Don’t be cheap. Don’t rely on gender stereotypes.

Advertising messages, movies, shows, stand up comedy…we all do it. Rely on gender stereotypes for making jokes that is. And there’s a reason we use it so much. It can be really funny. But there are better ways to connect with people that can still be humorous without coming off as cheap or like something that’s been done a million times before.

That was one of the points I took away from a presentation given on the use of gender stereotypes in advertising. In advertising, the root of this problem stems from asking ourselves the question, “How do I market to women?” or “How do I market to men?” We spend so much time focusing on the differences between the genders – of which they aren’t a ton – and too little time focusing on the commonalities. Even though men place more value on sexuality and women more on security, these are only a couple of the many values that both men and women share: success, happiness, honesty, family, etc.

Advertising that can speak to a value important to both men and women avoid the over-played gender stereotypes and they also open up more opportunity for the brand. Instead of saying to consumers, ‘We make a product for men specifically. See, we made a funny joke that is obviously more relevant to men,” brands can say, “We make something both men and women will find appealing. Our joke is funny for everyone.”

Let’s work harder to communicate with consumers in a way that is gender neutral – and if we want it to be, still humorous. A more intelligent solution exists.  

Kelleen Peckham, Senior Brand Planner