This weekend’s mass shooting in Santa Barbara has resulted in more than just another call for gun control. This round of gun violence, which specifically targeted women, has reinvigorated the nation’s conversation about misogyny and the harm it inflicts on society.
Here at Brandsplat, it’s not often that we advise our clients to get political with their blogs or social media posts. But we’re making an exception in the aftermath of this news, which joins other recent horrific acts of violence against women, including the highly-publicized abduction of nearly 300 schoolgirls in Nigeria and this weekend’s stoning death of a pregnant Pakistani woman.
However regrettable, outsized violence against women is something that occurs every day in every society, regardless of its laws, its traditions or its culture. So why do we recommend treating this differently and speaking up now (other than it being the right thing to do)?
Not to put too fine a point on it, but, THIS IS YOUR DEMOGRAPHIC. Women are far more likely to interact with a brand online than men, according to a recent Finances Online infographic. They’re also more likely to interact more often and for a wider range of uses. What’s more, women use their mobile devices to engage their spheres of influence, and since this market is growing fast, you want to be in there. Social media is where women, more than men, get their news and share their opinions on what they read.
Need specifics? How about this: 22% of women shop online at least once a day, with 92% passing along information about deals or finds to others, according to Ogilvy & Mather. Or this: 85% of all consumer purchases are made by women.
In other words, women have the power to make or break your brand. And because they’re more socially motivated as a group, not saying anything in the face of this onslaught will get you noticed — and not in the way you want.
That’s not to say you can get away with simply giving lip service to the problem by slapping a trending hashtag on your tweets. Dig deep, people. Start with your female employees. Ask if any of them would like to organize some kind of company-wide awareness and volunteering initiative. See if there’s a need in your community for a coalition of businesses to fund anti-violence efforts (there is). If you’re a leader in your field, raise awareness across your category. Encourage open dialogue. Listen. Listen harder.
Then partner with one or more organizations that work to inspire confidence in girls.
Go beyond putting your money where your mouth is. Put your money where our future is. No hashtag required.
To see the full infographic and article by Alex Hillsberg, go here.
