Increasing the Social Acceptability of Taboo Products and Services
Think of the women in your life — neighbors, coworkers, relatives, and friends. How many bought a sex toy last year? Do you know if any of them see a therapist? What relationship do the women in your life have with marijuana or alcohol? How do you know what products and services the women in your life purchase?
According to our research, women are buying taboo products and services but are often reluctant to discuss these purchases with others. Women want to be understood and see their lives reflected in ads, but when social stigmas keep this from happening, it can prevent them from buying these products and services, discussing their use openly, and becoming brand advocates.
It’s not enough for these options to exist; the way brands engage women changes the purchasing landscape.
Even if women want to talk about their experience with menopause-related products, for example, there’s residual discomfort from generations of women getting pushback on women’s issues, ignorance about their realities, and social ostracization when they speak up about their lives. Women have been silenced, ignored, and dismissed, and it’s really left a mark. Brands can right the ship. If brands can make women comfortable, sharing will be easier, more women will purchase taboo products, sharing becomes the norm, and the topic will become less taboo overall.
And one of the best ways to change the tides is for brands to shift their product’s or service’s position on the scale of social acceptability.
The scale of social acceptability
Our research shows women are more likely to engage with products/services with relative social acceptability. And the less socially acceptable a product is, the more cloaked in secrecy it becomes. Unfortunately, for brands, this means less word of mouth, fewer brand advocates, and untapped audiences. For women, there’s a fundamental aspect of their lives (aging, sexuality, mental health, finances, etc.) they’re unable to discuss openly, seek support from others, and identify products and services that make their lives better. Right now, everybody loses.
In order from most to least comfort, these are the percentages of women that say they’re entirely comfortable purchasing the following products (including the percentage overall who purchased these products/services):
Alcohol products: 82% (69% purchased last year.)
Financial advising services: 59% (30% purchased last year.)
Mental health care: 55% (30% purchased last year.)
Cannabis products: 51% (28% purchased last year.)
Aging products: 38% (23% purchased last year.)
Sex products: 36% (39% purchased last year.)
About two-thirds of women are either Boundary Pushers or Female Favorers, attitudinal segments more likely to have progressive viewpoints about their gender, expect brands to change society, and value supporting other women. So, it’s fascinating when we look a little closer and see how different women compare their relative comfort levels with taboo purchases.
There are no statistically reliable differences between segments in terms of their comfort purchasing mental health or financial advising services or aging or cannabis products. Boundary Pushers appear slightly more likely than Female Favorers to say they’re completely comfortable purchasing sex products. And they’re statistically more likely than Brand Approvers to say they’re completely comfortable buying alcohol. But all in all, the differences are slight.
So many women are still struggling to feel comfortable purchasing a range of taboo products and services, and it doesn’t matter what general attitudes they hold about taboos, advertising, or the changes they want to see in society.
Here’s your takeaway: When taboo products and services are socially acceptable, women are more likely to buy them.
And here’s a bonus takeaway: Brands can unlock new audiences if they can shift a product’s/service’s position on social acceptability scale.
Changing your position on the scale of social acceptability
By shifting your brand’s position on the social acceptability scale, you can reap some substantial benefits. First of all, you’ll be changing society, which appeals to, especially, the Boundary Pushers and the Female Favorers of the world. In addition, you can make your products and services more accessible and appealing to all women since all segments show some discomfort around sharing taboo purchases with others.
A well-crafted, smart, and realistic ad can do wonders for shifting the position. And it’s an art form brands can learn.
Normalize the usage of these products in women’s lives.
Depict their use proudly/confidently/in real-world contexts.
Build campaigns to generate conversations and dispel myths.
What does this look like in practice? Show women talking about period products in public with men in earshot. Why do tampons have to be exchanged only across bathroom stalls or by other covert methods? Initiate conversations by challenging the status quo with your ad content — feature women drinking sazeracs and other traditionally masculine beverages (women have a range of alcohol preferences). Flip perspectives—show a woman confidently sharing her experience with a financial advisor pursuing higher-risk investments. Speak candidly about menopause, without shame, and with physiologically accurate details. Portray sexual wellness honestly and openly by discussing women’s pleasure and desire at all ages—from their 20s to their 60s and beyond.
You can do this; women are counting on you. And Fancy’s here to lend a hand.
Download our executive summary to learn more about how women feel, think, and engage with taboo purchases. And contact us to talk more specifically about your brand.
