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A History of Discrimination and Gender Inequality
The underlying factor behind the discussion regarding the rise of women in digital marketing has a lot to do with what position, status, and power women have had in societies across the globe. Since time immemorial, women have been subjected to severe oppression and discrimination in almost all parts of the world. They have had to fight for even the most basic of rights such as the right to vote or the right to education.
Thanks to social movements, reforms, public policies, and revolutions, women have come a long way from being perceived as the inferior gender to having a prominent position in both the public and private sectors. With an emphasis on the private sector, more particularly the field of digital marketing, let us analyze how women have risen and what position and influence they have in contemporary times.
The Inevitable Rise of Women in the Private Sector
As much as misogynistic people like to perceive women as being worthy of being confined to the kitchen, they are just as capable as men or maybe even more than them.
In digital marketing or the corporate world in general, being empathetic towards your co-workers or subordinates is an aspect where women excel. As women handle more ‘feminine’ tasks over the course of their childhood and adulthood, they develop a tendency to understand things with better emotional intelligence. This is one of the main reasons why women managers succeed in handling tasks and cooperating with staff. Even though this skill is not exclusive to women, men tend to follow another approach that is stoic and harsh in nature. Having a reliable shoulder to lean on is always heartwarming for working professionals.
Statistically, women in private jobs have shown better results than men. Companies that include a larger number of women in their teams receive a higher return than usual. This trend is not exclusive to a specific region but is rather a widespread piece of information. Gone is the time when women could not prove themselves. This small but impactful data is enough to both motivate women and prove misogynists wrong.
Undoubtedly, women who are working professionals are responsible for a lot more than just work. A woman is not only an employee to her boss, but also a daughter to their parents, a mother to her child, and a wife to her husband. Culturally speaking, household chores, parenting, and nurturing have been the domains of a woman. Considering a stereotypical scenario where an employed woman is also married, she is responsible for looking after her child, cooking for her husband, and being productive for the company.
Despite these challenges, working women have been just as productive as their male counterparts. Not only does it show that women are more adept at balancing personal and work lives, but they can never be perceived as inferior to men.
Women-Centric Approach of Digital Marketers
Digital marketers like to advertise their products and/or services by keeping women as their target audience. In the modern world, there is a notion of ‘advertising to women’ in place of ‘advertising by women’, meaning that women are the ones being targeted instead of being the workforce behind the said advertisements. A famous statistic shows that women are way more likely to buy services and products or make purchasing decisions. This makes them the perfect prey for advertisements. Unfortunately, in a male-dominated industry, it is usually men who are the brains behind such operations.
Digital marketers have shifted their projection of women as objects and perfect for household chores to being somewhat at par with men. However, one can still find sexual innuendos and hidden misogyny. The sole reason for such a problematic conception is that these are results of a ‘male gaze’ rather them coming from women themselves.
Are Women Finally Equal?
To believe that the amount of progress that women have achieved in both social and economic spheres is enough would either be a lie, or misconception, or maybe a mix of both. It has taken them many years to reach a higher footing and it will take another century or so to have them neck-to-neck with their male counterparts. Women’s empowerment is an ongoing process and must never be taken out of consideration.
For the time being, the rise of women in digital marketing is nothing less than a landmark achievement. Having women at the forefront, leading by example, and writing their success stories is a sight that all of us should love to behold. As Dr. B.R. Ambedkar said, “I measure the progress of a community by the degree of progress which women have achieved”. We hope more progress is to come in the future where women are equally represented, valued, and perceived.
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