MRS Speaker Evening - 2018

2. Most uk women find how they are
represented in ads to be stereotypical
How stereotypical do you find the way women are generally portrayed in advertising?
77%
SAY VERY
OR QUITE
STEREOTYPICAL
65%
SAY VERY
OR QUITE
STEREOTYPICAL

3. “I have felt pressure from
ads to be a certain way”
49%
“Ads have previously
made me feel like I’m
not good enough”
Self-identity
in the uk is a
pressured space 44%

4. Some age groups are particularly impacted
67%
61%
53%
39%
46%
38%
28%
13-17 18-24 25-34 35-44 45-54 55 - 64 65+
“Adverts have
previously made me
feel like I’m not
good enough”
Age

5. There are many female stereotypes in ads
Which of the following stereotypical depictions of women do you think are most common
in the media today?
55%
53%
50%
40% 40%
37%
35%
27%
19%
14% 13% 13% 12% 12% 11%
6% 5%
50% 50%
37%
25%
39%
19% 20%
29%
15%
12%
14%
11% 12%
4%
7%
2% 3%
Women Men

6. 0%
10%
20%
30%
40%
50%
60%
70%
% find offensive
Some stereotypes are
more offensive than others
Which of these stereotypes do you find offensive?

7. Many people are defining as feminist
46%
SELF-DEFINE
AS FEMINIST
22%
SELF-DEFINE
AS FEMINIST
WOULD YOU Personally define as a feminist?

8. For the young, feminism is normal
69%
54%
44% 43%
38%
36%
36%
13 - 17 18 - 24 25 - 34 35 - 44 45 - 54 55 - 64 65+
% defining as feminist
WOULD YOU Personally define as a feminist?
Age

9. Feminist icons vary by age
18-34 35+
Who are the top THREE people that you respect as a feminist inspiration?

10. Feminism is
humanism.
Women are as
good as men.
Men are as good
as women.
CATE, 22
”
“

11. “I have felt the need to
behave in a certain way
because of how men are
portrayed in advertising”
46%
Men don’t
escape the
pressure

12. THE ’EMOTIONLESS MALE’ STEREOTYPE
Which are the most damaging male stereotypes that advertising today creates and maintains?
Most Prolific Male Stereotypes
1. Be unemotional (41%)
2. Don’t cry in public (33%)
3. Be strong (29%)
4. Be laddy (34%)
5. Be sporty (27%)
6. Be the breadwinner (19%)

13. Tv has the greatest
power to break stereotypes
0%
10%
20%
30%
40%
50%
60%
70%
80%
90%
Television
Magazines
Videos online
Internet (i.e. banner adverts on
websites)
Ads by brands on Facebook
Newspaper
Cinema adsBillboard
Posts by brands on social media
Ads by brands on Twitter
Ads by brands on Instagram
Bus stop poster
Radio
Women Men
Which of these different types of adverts do you think would be most effective for a brand to use if they
wanted to challenge stereotypes?

14. GET TO THE HEART OF WHAT MOVES PEOPLE

15. "People will forget what you said,
People will forget what you did,
But people will never forget
how you made them feel”
Maya angelou

16. Supporting education and work
EDF: PRETTY CURIOUS
LENGTH: 40s
Inspiration (T2B): 13%
Brand Favourability: 42%
Purchase Intent: 20%
Credible: 81%
relatable: 73%
UK norm
Credible: 76%
relatable: 65%
5 . 0
5.3

17. Diversity and inclusion
MCCAIN: we are family
LENGTH: 60s
Inspiration (T2B): 19%
Brand Favourability: 32%
Purchase Intent: 47%
Credible: 85%
relatable: 79%
UK norm
Credible: 76%
relatable: 65%
5 . 0
6.3

18. REALISTIC REPRESENTATIONS
Sport england: this girl can
LENGTH: 60s
Inspiration (T2B): 23%
Brand Favourability: 47%
Purchase Intent: 34%
Credible: 85%
relatable: 80%
UK norm
Credible: 76%
relatable: 65%
5 . 0
6.5

19. People enjoy seeing the boundaries pushed
65%
AGREE
59%
AGREE
”I like it when
brands
challenge
stereotypes”

20. 20

21. Decisions like
these make a
big difference

22. THERE ARE PROGRESSIVE
BRANDS DOING THIS WELL

23. Progressive thinking leads to sales
Would you be more likely to buy products by brands that challenge stereotypes of women?
48%
OF WOMEN
AGREE
62%
OF FEMINIST
WOMEN
AGREE

24. 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”
64%
OF WOMEN
SAY ’YES’
49%
OF MEN
SAY ‘YES’

25. 72%
OF WOMEN
SAY ’YES’
61%
OF MEN
SAY ‘YES’
Society is looking to us
to push things forward
“Advertising and
brands have a big
part to play in
defining identity
roles in society”

26. SO WHAT Should we do?
Throw out the template
Richer understanding of your
audience is the only way to
avoid sweeping generalisations.
Humans are complex. So, for
communications to be truly
relatable, we need to move
away from tired pen portraits
that can be written before we
embark on a project.
Tell a story they care about
Breaking stereotypes is a rich and
emotive pursuit. Story-telling media
have the greatest potential to change
the agenda and shine a spotlight on
this issue.
In a programmatic world, messages can
be personalised. Tailor creative and
placement by engaging people in ways
that are relevant and meaningful to
them – not the group you think they
belong to.
Take a stand
Brands have a big part in defining
identity roles in society.
This isn’t about empty words
however. Your business needs to
walk the walk – otherwise your savvy
consumers will see through you.