6 Powerful Stories Celebrating Women

As I am sure you have noticed, yesterday was International Women’s Day and it was hard to miss all the stories about women’s empowerment and marches and political statements. For me, the most powerful stories (and the ones I selected for this week’s email) had little to do with politics and much more to do with cultural statements and powerful initiatives to change biases. From reimaging a traditional Russian folk song to changing the way Muslim women are portrayed in stock photography … this collection of stories were some of the most inspiring examples of reimagining the way we think and talk about women and I hope you enjoy them as much as I did.

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Getty Offers New Collection Of Empowering Images Of Muslim Women

Searching for “muslim woman” in a Google image search currently yields a very biased result, but this initiative tackles that problem head on. It is such a simple but profound idea I found myself wondering as I was reading this piece why it took this long to do. Yet delayed or not, this is exactly the sort of thing that helps to address stereotypes directly by changing the most elementary of information sources … what we encounter when we search for images on Google.

Campaign To Name More American Landmarks After Women

Currently 92% of outdoor monuments are dedicated to men in the U.S. but what if more were named after women? That is the aim of this public awareness campaign from BBDO focused on encouraging more streets and buildings to be named for women. Great idea, relevant for today, and exactly the kind of symbolic step that costs little but can do a lot in terms of inspiring the next generation.

New Nike Russia Ad Challenges “What Girls Are Made Of”

Most of us don’t really pay attention to how something simple like a childhood nursery rhyme and song can perpetuate old stereotypes about girls. In this powerful ad from Nike Russia, a little girl sings a well known Russian song about what girls are made of, and then changes the words in an empowering way. The ad is exactly what you would expect from Nike – celebrating sports and powerful women … and it delivers a punch.

The Rise Of Gender-Fluid Beauty Campaigns

In the coming years there will be more brands focusing attention on the idea of “gender fluidity” and a growing number of people who don’t associate themselves solely as men or women. This ad from a cosmetics brand does use the cliche tag of “blurring the lines,” but the ad is a valuable reminder that even though sometimes people who associate with both genders are seen as “alien,” this is something we are all going to see more and more.

The Powerful Story Of Einstein’s Forgotten First Wife

History is filled with the stories of powerful men and their relatively forgotten wives, but I found this one particularly interesting. The account of Einstein’s first wife, and in particular her contributions to his research are certainly forgotten but perfect as a piece of history that should be uncovered and talked about. This is just the sort of article you can spend some time reading and digesting. It is a long read, but definitely worth the time.

Strong Museum To Launch “Women In Games” Exhibit In 2018

You may not think about the role of women in video games as being an entirely positive or empowering thing, but this exhibit aims to change that perception. Starting next year, the Strong Museum in Rochester, New York will open a new exhibit celebrating the contributions of women in the world of gaming and serve as a resource for fans, collectors and students to enjoy and learn from.

How Are These Stories Chosen?

Every week I review more than a hundred data sources to curate the best and most under appreciated marketing stories of the week. The aim of this email is to spotlight these “non-obvious” stories, along with a quick take on why they matter for you. I hope you find this email interesting and useful … and am always open to your suggestions on how I might make it better!