Is your brand a feminist?

Caregiver, Explorer, Sage, Ruler… Feminist? If you’re a marketer – or have ever been part of a brand building process – you’ve likely encountered the traditional brand archetype wheel. A categorisation of personalities and drivers that helps define who your brand is, and how it behaves. 

The wheel deliberately steers clear of political viewpoints (no one needs to hear their brand is an authoritarian), but what about social ideology? Wouldn’t it be helpful to know if your brand is at heart an environmentalist, a globalist, a progressive, or even a feminist? 

In truth, any brand of the 21^st century ought to be answering ‘yes’ to each of the above – the important question is more about how your ideologies are expressed, demonstrated, and made relevant to your brand. And here, a different kind of archetype model might help. 

Take feminism. If your brand was a person, would they believe that all genders should have equal rights and opportunities? 

Let’s assume your answer there was yes. The natural next question, is how does your brand demonstrate this?  

Is this even relevant if your brand isn’t explicitly for women, or if it doesn’t sell women’s-only products? 

It sure is. 

Especially if you’re starting from a difficult position, dealing with a challenging brand history, or working in a sector that more often avoids the issue – becoming the brand that champions women is a powerful move to make. 

Here are a few archetypes that may help you quietly (or loudly) express your brand’s inner feminist. 

Champion 

Be a champion of women and gender equality. This archetype is a defender at heart – standing and advocating for change on a societal level. Soft but powerful; become the quiet advocate that puts others in the driving seat. 

Take a leaf from the books of… 

Dove – With its now famous ‘Real Beauty’ campaign, Dove became one of the first beauty brands to call out the unrealistic presentation of women’s bodies in media and advertising. And since then, sector change has snowballed (thought we’re not there yet). 

IKEA – Offering equal paternity and maternity packages behind the scenes, and subtly spotlighting diverse roles in the home in its advertising – this brand champions the mum who builds her wardrobe, and the dad who soothes his child. A soft reminder that it’s ok to do things your way. It’s quiet, but it’s there. 

Rebel 

Move the dial and rebel. A rule-breaker and boundary pusher, this archetype is here to upset the apple cart. Join those who fight to break free from tradition, and call out your sector’s accepted ‘norms’. 

Follow in the footsteps of… 

This Girl Can – This Sport England initiative is now famed for its unapologetic celebration of all things the sporting community has rejected: jiggles, the beginner’s spirit, imperfection. This Girl Can breaks every rule in the sports manual – and has changed the sporting sector for the better. 

Lovehoney – Never one to pipe down on matters of sexual satisfaction, Lovehoney breaks taboos as a matter of course. Calling out advertising standards that stigmatise healthy sex lives, Lovehoney is explicit, and explicit, in its mission to equalise the orgasm. 

Innovator 

Invent the next steps that your sector needs. Not one to sit back and leave action to others, this archetype is a designer of pragmatic solutions. These brands pioneer the way forward and embrace new thinking. 

Take a leap of faith like…  

Hertility – Innovation is at the heart of this brand, devoted to the research and science so desperately needed for women to navigate their reproductive health. Hertility sees the hypocrisy of a society that worships the female body, yet hasn’t invested in understanding it – and is acting to resolve this. 

Fenty Beauty – Not just a brand for women, but a brand self-consciously designed to be inclusive of all women and make-up wearers. Rhianna’s Fenty Beauty launched with a single-minded objective: to design beauty products for people of all skin colours. Every brand action since has underpinned this unyielding commitment to inclusivity. 

Visionary 

See the bigger picture, and make it happen. This archetype is an idealist, a dreamer – envisioning the future as a more equal, equitable, and functional society, and moving the world towards it. 

Adopt the world view of… 

TOTM – TOTM is a period care brand that goes beyond tackling the stigma that many feel at ‘that time of the month’ (although it does this by the bucketload too). Promising products that are not only better for you, but better for the planet, TOTM paints the picture of a better world – and makes it a reality. 

Gillette – Feminism has an inherent relationship with men and masculinity, and this is something Gillette has taken on. In its ‘The Best a Man Can Be’ campaign, Gillette acknowledges that a world free from toxic masculinity is also a world in which everyone can feel safer and happier. For a brand targeted at men, this begins with creating positive and empowering male role models. 

So, is your brand a feminist?