One of the most interesting books I’ve read in recent times is called ‘Brandsplaining’, by Jane Cunningham and Philippa Roberts, two market researchers who started their careers in advertising. The subject is sexism in the marketing industry. How it emerged and why it’s still very much alive today.
It shines a light on the way women over the decades have been portrayed in marketing. How it has always told women how they should look, what they should think, and how they should behave. Whilst changes have been made in recent years, the authors contend that there is still significant work to be done to ensure women are depicted truthfully and equally.
It’s divided into 3 parts. Part 1 is ‘how we got here’, part 2 discusses ‘where we are now’ and part 3 suggests ways forward. A clear structure with short, sharp chapters.
It’s witty and energetic. An entertaining read. It’s also well-researched. The authors spend their lives researching women so it comes from a place of experience and insight. It’s certainly not a feminist rant.
It made me think. It made me reflect on the many years I’ve worked in marketing and whether I’ve been part of this machine that helps define women so narrowly and negatively.
I recommend that everyone in marketing reads it. It feels like a book that needs to be read now as it makes reference to recent events. Hopefully, over the next few years, its recommendations will begin to feel redundant.
I first discovered the book via an interview with the authors of The Challenger Project from eatbigfish. Click here to find out more.