Monthly,
May
1955
1940S
&
1950S
WOMEN = THE OPPOSITE OF MEN
!
Women’s fulfillment comes from serving
their husband and the obligations this
entails…

7. Women
were
attempting
to
deconstruct
the
inherent
masculinity
of
society,
culture
and
even
language…
1960S
&
1970S
WOMEN CHALLENGING MEN
Women’s
Liberation
moment in
full swing
Protests and
demonstrations
fighting for
gaining equal
rights
Explosion of
new women’s
organizations,
initiatives and
publications

8. 1980S
&
1990S
WOMEN AS MEN
Women
began
to
play
men
at
their
own
game…
!
Female progress was defined by co-opting
male traits; aggression, competition,
sexual empowerment

9. 00’S
BETTER THAN MEN
Being
‘successful’
is
about
having
the
job,
the
family,
the
social
life…and
managing
the
tensions
the
whole
package
brings…
Women were
intent on
‘having it all’
Start managing
conflicting
identities
Living in a
world where
emotion is
seen as a
weakness

10. CULTURAL
PRESENT

11. 11
CULTURAL PRESENT
FEMINIZATION
OF SOCIETY
Centre
of
gravity
is
shifting
Soft Skills…
Collaboration
Empathy
Sharing
!
…are now as
valuable, if not
more so than Hard
Skills
Competition
Aggression
Fighting

12. FEMINIZATION
OF TECHNOLOGY
CULTURAL PRESENT
11
Technology
has
helped
shape
society
Psychographic shift
in the female
direction when it
comes to
considerations for
technology
!
Technology’s ‘must
have’ devices
facilitate sharing and
communication
!

13. 11
CULTURAL PRESENT
GENDER EQUALITY
For
Millennials,
gender
equality
is
a
given
Millennial men and
women find
themselves facing
the same
opportunities and
challenges….
…however, they are
not on a journey
towards androgyny

14. Text
70% of women agree that traditional gender roles are dead.
GENDER FLUIDITY
Sex
and
Gender
are
not
the
same
thing!
Gender traits can be adopted by either
sex, without it being a threat to their core
identity…

15. FEMFILLMENT
THE BIRTH OF

16. WELCOME TO THE
AFTER PARTY!
THE BIRTH OF FEMFILLMENT
“All
that
‘pressure
to
succeed’
is
bullshit,
you
put
yourself
under
that
pressure,
and
you
just
don’t
HAVE
to
do
anything
you
don’t
want
to”
The battle of the sexes is
starting to feel over
!
Freedom to understand and
recognize who they are and
what will fulfill them
!
Finally free to…
…laugh at themselves
…not have to choose
…Embrace the dualities of
their personality

17. PLAYFUL AND
POISED
THE BIRTH OF FEMFILLMENT
“My
favourite
quote
is
‘dance
like
no
one
is
watching’.
There’s
something
empowering
about
just
not
giving
a
fuck!”
THE DICHOTOMY
BETWEEN LOOKING
DEMURE AND
ELGANT, AND
BEHAVING IN A
CHEEKY FUN WAY
SEEMS TO BE A
PARTICULARLY
POWERFUL AND
DIRECT WAY OF
SHOWING HER SPIRIT

18. 89%
of women agree that just
because you look sexy does
not mean you're stupid
POWERFUL AT WILL
THE BIRTH OF FEMFILLMENT
“I
have
been
known
to
use
the
fact
that
I’m
a
woman
to
my
advantage.
I
don’t
see
that
as
anti-­‐feminist.
I
see
that
as
being
savvy
and
smart!”
CONTEMPORARY
WOMEN KNOW HOW
TO TAP INTO THEIR
FEMININITY TO GET
WHAT THEY WANT.
!
THEY ADMIT TO
TURNING IT UP AND
DOWN TO SUIT THE
NEEDS OF THE
SITUATION…

19. EMOTIONAL AND
STRONG
86%
agree that women should
celebrate their emotions
and not be ashamed of
them
THE BIRTH OF FEMFILLMENT
“If
I
hear
something
that
upsets
me,
or
watch
a
Uilm
that
is
sad,
I
don’t
feel
ashamed
to
show
that.”
BEING EMOTIONAL IS
AN ABILITY RATHER
THAN A WEAKNESS
!
!
EXPRESSING
EMOTIONS IS SEEN AS
AUTHENTIC -
A REAL PART OF
WOMANHOOD

20. “My
boyfriend
and
I
split
the
bills
50/50,
but
I
do
enjoy
it
when
he
opens
doors
for
me
and
I
feel
pursued”
LIVING IN THE NOW,
BORROWING FROM
THE PAST
THE BIRTH OF FEMFILLMENT
FREEDOM TO RIP UP
THE RULES AND PICK
AND CHOOSE THE
TRADITIONS SHE
ADMIRES…
…AS LONG AS SHE
FEELS IT’S HER
CHOICE AND NO AN
OBLIGATION

21. SILLY & SMART
THE BIRTH OF FEMFILLMENT
“Yes
I
love
celebrity
gossip
as
a
funny
way
to
switch
off
-­‐
but
that
doesn’t
automatically
mean
I
don’t
follow
politics
or
can’t
name
an
opera.”
HAPPILY ADMITS THAT
SHE WILL WATCH
CNN FOLLOWED BY
THE KARDASHIANS
SHE’S A CULTURAL
OMNIVORE,
PROUDLY ENJOYING
HIGH AND LOW
CULTURE IN EQUAL
AMOUNTS

22. WHO’S GOT
IT?

23. THE BIRTH OF FEMFILLMENT

24. MEAN FOR
YOUR
BRAND?
WHAT DOES THIS

25. IT IS IMPORTANT TO
RECOGNIZE THAT SHE’S IN A
VERY DIFFERENT PLACE VS.
PREVIOUS GENERATIONS OF
WOMEN ...
!
!
The
feminization
of
product
design
is
everywhere,
and
it
isn’t
about
sticking
diamonds
on
things
(or
only
about
appealing
to
women)
-­‐
concentrate
on
being
sleek,
stylish
and
simple
Give
her
women
to
empathize
with
in
her
advertising,
rather
than
presenting
her
with
unrealistic
`igures
she
doesn’t
even
want
to
aspire
to
WHAT DOES THIS MEAN FOR
YOUR
BRAND?
THERE ARE SOME KEY POINTS
TO CONSIDER WHEN TALKING
TO CONTEMPORARY WOMEN...
{
SHE WANTS TO
HAVE A LAUGH
SHE
IS
CONFIDENT
ENOUGH
TO
LAUGH
AT
HERSELF.
FEMALE-­‐FACING
COMMUNICATIONS
NEEDN’T
BE
SO
EARNEST.
THINK
BEYOND
PINK
SHE WANTS THE
REAL DEAL
{
SHE KNOWS THINGS
ARE DIFFERENT
SHE’S
ALREADY
SHOWING
IT.
DESCRIBING
IT
AS
SOMETHING
NEW
COULD
FEEL
CONDESCENDING;
SHE’S
READY
TO
EXPLORE
THE
IDEA
IN
A
FUN
WAY.

26. THANK YOU
felicity@thesoundresearch.com