Women punch above their weight. Comprising 51% of the population in the USA, we actually make 80% of consumer buying decisions, according to research. Marti Barlett, writing in Advertising Age points out that major companies are only just waking up to the need to spend a realistic part of their marketing budget targeting women. In the USA, where men are more likely to be believed than women, Barlett says that marketing companies are only just starting to bring women into meetings to discuss how to market products to women!
If that is a problem in the USA, it is an even bigger problem in Israel. Time and time again I have seen that ideas we produce in our all-women firm are nixed, but when those same ideas are submitted by men, they are well received. It is ironic that men have to present ideas of how to market cereals or laundry detergent to mothers. And while most agencies will claim that they have women on board, these female professionals are usually not the ones in decision-making positions or presenting the ideas to clients. In fact, in religious circles we do not even have a voice. A recent forum for business managers and directors of non-profits was closed to women – it was an all-male event.
When I set up GVI, I never saw our firm as a women’s agency. In most cases, our clients are marketing to men and women, and we work together with men and women. But I have seen from our working relationship with some clients and potential clients over the past few years that, because we don't have a male in senior management to present things to clients, we often have to fight harder to convince our clients that our ideas are credible.
Imagine that in 2008! I guess we haven't come a long way baby!