truth: women from different generations experience advertising differently. 

A woman’s lived experience is a journey, and interacting with brands has often been a battle to be seen, heard, and to have access to products and services that actually solve her problems as she experiences them. And as our women over 40 research proved, as far as brands are concerned, aging women are treated like an unsolvable puzzle or disappear from targeted ads altogether. But the truth is brands that are along for the journey as women age gain access to over half the population and billions in spending power. 

Our taboo research added a new dimension to the age-old question: What do women want? It depends on her age. 

Though we see attitudinal segments in every age group, Boundary Pushers are more likely to be 50-59 years old, with 52% of respondents in this age range belonging to this segment. Brand Approvers skew younger, with many 18-39 years old. 

signs of progress and room for growth 

That there are many more young women that approve of brands and think they’re getting it right suggests progress, but that’s not the whole story. 

The rise in ad targeting coincides with younger generations entering adulthood. Younger women may overlook gender-based advertising issues as the ads they’ve grown up around are highly targeted to their interests. They’ve also grown up around Dove’s Real Beauty, H&Ms “She’s a Lady,” or Aerie’s unretouched underwear ads. The playing field feels more level from where they’re standing. 

One study of 181 Millennial women found that they had more positive regard for the brand and higher purchasing intention when exposed to empowering brand messaging. Who is more likely to have been exposed to empowering ad messaging? Millennials and Gen Z women—who are also often Brand Approvers. 

Unfortunately, brands have focused heavily on the next generation coming into adulthood, leaving their aging predecessors in the dark. Would GenX and Baby Boomers have more positive brand perceptions if shown empowering messaging? It’s high time to find out. 

For women over 40, brands still have work to do. 

Brands do not understand older women as much as younger women, so the issues are more glaring, even in the context of progress. To understand older women, brands have to take steps to seek understanding. They need to ditch the stereotypes, invest in research, talk to these women, and shift their mindset that as women age, they’re less valuable to brands. 

The truth is brands that ignore women as they age are making a huge mistake. 

As women grow older, they experience more, are more aware, and gender issues irritate them more. They want inclusive progress that includes them as they reach the peak of their careers, their spending power, and their confidence. Older women are willing and able to spend on products and services that make a difference in their lives. 

Older women are sensitive to these issues as society evolves, especially since they’re still left out of advertising. Tampon brands may have ditched the blue liquid, but when was the last time you saw a thoughtful ad addressing the needs of the post-menopausal woman?  

As women get older, they’re more motivated to change the world for younger women. That’s why they’re more likely to start conversations, demand more from brands, and uplift the women in their lives. 

be a guide on the journey. 

Women’s lives are fluid. Their experiences, perceptions, and behaviors change over time. It’s OK to aim for the Gen Z audience, but you need to update your set-it-and-forget-it approach and recognize that women’s lives evolve. So do their needs, wants, and desires. 

The Gen Z audience might like your vibe now, but they have high expectations and are incredibly digitally savvy; if you don’t grow with them, you’ll lose them. When Gen Alpha reaches adulthood, their preferences may be completely different than Gen Z before them, so you need to know your audience well. Some of those “tried and true” advertising approaches for women never worked in the first place, and it’s time for an upgrade. 

Younger generations aside, Women over 40 are buying the same products/services women under 40 are buying. And often, they’re buying higher-end versions because they can afford them. You’re missing out on potential customers—one-quarter of the population are women over 40, btw—if you only focus on young buyers. The secret to sustaining your brand for many years is to evolve with your customer base. 

So shift your mindset. Meet women’s needs now and anticipate their needs tomorrow. Solve their problems for real this time. Stay by their side as their lives change. That’s how you build brand loyalty.