The power of real stories: Why women-centric marketing must evolve

The days of adding a pink label on a product and calling it empowerment are over. Women are not a monolith. Their ambitions, challenges, and realities are vast and diverse. To truly resonate, brands must move beyond token gestures and embrace empathy-driven narratives that reflect real experiences, meaningful representation, and action-oriented storytelling.

Over the years, there have been glaring examples of brands getting it wrong, sometimes with good intentions but poor execution. Consider the case of Auckland Aquarium, which proudly announced the percentage of women in its workforce as if simply employing women was an achievement in 2019. While representation matters, the message felt patronising rather than empowering. Such instances highlight a recurring problem: brands positioning themselves as champions of women’s empowerment without making a tangible difference.

Brands must go beyond symbolism and take concrete actions if they want to build lasting trust with women. One standout example was Aditya Birla Group’s ‘Change The Game’ campaign, which highlighted women leaders kicking out outdated workplace myths. This wasn’t just a glossy ad featuring women in power suits. It was a statement that women in corporate spaces are rewriting the rules every day. These kinds of campaigns resonate because they not only acknowledge women’s contributions but also celebrate and amplify them in a way that drives real change.

Breaking the stereotypes

For decades, marketing to women has relied on repetitive tropes. For example, women are portrayed as caregivers, beauty-obsessed consumers, or multitasking superheroes. While there is nothing wrong with these identities, they do not encompass the full spectrum of what it means to be a woman today.

Progressive marketing recognises that women are not a homogenous group but individuals with diverse ambitions, strengths, and challenges. This involves moving away from messaging that either glorifies traditional roles or presents women as anomalies in their fields. Instead, brands must focus on narratives that normalise success, ambition, and leadership across industries. By adopting a more inclusive lens, campaigns can challenge conventional perceptions and reflect the evolving realities of women today, fostering an aspirational and relatable representation.

To create lasting change, brands must examine their internal processes—ensuring that diverse voices contribute to creative decision-making. When women are involved in shaping narratives, marketing moves beyond superficial empowerment to meaningful representation. This means eliminating biases in advertisements and beyond—in product design, communication strategies, and leadership roles within the industry. By embedding inclusivity at every level, brands can move from simply targeting women to truly engaging with them.

The evolution of marketing to women lies in consciously breaking stereotypes rather than reinforcing them. When brands choose to tell nuanced stories, they evolve from superficial engagement to fostering a genuine connection.

Inclusivity is born of empathy

Understanding and addressing the real needs of women good ethics as well as good business. Time and again, studies have shown that diversity is good for business. A 2024 McKinsey report showed that companies committed to diversity showed 39% increased likelihood of financially outperforming their competitors.

Women drive a significant portion of global purchasing decisions, and they are increasingly drawn to brands that align with their values. A NielsenIQ report showed that as of 2024, women oversee approximately $31.8 trillion in global spending, a figure expected to rise significantly. In the next five years, they are projected to control 75% of discretionary spending worldwide. In addition, women have been playing a dominant role in household financial decisions, influencing 70-80% of all consumer purchases. They want to see themselves represented in campaigns, not only as consumers but also as leaders, change-makers, and individuals navigating diverse experiences everyday.

Companies must also recognise that women’s experiences are intersectional—race, socio-economic background, and life stage—all influence their perspectives. Brands that embrace intersectionality in their campaigns will create stronger, more authentic connections. This means moving beyond one-size-fits-all messaging and acknowledging the unique experiences of women from different walks of life.

Brands that have succeeded in this space have done so by embedding empathy into their marketing strategies. They listen. They research. They understand that women's empowerment is not something to be marketed but something to be enabled. That’s the real difference between selling empowerment and fostering it.

The future of marketing to women

The next frontier of marketing to women is not about finding the next catchy slogan, rather it involves shifting from inspiration to impact. It is about ensuring that campaigns are backed by real-world initiatives that uplift, support, and create opportunities for women.

The brands that will thrive in this landscape are those that reject obsolete tropes and commit to authentic representation. They will be the ones that engage women not just as consumers but as stakeholders, decision-makers, and forces of change. Because in the end, true empowerment doesn’t come from just words, actions are equally critical.

To truly connect with women, brands must move beyond performative gestures and make a real difference in the way they approach marketing. Women do not just want to be spoken to; they want to be heard, valued, and represented in meaningful and lasting ways. As the conversation around gender equality continues to evolve, the brands that embrace empathy as a core marketing strategy will not only drive better engagement but also contribute to a more inclusive and progressive future.

— Ruhie Pande, group CHRO, head of marketing and communication, and head of CSR, Sterlite.