Even though people of all genders buy products like cannabis, alcohol, and sex toys, women consistently say they’re treated differently by advertisers—as if they’re not using the same products as their male friends, partners, and brothers. Brands need to ditch their preconceived notions about gender-based consumption. There’s a lot at stake — from counting women (who control $31.5 trillion in global consumer spending—hello!) in your customer base to positively influencing gender roles in our society.

Our research shows which taboo products and services need your attention. Consider the data below a call to action.

Meet the majority.

How much responsibility do you think brands have for furthering gender equality?

To what extent do you think brands can influence gender roles?

Marketers occupy a unique social space. You are the mouthpieces for brands, bearing responsibility for customer relationships and, in turn, profits. At the same time, you have the power to break with convention with a single campaign or individual ad. You can break social rules, spark conversations, and even change how we think about our world (and each other). And Fancy can help.

Ads often serve a functional purpose, barely making a dent in our collective consciousness. Comparatively, ads that resonate, stick, linger, and transform have something in common — they connect with people. They find that truth.

So, it’s time to know your people.

Most consumers (72%) believe brands can drive social change, and 81% think the media is crucial in shaping gender roles. Consumers see your power and want you to wield it for good. Women’s equality is on the minds of most Americans — there’s been a 21% increase in the percentage of consumers (men and women) aware of and concerned about gender bias in ads.

So how can you tell if your ad is biased? You have to meet your audience where they are and see what they’re seeing.

Understanding women’s perceptions of how differently society views women and men give you crucial insights into how to engage women.

How she sees it

Mental health care, financial advising services, aging products, sex products, alcohol products, and cannabis products — what do all of these have in common? Despite women purchasing many of these products and services, they remain taboo. When women speak openly about their purchasing experiences, they risk social exclusion, shame, judgment, and more. And as our research shows, women say society views their engagement with these purchases differently than it views men’s.

In order of most perceived gender differences first, the percentage of women who believe these taboo products and services perpetuate gender inequality are as follows:

48% mental health care

47% financial advising services

46% aging products

41% sex products

17% alcohol products

7% cannabis products

Women are most likely to say men and women are viewed differently regarding mental health care, followed closely by financial advising services and aging products, which all together present an opportunity for brands to level the playing field. Cannabis products, on the other hand, can perhaps serve as a case study in gender-equal advertising.

If your brand is in the top four above, there’s room for growth.

A modified Bechdel Test for advertising

The Bechdel Test is a framework for evaluating whether a film or other work of fiction portrays a woman in a reductive, sexualized, stereotype-perpetuating way.

There are three criteria for “passing” the Bechdel Test:

The film features at least two women.

The two women speak to each other.

Their conversation is about something other than a man.

You might assume movies that fail the test all hail from decades past, but there’s a surprising number of movies (profitable, critically acclaimed, widely circulated) from the last few decades that fall short.

We suggest using a modified Bechdel Test for advertising to do right by the women you serve and, ideally, shift society a few notches in the direction of gender equality. Since we may not reach gender parity until 2081 in the U.S., anybody in a position of power and influence (that includes you, advertisers) can do their part to usher in a new age.

The next time you create an ad for a product or service targeted towards women and featuring women, ask yourself:

Does she have agency in her narrative? (Are her actions freely made without coercion or undue influence? Examine how she makes choices — are decisions made to serve or please somebody else in the ad? Is she depicted in a way that disempowers her?)

Does her role serve as a plot point, an object, or a foil for a man in the ad? (Is a man necessary in the ad? To what extent is she shown in relationship to others rather than as an individual with agency? Is her role to facilitate the man’s actions? Is she serving as a mirror to reflect the man’s thoughts, feelings, or decisions?)

Does her story convey the authenticity of her experience? (Are you treating women like a monolith? Have you checked whether you’re reinforcing stereotypes? Have you asked women whether your ad represents their lived experiences? Have you seen a depiction similar to yours before? Are you dealing in archetypes or real-life complexity?)

Real, impactful change comes from asking important questions and being open to the answers. Can your ads pass our modified Bechdel Test? If the answer is no, you need a blueprint for doing better.

We’d be happy to work with you side-by-side to use our research insights to create ads that truly resonate (and create meaningful change). Gender equality starts with an email. In the meantime, check out our executive summary to learn more about what women want (from advertisers).