International Women's Day is an opportunity for marketers

Retailers ramp up promotional activity for a range of calendar events from Easter to Halloween, but there is an important date coming up that may not be on the radar yet. I am talking about International Women’s Day, on March 8. It should prompt some thought about marketing strategy, segmentation and advertising.

IWD has been increasing in profile and is the annual focal point for a number of debates about gender equality and the portrayal of women in the media. Here’s a stat that should grab your attention - 57% of UK women “would rather buy a product for which ads portray women in a positive light” [Google study].

Forward-thinking advertisers now try to depict the diversity found in modern families and wider society - look at what Mini did with its ‘Defy Labels’ Super Bowl spot. Another great example of a brand that celebrates diversity in its ads is Honey Maid snacks. The brand’s ‘This Is Wholesome’ campaign drew criticism from people who did not approve of its depictions of diverse families but Honey Maid responded with a bold, clever YouTube video, which has been viewed nearly 4.4 million times.

Approximately two thirds of grocery shopping is carried out by women and 60% of women prepare meals more than five times a week, according to a US study. However, women don’t define themselves by their role as primary shopper.

This is not a new insight but for the first time we have the marketing tools to do something about it. Marketers can learn so much more about the people that make up their customers from a variety of data touchpoints, including the ‘intent’ signals people make when they search online for information and inspiration.

For instance, we know 27% of mums look for more information online after seeing an ad on YouTube. With every search they are helping build a richer profile of their interests and concerns.

Supermarkets and grocers now have the technology to devise and deliver more personalised campaigns to much more tightly targeted segments. Content can be created for women who are students, who might house share, or who are new mothers.

Brands like Dove and Adidas are creating video ads that are ‘female-empowering’ and enjoying high engagement levels. Supermarkets can mark International Women’s Day with ads that recognise the individuality of women - and that will resonate. This strategy should inform your marketing year-round.

Putting more thinking into how you build up personal details about your target audience and how you can address them in a more targeted fashion will pay dividends in terms of growing your customer base.

Martijn Bertisen is country sales director at Google UK