As you might know, it’s International Women’s Day tomorrow. And no brand in their right mind would want to miss the opportunity to engage with almost 50% of their potential clientele via some creative IWD campaigns. But while IWD ads from 2024 are still pouring in, we thought of going through some of the best IWD ad campaigns from recent years.
So, here we are with some of the best International Women’s Day ads from recent years that every marketer, regardless of gender, must watch!
1. Mercedes Benz: Be One of Many
While it’s a massive feat to be the only person to accomplish something, when you look at such accomplishments through the lens of gender, they are reflective of the glass ceiling that women have had to break.
From racing to science, women are exceptions everywhere. The reason why they tend to be in the news is because they are the first or the only woman to accomplish something in their respective fields. But it’s high time that women are no longer exceptions but are surrounded by more successful women. This Mercedes Benz advert from last year encourages women to step forward, take what’s rightfully theirs, and be one of many women who have made a mark in their areas of expertise.
2. Paytm: The Divide
Financial freedom and literacy have often been an overlooked step on the path to gender equality. This 4-minute advert by mobile payments app Paytm takes a look at how women have been left far behind men when it comes to making financial decisions.
The advert is based on a social experiment with 30 participants where they are all asked to respond to a few questions. While the questions were general initially, the stark difference between the responses of male and female participants grew more apparent as the questions unfolded. For example, most women participants had never bought a vehicle for themselves without consulting anybody, they had never purchased an insurance policy unassisted, and most of them didn’t watch or follow the annual budget.
The experiment sought to highlight the massive difference in the management of money with regard to men and women. The experiment underscored that despite being well-educated and doing great in their careers, most women are still dependent on men to make financial decisions for them. And until this trend changes, the idea of financial inclusion can never be realized.
3. Beiersdorf: Names
German manufacturing company Beiersdorf released a hard-hitting 2-minute commercial on IWD in 2020 that sought to highlight the massive gap in employment opportunities for men and women.
The ad features a voiceover that tells kids, all boys, about their future and the things that they’re all destined to achieve. It takes the person in the voiceover to speak about 60 male kids before he finally speaks about a female kid, Katija. By this, the commercial sought to highlight that Kaatija is the 61st most common name for German executives; all before her are men. This means that out of every 61 German employees, 60 are men.
The ad tends to change this rather lopsided employment condition and give women equal representation in any workforce.
4. Hyundai: Break on Stereotypes
Short, sweet, and simple- that’s how I’d define this 2021 IWD commercial by Hyundai.
This 47-second commercial shows a man struggling to park his car in a spot. That’s when a woman offers help and parks his car exactly where he wants. The two barely exchange any words but the viewers understand what the advert is all about. And that’s why this stands out and finds a way to our list of the best International Women’s Day adverts.
5. Unilever Pakistan: Equality Isn't Equal, Equity Is
How often do we see men complaining about women demanding equality when the basic anatomy of male and female bodies makes sure that men and women can never be equal? Too often, right?
But you see, that’s the thing! Equality isn’t equal, equity is. And Unilever Pakistan explained this simple concept with the help of this 2022 IWD commercial. The ad showcases two sets of people being thrown into a situation with the exception that one set also has to take care of other situations. While both sets of people got equal chances, what they truly needed were equitable opportunities so that all of them could compete on the same footing.
Wrapping Up
And that was a wrap of the best International Women's Day adverts from recent years. IWD is a great time for brands to dish out awesome ad campaigns and show their female audiences that they genuinely care for them. Hopefully, the ads from this year will help brands create that impression.
We’ll be back with more amazing adverts. Till then, stay tuned!