Say something meaningful this IWD – or say nothing at all

Over the past few years, we’ve seen IWD become increasingly contentious. There’s been a lot of bullshit. And people have become increasingly speedy in calling it out.

It’s important to create occasions to uplift and celebrate minority or oppressed groups. The struggle – be it smashing the patriarchy or dismantling racist systems – deserves recognition. It’s not easy.

But where should that recognition come from? What should it look like? And what role, if any, can the advertising industry play?

As a feminist, an activist, and a member of the advertising industry, I have a lot of thoughts.

From suffragettes to discount codes

IWD, as with many other awareness days, grew from radical roots. Originally, it commemorated the labor movements in Europe and North America during the early twentieth century. In the UK, that’s our suffragettes – activists who broke just about every rule in the book to secure votes for women.

It’s incredibly important to celebrate these women and the women who have followed in their footsteps in creating a more equal and just society. At a time when the UK government is putting pressure on our right to protest, it’s an especially poignant opportunity to reflect.

But looking back at these wonderful, riotous women, it can be hard to understand how IWD became an opportunity for exploitative organizations to inundate us with discount codes. Boohoo can sell me as many IWD t-shirts as they like, but how's that reported £100m lawsuit over modern slavery?

What role can adland play?

Getting ethics right – be that social or environmental – is about knowing when to speak. Campaigning with messages that ladder up to your brand’s core to resonate with your identity and your audience.

If your brand is solidly engaged in this space, this is absolutely your time to shine.

But you won’t always have the right platform. And if you don’t, do not force it. I’m looking at you, Cressida Dick. The Metropolitan Police faced backlash for struggling to address issues around institutionalized sexism and other forms of discrimination, after tweeting an IWD message in 2022.

#IWD2022 | Commissioner Cressida Dick

"We have thousands of women in all roles and at every rank, officers and staff, who are thriving.

"I know there are thousands of strong women who will be keeping the public safe in London for generations to come."#InternationalWomensDay pic.twitter.com/tnRIPP2K2P

— Metropolitan Police (@metpoliceuk) March 8, 2022

A discount code, more often than not, will seem callous. This is not an opportunity to drive consumption. Don’t make the women in your team smile for your socials just so you have something to say.

Tokeniststic campaigns can, and will, come back to bite you. You need to be prepared to back what you’re 100%. Budweiser's recent scandal with Dylan Mulvaney is an absolute masterclass in what not to do.

Ultimately, the best way for brands and agencies to drive change in this space is to use their sphere of influence to drive change. Evaluate your workplace policies to create an inclusive environment. Amp up your diversity, equity, and inclusion (DE&I) efforts. Examine your supply chain, and make sure you’re not exploiting women’s labor.

Society desperately needs brands to be active in this space. When it comes to equality, we have so much further still to go. So do it. Don’t just talk about it.