Harbinger - Evolving Gender Roles - Whitepaper

© 2016 Harbinger Communications Inc.

EVOLVING GENDER ROLES IN THE MODERN NORTH AMERICAN HOUSEHOLDA Harbinger WhitepaperMay 2016

Evolving Gender Roles in the Modern North American Household. © 2016 Harbinger Communications Inc. 1

INTRODUCTION

Understanding the large and subtle differences between male and female consumers has significant implications for the success or failure of products and services. However, marketers have the difficult task of acknowledging gender differences without unfairly stereotyping or alienating consumers.

As women continue to enter and remain in the workforce and younger generations of men embrace more ‘traditionally female’ roles at home, brands are not keeping pace in their portrayal of the modern household and consumers seek a new marketing approach. Failure to acknowledge and perhaps even encourage a more gender neutral household of tomorrow, puts brands at risk of falling out of favour with their most powerful consumer – women.

The following whitepaper reveals Harbinger’s findings on how gender roles in the modern North American household are evolving and what this shift means to marketers of household goods and services.

ABOUT US

Experts in marketing to women, for more than 25 years Harbinger has helped marketers understand, reach and connect with women. The agency works with a broad range of clients spanning a variety of consumer goods and services categories.


RESEARCH DESIGN 3

Why this topic? 4

Objectives & approach 8

EXECUTIVE SUMMARY 9

DETAILED FINDINGS 11

Behaviour: Task ownership & purchase decisions 12

Attitudes and aspirations 18

Marketing: Perception of advertising 22

THE WRAP: TAKEAWAYS FOR MARKETERS 25

CASE STUDIES: HITS & MISSES 29

TABLE OF CONTENTS


RESEARCH DESIGN


With a growing number of North American women entering and remaining in the workforce and men assuming an array of household tasks traditionally reserved for females, we are witnessing a significant shift in household gender roles.

This shift has major implications for how marketers of household goods and services must reach and engage consumers of both sexes to drive purchase and preference.

As experts in marketing to women, Harbinger knows just how influential a woman is when it comes to choosing and purchasing the products and services used in homes across North America.

We are also keenly aware of the many stereotypes that characterize women and men and the jobs and activities that each gender traditionally owns in a family home.

With gender roles remaining a broad current topic of interest, Harbinger took a closer look at just who is doing what around the home and what this means for marketers of household goods and services.

OUR HYPOTHESIS

Marketers are not keeping up with the pace of change in household roles, spelling potential hits and misses in effectively engaging females.

Millennial women are nearly twice as likely to be in the workforce (69%) than the Silent Generation (women 69+ today) were at the same age (42%). Source: Pew Research

RESEARCH DESIGN

Why this topic?

Women drive 70-80% of all consumer purchasing, through a combination of their buying power and influence. Source: forbes.com


To test our hypothesis, that there is a disconnect between marketing and actual gender roles in a modern household, we designed an online consumer study to solve for the following objectives:

• To gain a topline understanding of behaviours and attitudes regarding gender roles in the modern North American household

• To identify specific, actionable recommendations for marketers of household goods and services to more effectively reach and engage consumers

METHODOLOGY

From 22 to 31 March 2016, an online survey was conducted among 1,005 American and 513 Canadian randomly selected adults ages 18 and older.

Results have been weighted for representativeness; discrepancies in or between totals are due to rounding. The poll was conducted by Leger on behalf of Harbinger.

RESEARCH DESIGN

Objectives & approach

MARKETER

HOUSEHOLD CHORES, GOODS

& SERVICES

PURCHASE DECISION-

MAKER

TASK OWNER

Areas of exploration

Specifically, we designed the questionnaire to look at the relationships between who owns various household chores, who is selecting the related products or services, and how consumers perceive marketing and advertising for each of these categories.

• To what extent does task owner influence purchase decisions?

• To what extent do ads accurately portray gender roles in the home?

• To what extent do ads effectively speak to decision-makers?

6

Category focusWe selected an array of household goods and services categories – some of which are often stereotyped as being very male or female, and others that may be perceived as more gender-neutral. The list is not exhaustive.

Specifically, our study comprised six key ‘domestic domains’ of interest, which explored in detail exactly who is completing each task and who is involved in the selection of related products and services. The domains, specific activities and associated product/ service categories are as follows:

ADDITIONAL PRODUCT CATEGORIES

Evolving Gender Roles in the Modern North American Household. © 2016 Harbinger Communications Inc.

DOMAINS, TASKS, PRODUCTS & SERVICES

HOME MAINTENANCE & REPAIR

TELECOM & TECHNOLOGY

FINANCES

GARDENING & YARD WORK

MEAL PLANNING & PREP

TASKS

Doing laundryCleaning the bathroomCleaning the kitchen

Planning mealsPreparing meals Gardening Performing yard work

Paying bills Budgeting/ financial planning

Managing home telecom/ technology (i.e. cable, internet)

Home maintenance/ small repairs (I.e. changing light-bulbs, taking out garbage)

LAUNDRY & CLEANING

PRODUCTS / SERVICES

Laundry/ cleaning supplies

Food / groceries

Yard/ gardening supplies

Financial institution

(i.e. bank, financial planner)

Telecom/ cell phone providerCable/ internet provider

Handyman/ contractor

DOMAIN

Finally, the study explored additional household categories for which Harbinger was interested in purchase influence for each gender. For these categories we looked only at who makes purchase decisions.

In addition to general household personal care items, the study explored purchase influence for specific men’s personal care and grooming products including shave and antiperspirant.

HEALTH PRODUCTS (i.e. vitamins, medicine, first aid)

PERSONAL CARE (i.e. soap, shampoo, toothpaste)

LIQUOR / WINE

BEER

HOUSEHOLD APPLIANCES

RESEARCH DESIGN

7

Consumer segments

Analysis validated several distinct consumer groups associated with the most significant themes and trends with regard to evolving consumer behaviors and attitudes and associated marketer opportunities.

The three key socio-demographic factors that this report references in detail are as follows:

Men Millennials WorkingWomen Boomers Non-working WomenVS VS VS

Gender:

• Perceptions and realities of women vs. men

• Gender gap and gender bias with regard to task ownership, purchase decision-making and perceptions of marketing; the extent to which a task/category is dominantly female or dominantly male

Generation (Age):

• Perceptions and realities of different respondent age groups: • Boomers (51+) • Gen X (35-50) • Millennials (18-34)

• Behavioural and attitudinal differences between age groups have been interpreted as generational shifts; however, we recognize that there are many factors such as lifestage and income at play when comparing respondents of different ages

• Comparing Millennials to Boom-ers revealed the most significant age-related findings; in most cases, Gen X responses fell in between or aligned more closely with Millennials than with Boomers

Female working status:

• Households where the women works at least forty hours per week vs. women who work fewer than forty hours per week

• Harbinger also polled the membership of Ellevate Network, a global professional women’s network, to contrast their behaviours and attitudes against those of the average North American. For these results, check out the recorded webinar at www.ellevatenetwork.com


RESEARCH DESIGN

8

Case studies: Marketing hits & misses

Based on the marketing implications and recommendations derived from the research findings, this report concludes with specific examples of marketing hits and misses. Specifically, Harbinger shares brand examples with our point of view on the extent to which these brands are playing a leadership role in reflecting the modern household, or lagging the new reality of gender roles at home.

Can you guess which of the following brand campaigns hit or miss the mark? Read on for Harbinger’s take.


RESEARCH DESIGN


EXECUTIVE SUMMARY

10

For many household goods and services, winning a woman’s heart and wallet requires a more gender- inclusive approach that effectively reaches and connects with her man, without alienating her.

Women remain the dominant influencer for household products and services, but household gender roles are changing with men assuming more responsibility for many traditionally female tasks.

In general, the gender gap in household chores is closing, especially in regard to laundry and cleaning, food and meal preparation and grocery shopping, where millennial men are stepping up. Behaviours and attitudes confirm that younger generations are more open-minded about how household jobs are distributed among men and women, with gender less a factor in who does what in the home.

Although Millennial men are assuming a wider array of household jobs, men and women still agree that men of all ages still fall short of contributing their fair share, especially in areas like laundry, cleaning and meal planning and preparation.

For their part, marketers are not keeping pace with the rate at which men and women are stepping outside of gender stereotypes – nor have they tapped into the aspirational state where women and men are more equal contributors.

Consumers would like to see brands become more gender inclusive in their portrayal of the modern home and there is a competitive advantage to be had for marketers that effectively connect with both women and men in their communication approach.

Specifically, brands that empower men to step up and recognize men that already contribute will demonstrate a superior understanding of the modern household and deepen relationships with male and female consumers.

In the same spirit of inclusion, it is critical that marketers continue to reflect the many different cultures, minorities and family units that their brands exist to serve.


Executive summary

DETAILED FINDINGS


12

BEHAVIOUR: TASK OWNERSHIP & PURCHASE DECISIONS Overview

Women still dominate household chores in North America, consistently taking on more than their fair share. However, women and men have different accounts of reality.

The average North American household spends nearly 24 (23.7) hours per week completing household chores, with women contributing nearly half (10.7 hours) of the total effort. On average, women spend 65% or 4.2 hours more per week than men on housework.

However, men tend to overstate their contribution to household tasks, at least compared to the perceived contribution they are making, as reported by women. Whereas men see time spent on household chores as equally distributed between men and women, the average woman believes that she handles two-thirds of the workload in her home.

DETAILED FINDINGS


Q. Approximately how much time per week does each individual/group spend on household chores (activities not done for enjoyment)?

MEN

WOMEN

SHE SAID

PERCEIVED RELATIVE CONTRIBUTION: % distribution of time spent on housework, women vs. men

HE SAID

67%33%

52%48%

Paid work means less house workIn households where the woman works at least forty hours per week (paid employment), women and men share a much more equitable contribution to chores. On average, she spends more than three hours fewer on chores and her spouse’s contribution increases by a half hour per week.

13

The following graphics illustrate the ‘gender gap’ for various tasks and categories, highlighting the extent to which many tasks and purchases remain dominantly female or male.

Stereotypes do prevail in that the percentage of women doing jobs like laundry and cleaning still far exceeds the percentage of men doing these jobs. Tasks like managing finances or gardening tend to be evenly split between men and women, while men are more likely to be doing maintenance, yard work and managing the home’s telecom and technology.

Who owns which task?

DETAILED FINDINGS

86% WOMEN

40% MEN

GENDER GAP46%

DOES THE LAUNDRY

TASK GENDER GAP: % difference between % men and % women to own task

Q: Please identify the individual who is most likely to perform each of the following tasks in your household. If a task is equally shared between individuals, please check all of those involved.

LAUNDRY 46%

CLEANING THE KITCHEN 42%

0%

BUDGETING/ FINANCIAL PLANNING 2%

PAYING BILLS 0%

CLEANING THE BATHROOM 45%

GARDENING 2%

YARD WORK 39%

TELECOM/ TECHNOLOGY 30%

WO

ME

N ME

N

+70%+70% MEAL PLANNING

& PREP 39%


HOME MAINTENANCE

53%

Women are twice as likely as men to be involved in nearly all aspects of meal planning and preparation

(83% of women vs. 44% of men)

% difference between % men and % women to perform each task

GENDER GAP

MEN

WOMEN

14

+35%

+10%

+3%

+1%

PURCHASE GENDER GAP: % difference between % men and % women to make purchase decision

The purchase gender gap confirms that the purchase decision-maker closely mirrors the task-owner, although there are some exceptions. For example:

Purchase decision-making

Cleaning & Laundry: Men are far more likely to perform laundry and cleaning duties in the home than they are to be involved in selecting relevant products

Telecom & Technology: Women are more likely to be involved in selecting products and pro-viders than they are to perform related maintenance or activities at home

Home Maintenance: About one-third of women tackle maintenance & repair tasks and the same proportion of women influence related purchases; task gender gap skews much more male than purchase gap does

Food & Groceries: 66% of men report that they regularly grocery shop; only 37% of women report that her man grocery shops

Q: Please identify the individual who is most likely to choose the following products/ service providers for your household. If the decision is equally shared between individuals, please check all of those involved.


WO

ME

N

+70%+70%

0%

CELLPHONE/ WIRELESS 13%

ME

N

CLEANING & LAUNDRY 52%

FOOD/ GROCERIES 35%

CABLE/ INTERNET 20%

FINANCIAL SERVICES 9%

YARD/ GARDENING

26%

HANDYMAN/ CONTRACTOR33%

ELECTRONICS 34%

PURCHASE INFLUENCE, OTHER CATEGORIES: % women and men to shop each category

LIQUOR & WINE

MEN’S PERSONAL CARE & GROOMING

APPLIANCES

HEALTH PRODUCTS

PERSONAL CARE (GENERAL)

BEER

GENDER GAP

91%

46%

87%

49%

71%

72%

52%

57%

46%

56%

26%

61%

+45%

DETAILED FINDINGS

+39%


Q: Please identify the individual who is most likely to make purchase decisions for the following male personal care and grooming products for your household. If the decision is equally shared between individuals, please check all of those involved.

MEN MAKING PURCHASE

WOMEN MAKING PURCHASE

PURCHASE INFLUENCE, MEN’S GROOMING: % women & men to shop each men’s personal care & grooming category

SHAVING

ANTI- PERSPIRANT

SHAMPOO

BODY WASH

FACE CARE

HAIR STYLING

74%

35%

71%

53%

58%

62%

51%

59%

42%

53%

41%

49%

15

Based on Harbinger’s experience in men’s personal care and grooming, the study included a look at the extent to which men and women are involved in purchase decisions for the following categories: face care, shaving, shampoo, hair styling, body wash and antiperspirant.

As anticipated (though perhaps a surprise to some), woman are more frequently selecting men’s personal care and grooming products in every category except shave and antiperspirant; shave is the only category where less than half of women are involved in purchase decisions.

Deep dive: men’s personal care & grooming

MARKETER OPPORTUNITY

Although men have significant say in which male personal care and grooming products are used in their home, the woman in his life should not be ignored.

Specifically, marketers of men’s personal care products would be wise to consider female values, attitudes and behaviours in their marketing approach to build equity with her. Winning her over may be an important measure for retaining existing consumers or driving trial/switching.

BRAND SPOTLIGHT

Since its launch in 2009 Dove Men + Care has been celebrating the changing role of fathers and challenging stereotypes of what it means to be a real man today.The brand has created numerous campaigns showing men embracing fatherhood based on the insight that 90 percent of men around the world say that their caring side is part of their masculinity and strength. One of the most popular of these campaigns included the 2015 #RealStrength Superbowl ad which generated million of views and scored consistent positive consumer reaction in research. Read more in case studies.


DETAILED FINDINGS


16

While stereotypes still exist regarding dominantly female and male tasks, the overall gender gap (the extent to which household tasks are polarized as male or female) appears to be closing. This trend, of men and women stepping outside of traditionally male or female categories, applies to both the person doing the activity and the person purchasing the related products and services.

Behaviours are changing

25% of home buyers are single and 16% are solo home-buying women Source: National Association of Realtors

BOOMERS35%

MILLENNIALS28%

50%0%

While the overall gender gap is shrinking on account of men and women tackling a broader array of household roles, men are leading the charge.

Compared to Boomers, younger men – especially Millennials – are more likely to partic-ipate in traditionally female roles. These men are becoming regular contributors to tasks such as laundry and cleaning as well as planning for and preparing meals. To a lesser extent, we also see more Millennial women tackling traditionally male tasks such as yard and maintenance work.

Long term, as women continue to enter and remain in the workforce and more single men and women purchase homes, we can assume this generational shift toward greater gender neutrality of household chores to continue.

AVERAGE TASK GENDER GAP: Average difference between % men and % women to complete each task


DETAILED FINDINGS

17

% Millennial men doing each task % Millennial women doing each task

+17%Cleaning kitchen 50%

+14%Cleaning bathroom 41%

+12%Doing laundry 46%

+8%Meal planning & prep 49%

+5%Grocery shopping 56%

Doing yard work 35%

Doing home maintenance & repairs 35%

Managing telecom/technology 35% +5%

+5%

+5%

Continued – Behaviours are changing

CHANGE IN PARTICIPATION: Millennial men vs. Boomer men


To minimize or ignore the modern man’s contribution to house and home risks not just alienating men, but also has negative implications with women who appreciate his contributions (whether they want him to do more or they want to give him credit where it’s due).

With women also tackling traditionally male domestic responsibilities, driving category engagement with both genders throughout the home is an opportunity for marketers to improve brand advocacy and household penetration.


+5%Food & groceries 56%

+12%Men’s personal care & grooming 62%

+10%General Personal care 53%

+9%Laundry & cleaning supplies 39%

CHANGE IN PURCHASE INFLUENCE: Millennial men vs. Boomer men

It is worth noting that the rate of change for task ownership is outpacing that of purchase decision making. Lagging purchase influence could be reflective of several factors including low involvement (they don’t know or care enough about category) to purchase cycle (the category is not shopped frequently).

That said, we did find some meaningful changes in the extent to which Millennial men are shopping personal care, laundry and cleaning supplies and food and grocery.

DETAILED FINDINGS



Q: In general, to what extent do the following factors influence who contributes to household chores in your home?

HOW ROLES ARE ASSIGNED: % men and women to agree each factor influences contribution

18

Men and women agree that having the capacity (available time) is a top factor in how household chores are allocated. This attitude is consistent with the findings that men, on average, work 6.3 hours more (paid employment) per week and women spend 4.2 hours more per week on housework, as compared to their spouse.

Factors influencing household roles

ATTITUDES & ASPIRATIONS Overview

With attitudinal shifts regarding gender roles in the home comes a desire for more equitable distribution of housework.

The aspirational home for most North Americans is one where there is a more equitable division of daily household chores such as cooking, cleaning and doing laundry. However, the equal distribution of housework is at odds with the perception and reality that capacity, particularly employment status, is the primary driver of each spouse’s relative contribution.

Three quarters of respondents would like to see household efforts split equally, regardless of other circumstances.

86% of respondents say if a spouse spends fewer hours working he or she should contribute more time to household chores

0%

ABILITY

CAPACITY

PREFERENCE

COST

GENDER

ALL (MEN & WOMEN)

Who is capable or experienced 87%

83%

80%

68%

51%

Who has available time

Who most likes to do the task

If we can afford to outsource

A man or woman traditionally does this role


DETAILED FINDINGS

19

It came as some surprise that the top factor influencing the assignment of household chores is one’s perceived ability (skills or experience) to complete the task. This is a more significant factor for men (47%) than women (42%). Since many of the household activities that we explored do not require special skills or training, one may infer that there is a misalignment between perceived difficulty and perceived ability. Harbinger also asserts that some gender bias may also be at play here, wherein spouses are

reluctant to relinquish (or to take on) a task because they perceive their spouse of the opposite gender does not have the requisite skills or would not accept the role.

Factors influencing household roles


Empowering knowledge and confidence with consumers is an important mechanism for driv-ing cross-gender engagement. Specifically, developing products, packaging and commu-nication mechanisms that deliver the neces-sary information to succeed, in an appropriate format is critical.

BRAND SPOTLIGHT

Product formula, format and communication assets position Tide Pods as approachable, convenient and fool-proof, thus addressing the barriers of both capacity and ability for women and men alike. Read more in case studies.

The third most important factor in allocation of roles is preference, or who most enjoys each task. This is especially important for younger generations, with Millennials far more likely to divide roles in a way that’s most preferable for everyone involved; 85% of Millennials vs. 76% of Boomers consider preference a factor in who does what.

Changing behavior and attitudes indicate that younger generations are less likely to consider gender a factor in the allocation of household jobs, however, gender still has a surprising influence in the average North American household:

• 51% of respondents consider the role a man or woman has traditionally played to be a factor in assigning who does what in the home; however, Millennials (47%) are less likely than Boomers (55%) to consider this a factor in their household

• 44% of respondents believe there are household jobs that men should always do and household jobs that women should always do, regardless of other factors

Cost, the financial means to outsource tasks, was of moderate influence for most groups. The study found that 85% outsource some weekly housework to paid support, at an average of a half hour per week. Perhaps not a surprise, likelihood to outsource and the amount of work outsourced rises with household income; hired help is also more common among immigrants than non-immigrant households.

Immigrants (68%) are more likely than non-immigrants (49%) to say traditional gender roles is a significant factor in who performs a role in the home, which may reflect cultural influences.


DETAILED FINDINGS

MEN

WOMEN

MEN

WOMEN

20

Men and women don’t perceive their respective contributions to household work in the same light.

In fact, while men feel they are contributing almost equally to household work, women are much more likely to believe men are falling short. Meanwhile, a large proportion of men and women agree that ladies tend to do more than their fair share of housework overall.

Men aren’t doing their fair share

MAN DOES LESS THAN HIS FAIR SHARE OF

LAUNDRY & CLEANING

MAN DOES LESS THAN HIS FAIR SHARE OF MEAL

PLANNING & PREPARATION

44%

30%

39%

25%

WHERE MEN FALL SHORT

LAUNDRY CLEANING MEAL PLANNING & PREP

1 IN 4 MEN AGREE

that they do less than their fair share in these areas

FAIR SHARE OF LAUNDRY, CLEANING & MEALS : % to agree man is doing less than his fair share


Q: To what extent do you believe each person in your current household does his or her ‘fair share’ of household chores?

Women are nearly 3X as likely as men to report that he is not doing his fair share of housework – but notable that 1 in 6 men agree

Specifically, meal planning and preparation, cleaning and laundry are the biggest areas of opportunity for men to do more, as these are tasks where women and men are most likely to agree that men are falling short of their fair share.

Q: To what extent do you believe each person in your current household does his or her ‘fair share’ of household chores?

SHE SAID

PERCEIVED RELATIVE CONTRIBUTION: % distribution of time spent on housework, women vs. men

HE SAID

57% 40%

40% 16%MAN DOES LESS THAN HIS FAIR SHARE

WOMAN DOES MORE THAN HER FAIR SHARE

DETAILED FINDINGS

21

Since Millennials are even more likely to challenge traditional gender roles than Generation X’ers before them, one may say we are observing a snowball effect in the pace of change.

As mothers and fathers challenge gender stereotypes to take on more diverse household roles, their daughters and sons are likely to grow more open-minded and to gain experience in a broader array of household roles.

Savvy marketers will help to shape a future where household roles are less defined by gender by empowering consumers with the confidence to shop for and to tackle any household task which they choose to take on.

A snowball effect


Since women and men share a similar aspiration for the equitable distribution of chores, and men even acknowledging their shortfalls, marketers face more reward than risk for placing men and kids at the centre of household chores more often.

Specifically, laundry, cleaning, and food/ meal brands have the most to gain by featuring men and kids playing a larger support role to the woman in the home.

BRAND SPOTLIGHT

Home appliance maker, Whirlpool, launched a 2016 television commercial titled ‘Dad and Andy’ that portrays a father independently, and admittedly imperfectly, tackling domestic duties – sorting laundry, packing lunches and even baking cookies – for an appreciative son. Read more in case studies.

BRAND SPOTLIGHT

Iconic brand Arm & Hammer misses the mark with its 2016 television commercial titled ‘Gener-ations’. The insight is sound, chronicling how the brand has been a trusted household brand for generations of family; however, the brand fails to include any boys or men in the story. Read more in case studies.

Meal planning and preparation is the biggest opportunity for kids 18+ with 51% of parents saying adult kids do less than their fair share. It’s also considered the #2 opportunity for kids 5-17 to step up and help.

Cleaning and doing laundry are the biggest opportunities for kids 5-17 to help more with 44.6% of parents saying their children do less than their fair share.

Kids can step up too


Brands that portray more men and children contributing at home subtly signal to a woman that they understand her desire for more support.

Bold brands will go one step further and explicitly beckon men and children to take on their fair share of relevant household chores.

BRAND SPOTLIGHT

In 2015, Ariel, the Indian laundry detergent brand, broke ground with their provocative #ShareTheLoad campaign. Calling on men to support their wives by tackling their fair share of laundry, the brand deployed television commercials, a social media program and even custom apparel tags to reinforceing their gender inclusive position. Read more in case studies.


DETAILED FINDINGS

Q: In general, do you believe that advertisements for the following household products and services target men, women or both?

22

MARKETING: PERCEPTION OF ADVERTISING Overview

Consumer perceptions suggest that advertisers are slowly closing gender stereotypes in advertisements for many household categories. However there is work to do.

The majority of consumers would like to see marketers change their approach to better reflect the modern home, where men are more significant contributors and both genders seek greater equality in the allocation of household chores.

Moreover, for brands that take a more gender inclusive approach to the portrayal of gender roles in the modern household, there is potential reward. More than half of consumers would be more likely to choose brands that portray equality. This desire for brands that demonstrate gender equality is even more true for Millennials and Generation X’ers than for Boomers and older consumer groups.

69% of consumers feel advertisers unfairly portray gender roles in the home.

71% would like to see brands portray men contributing to household chores more often.

“ I am more likely to purchase brands that show men and women contributing equally to household chores”56%

“ I would like to see brands portray men contributing to household chores more often”71%

“ I feel that brands unfairly portray gender roles or stereotypes with regard to household chores”69%

Millenials and Gen X more likely to agree than Boomers (59% vs. 49% )

Immigrants more likely to agree (83%)

Immigrants more likely to agree (82%)

71% 67%

58% 54%

75% 67%


DETAILED FINDINGS

HOW BRANDS ARE FALLING SHORT % men & women to agree with each statement


23

The perceived extent to which categories target men, women or both genders, validates the extent to which brands only reinforce gender roles in the home. The following chart illustrates the extent to which marketers portray domains as a woman’s (cleaning, laundry, appliances) or a man’s (finances, electronics, yard work).

What’s more compelling is the extent to which certain categories are lagging reality (and aspirations) in the portrayal of roles at home. Specifically, comparing consumer perceptions of gender bias in advertising with actual engagement (task and purchase involvement) in domestic domains proves that marketers not only reinforce – but exag-gerate stereotypical gender roles in many categories. With cleaning and laundry among the categories where women seek more equality at home, and where advertisers are most guilty of over representing women, it is no surprise that three quarters of women would like to see more gender inclusion.

Gender bias in advertising


CLEANING& LAUNDRY 62%

HOME APPLIANCES16%

HOME ELECTRONICS 49%

FINANCIAL SERVICES

18%

GARDENING & YARD WORK42%

WO

ME

N ME

N

+70%+70%

0%

CABLE & TELECOM19%

PERCEIVED GENDER BIAS: % difference between % ‘all or mostly female’ and % ‘all or mostly male’

+20%0%

+14% CLEANING & LAUNDRY

+17% HOME APPLIANCES

+4% CABLE & TELECOM

+13%FINANCIAL SERVICES

+17%HOME ELECTRONICS

+19%GARDENING & YARD WORK

+20%

HOW ADS STACK UP TO REALITY: Gap between category engagement gender bias vs. perceived advertisement gender bias

DETAILED FINDINGS

MILLENIALS

BOOMERS

24

On a positive note, comparing the perceptions of Millennials vs. Boomers suggests that advertisers are slowly transitioning toward greater gender inclusivity – especially in the categories where we also see household roles changing (i.e. in cleaning and laundry where Millennial men are taking a more active role).

Specifically, Millennials are more likely to perceive laundry and cleaning advertisements as gender-neutral, whereas as Boomers perceive ads in the same categories to be much more female-centric.

Of course, it is difficult to say the extent to which perceptions are driven by a meaningful change in advertising or if Millennials and Boomers are subject to confirmation bias, whereby each generation perceives advertisements as reinforcing their own realities.

Shifting perceptions?


100

+17%

100

+14%

100

+14%


CATEGORIES PERCEIVED AS MORE GENDER-NEUTRAL (MILLENIALS): (% to perceive ads as gender-neutral)

0 100

+12%

LAUNDRY

0 100

+11%

CLEANING

0 100

+16%

YARD / GARDENING

36%

40%

54%

0

LAUNDRY

0

CLEANING

0

HOUSEHOLD APPLIANCES

76%

56%

20%

CATEGORIES PERCEIVED AS MORE FEMALE-CENTRIC (BOOMERS): (% to perceive ads as ‘all’ or ‘mostly’ female-centric)

WE BELIEVE:

Two scenarios are at work with regard to the perception of gender bias in advertising:

• Advertising is actually shifting to reflect a more gender-neutral household – more often including both men and women in the depiction of household roles

• Consumers ‘see what they want to see’ – since younger respondents are more likely to challenge traditional gender roles and take on a broader array of jobs, they may also perceive ads as ‘speaking to them’ and their reality, while the converse would be true for boomers


While there is some change afoot in terms of marketing efforts and consumer perceptions, brands are at risk of falling behind. Addressing gender bias in marketing is not a one-size fits all effort and advertising is just one small part of the gender inclusion puzzle.Savvy marketers should consider taking an integrated approach to engaging both sexes and may deploy an array of tools to empower men and women to step into non-traditional roles. Strategic marketing efforts may include product and packaging design, consumer tools and resources, communication campaigns, commu-nication programs and events, even strategic partnerships and customer service.

24%

29%

47%

59%

70%

34%

DETAILED FINDINGS


THE WRAP: TAKEAWAYS FOR MARKETERS

26

Closing the loop on our hypothesis

Upfront we hypothesized that if roles in the household are changing then it would spell potential hits and misses for marketers reaching women.

Although women remain dominant forces at home and in store, both genders are taking on more diverse roles at home, with young men playing a significantly more active role in areas such as cleaning, laundry and meal planning and prep.

Our research suggests that, while some brands are closing the gap in appealing to the modern household, men and women agree that marketers of household goods and services are still unfairly portraying gender stereotypes.

Ads are not keeping pace with the rate of change in household roles and consumers would like to see brands take notice and update their approach accordingly. For brands that can get ahead of the competition by more effectively demonstrating gender diversity and the inclusion of men and women in non-traditional roles, there is significant opportunity to be had.

Ironically, a key way to win with women in the home is to take a more inclusive approach that engages men and empowers them to take on new roles and to be a more supportive contributor.

There is a potential win-win for household brands, with little risk, by taking a more gender inclusive approach to marketing household goods and services. Specifically, thoughtfully engaging men in traditionally female categories may be the key to a woman’s heart and home.

THE WRAP: TAKEAWAY FOR MARKETERS


27

Poor Fair Good


When considering key trends and themes from the study, the implications and opportunities for marketers of household goods and services can be summarized into three focus areas.

While these new rules of engagement may be successfully applied to all household goods and services, the opportunity is most significant in those categories where we are observing the most significant behavior change, and where men and children are falling short.

TAKE A GENDER-NEUTRAL APPROACH: Considering consumers perceive unfair stereotypes still persist and that gender is becoming less of a factor in who performs which roles in the home, brands would benefit from a more gender-neutral marketing approach that portrays a mix of men and women, avoiding stereo-types or clichés

INSPIRE MEN AND KIDS TO ‘SHARE THE LOAD’: In the aspirational home, a woman doesn’t do the cooking, cleaning and laundry on her own. Rather, there is a team approach to getting these jobs done that includes the active participation of her husband and children. While younger men are stepping up, men and women agree that they could do more. Seeing more men portrayed in traditionally female roles would be received positively by both genders. Even better, tell a story where children are helping too!

Marketing recommendations

LEGEND


28

ADOPT AN APPROACHABLE, INCLUSIVE COMMUNICATION STYLE: Choose language and visual cues that address barriers (capacity and ability) and overcome misconceptions, specifically:

Empowerment and strength: Show how helping around the house can be a source of empowerment and pride, not of subservience or weakness. Don’t portray activities as feminine or the men that perform them effeminate.

Competence and confidence: Considering ability is the #1 overall factor for allocating roles and responsibilities, it’s critical that brands set men up for success in completing new tasks. Men and women both stand to benefit from simple, easy to use products, while advertisements and supporting assets should instill confidence in men’s ability to excel at traditionally female tasks and vice-versa.

Affirmation and appreciation: A 2015 study found that men who help around the house have ‘more and better sex’. While we aren’t suggesting racy television spots, we do encourage that marketers showcase the honour in unpaid work – whether it’s a man or a woman doing the work.


Couples enjoyed more frequent and satisfying sex for both partners when men made a fair contribution to housework. Source: University of Alberta, 2012

Continued – Marketing recommendations



CASE STUDIES:HITS & MISSES

30

Website for this line of male-focused cleaning products says: “Gentlemen, it’s time for us to be done with women’s cleaning products. Enough with the flowery and saccharine sweet scents. No more pastel bottles with puppies, babies, and dewy meadows on the labels . . .”

All Purpose Spray commercial quotes: “Guys: you don’t need 20 different spray cleaners – that’s how girls clean. Realize your many potential with Hero Clean.” Video has generated more than 120,000 views, but has also inspired a criticism for being sexist – from men.

Evaluation: Gender exclusive/ sexist The brand tries to appeal to men at the expense of women, and in doing so has managed to offend both gen-ders. Moreover, we question whether a man that is so macho he feels the need for cleaning products made for men is actually doing any of the cleaning or laundry in his home.

Campaign assets: Website, All Purpose Spray Video

CASE STUDIES: HITS & MISSES


https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xFSPYTHf_kk

31

The social media ad campaign promises that LG Twin Wash will deliver ‘more time for shopping, manicures, spa and hair appointments’ and features models who are conspicuously caucasian and female.

The campaign drew considerable criticism on Twitter suggesting the ads were sexist. LG ended up taking them down and issuing an apology.

Campaign assets: Social Media Campaign

Evaluation: Gender exclusive/ sexist The brand portrays a narrow view of who does laundry at home and of a woman’s priorities. Specifically, the brand unfairly characterizes women’s priorities as highly superficial based on the activities she enjoys when not doing housework.



https://twitter.com/lgcanada

32Evolving Gender Roles in the Modern North American Household. © 2016 Harbinger Communications Inc.

A man makes dinner, along with a big mess. His wife (begrudgingly) cleans up after him.

Campaign assets: Clorox ‘Fish Dinner’: TVC

Evaluation: Reinforces stereotypes Although we’re pleased to see a man contributing to meal prep, we feel that having a woman step in and clean up his mess reinforces gender stereo-types.


https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZnICjGU5zT0


In this TV ad a dad changes a diapers but a woman cleans up after him. We don’t see who cleans the baby diaper mess, but a woman’s hands place the Pine-Sol into the cupboard at the conclusion.

Campaign assets: Pine-Sol ‘Diaper Pail’: TVC

Evaluation: Reinforces stereotypes Despite playfully featuring a man as primary caregiver to his children, the ad falls flat by subtly inferring that cleaning remains a woman’s task.


https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=b-4inzARW7A


This simple commercial features a man and a woman sharing equal screen time as they complete their respective daily grooming routines, then contribute equally to cleaning the bathroom.

Campaign assets: Lysol ‘Toilet Germs’: TVC

Evaluation: Gender inclusive The brand delivers a straightforward depiction of a modern household where spouses dutifully take equal responsibility for their fair share of cleaning – portraying the task as equally quick and easy for both genders.


https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=W9OwBLqzs_Q


The ad chronicles a father as he independently tackles an array of household tasks including laundry and baking, and even preparing his son’s daily lunch, each complete with a ‘love note’ from dad. It concludes with a ‘thank you’ note from his son tucked inside the freezer. Soundtrack features Johnny Cash.

Campaign assets: Whirlpool ‘Dad and Andy’: TVC

Evaluation: Empowering men This heartwarming TVC effectively communicates several important key messages: men are capable of ‘doing it all’ around the house, imperfection is perfectly ok and effort is acknowl-edged and appreciated by loved ones. The spot also manages to subtly feature the brand throughout while Johnny Cash adds elements of cool and nostalgia.


https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PQId1pJPXVE


Tide Pods simplify laundry with a no measure, no fuss detergent capsule and package design. Sample communication assets include:

• Graphic, technology-centric instructions• NFL partnership: Sponsorship deal, on-air product

placement and athlete endorsement • TVC: ‘Small but mighty’ campaign featuring some of

the NFL’s smallest, yet mightiest players doing laundry• Online video content: “Tide Pods Challenge” videos

feature prominent social personalities creating funny prank-style films featuring the product

Campaign assets:

Evaluation: Speaking to him The functional benefits of the product and packaging directly address capacity and ability as potential barriers to doing laundry. Brand/product communication is gender-neutral and cues simplicity, convenience and pow-er using relevant partners, content and channels to drive relevance with men, without alienating women. In the context of a broader Tide marketing strategy which includes more female-centric content, Tide Pods effectively speaks to men and acknowledges her at the same time.

Tide Pods: Integrated Campaign• Product design• Strategic partnership• Advertising & promotion


https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=15XHVscoh2c


This television commercial for Arm & Hammer laundry care story tells a story around several generations of women interacting with their daughters in activities both inside and outside the home, and including doing laun-dry and baking with grandma. The narrator reminds us that Arm & Hammer has been trusted by generations of women and that if you ‘ask your mom, or her mom…or her mom’, they will recommend Arm & Hammer. The spot concludes with a family portrait of moms, daughters and grandmothers seated together on a couch.

Evaluation: Gender exclusive/ perpetuates stereotypes Although compelling, this commercial misses the mark by failing to recognize all the generations of men and boys who actively participate in household chores – and who have exchanged advice on cooking and cleaning with their families. It especially falls short in acknowledging the extent to which Millennial men are already stepping up and contributing to laundry, cleaning and meal preparation.

Campaign assets: Arm & Hammer ‘Generations’: TVC


https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pHiQG8cXkoI


The campaign tells the story that, while women may be making great leaps in their professional lives, in their own homes they are likely doing just the same amount of un-paid work as they did before, with little support from their husbands or children. “Share the load” is a call to action for people, and men in particular, to share the burden of household chores.

This award winning campaign delivered strong results for the brand including:

• Brand awareness increased by +136% in first month of campaign

• Sales increased by +60%• Online videos generated millions of views

(original and English subtitle versions)

Campaign assets:

Evaluation: Empowering men Ariel #sharetheload is a fine example of an integrated female- centric marketing campaign that puts men in the spotlight. In addition to acknowledging how the world is changing, the brand boldly and explicitly challenges men to change too.

Ariel #ShareTheLoad: Integrated campaign (2015)• Clothing label partnership • Social media program • TVC including long-format online video


https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wJukf4ifuKs

© 2016 Harbinger Communications Inc.

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