Advertising Still has the Power to Cause Change

How many of us voted last week? And how many of us are following coverage of the US election? Lots of us. We do this because we believe in something and – Trump aside – we want our politicians to make the world a better place and correct some of the existing injustices to create a more equal society.

But have you considered the pen that you hold; that same pen you use in your work to craft ideas or create marketing and advertising campaigns? With that pen, you could change the world.

As people who work in the advertising industry, we all know how persuasive and effective moving image can be for selling products. But aside from occasional cause-related campaigns, how often do we consider the capabilities of advertising for creating a fairer society?

Following the launch of our Women’s Index Research last week, we've realised that there's still a long way to go. Almost half of the UK female population don't feel that they have the same professional opportunities available to them as men, while 24 percent think that their opinions are less valuable because they are women.

In the meantime, we're making real progress planning missions to Mars and developing time travel... Wouldn’t it be great if a woman’s future looked as good as a man’s? The answer isn't rocket science.

After surveying 4,300 women aged between 18-70 years old across nine countries for our research, we found that there was a consistent desire for on-screen female role models.

Almost three quarters of those sampled said that they wanted to see more role models while they were growing up. On-screen female role models can impact on career and life decisions; they have even helped to elevate one in ten women's confidence to leave an abusive relationship.

You don’t need permission to create change. Small everyday decisions can create change. Just think of the pen.

It’s the little things that can make a huge difference to how we communicate. If we challenge the stereotypes, we can question why the hero has to be male. When can women also assume funny, smart and assertive roles instead of quietly polishing floor tiles?

Imagine casting a father in the primary caregiving role for a baby brand campaign. This decision would normalise  how important a fathers is in a child's lifecare - and ultimately, could make it easier for dads to take parental leave. Through marketing, we have the power to push out new images and role models into our culture. So what are we waiting for?