International Women's Day
Published on 3rd March 2023
International Women's Day (IWD) is an annual celebration of women's achievements and a call for gender equality worldwide. This day is recognized globally on March 8th and has been celebrated since the early 1900s. The aim of the IWD 2023 #EmbraceEquity campaign is to get the world talking about Why equal opportunities aren't enough. People start from different places, so true inclusion and belonging require equitable action.
“Equality is everybody having a pair of shoes. Equity is providing everyone a pair of shoes that fit.”
Dr Susan K Gardner. Dean, Oregon State University.
Gender equality
IWD provides an opportunity to reflect on the progress made towards gender equality and the work that still needs to be done to achieve it.
Each year, we carry on heading in the right direction however, the COVID-19 pandemic paused progress towards achieving gender parity, with women "taking a disproportionate and unequal share of the economic hardship caused by COVID-19".
By looking at the World Economic Forum’s Global Gender Gap Index, it's worked out to take 132 years to close the global gender gap (at the current rate of progress).
Women who changed the world
We know the world is full of motivational men and women. But today, we are going to briefly cover the history of women in marketing and the powerful and inspirational women we have seen who have stood for women’s rights and racial equality, as well as talking to a few of the women at head office.
To mark International Women's Day last year, Marie Claire made a list of the 100 most inspirational women from the last century which is definitely worth checking out.
The history of women making a difference to marketing
In the late 1800s, Sarah Breedlove, also known as Madam C.J. Walker, became the first female self-made millionaire in America. She started as a door-to-door saleswoman, selling her own line of hair care products targeted at black women. She also employed a network of sales agents, mostly women, who helped her grow her business. Walker's success showed that women could not only be effective salespeople but also successful entrepreneurs.
In 1908, Helen Lansdowne Resor became the first female copywriter, and by the 1917 had made history by creating an ad called “A skin you love to touch” for Woodbury. Lansdowne Resor is known as the first woman in American history to design and implement national advertising campaigns. Nancy Stephenson, one of her protégés, said: "She had a brilliant mind that darted and dipped and swooped with terrifying speed and accuracy."
In 1939, NBC television issued a press release announcing the hiring of their first female television producer/director, Thelma A. Prescott.
Just eight months after being hired, it was reported that she would be leaving the network as part of a broader effort to reduce their "experimental" TV staff. Prescott later came back to NBC in 1948 as a co-producer with her husband, Edward Padula, on a show called "Girl of the Week," featuring glamorous fashion models.
In 1966, Mary Wells Lawrence became the first female CEO of a major advertising agency. She co-founded Wells, Rich, Greene and went on to create iconic campaigns, including "I ❤️ NY" and the "Plop plop, fizz fizz" campaign for Alka-Seltzer. By 1969, Lawrence was reported to be the highest-paid executive in advertising. By the 2020 Cannes Lions Festival of Creativity, Lawrence received the Lion of St. Mark in recognition of her lifetime accomplishments.
In the 1980s and 90s, women became increasingly important as consumers, and advertisers started to create campaigns specifically targeted at women. Advertising campaigns such as "This Girl Can" and "Dove Real Beauty" have been celebrated for promoting positive messages about women's bodies and abilities.
In recent years, women have continued to make an impact in marketing, with more women taking on leadership roles in agencies and brands. Women such as Sheryl Sandberg, COO of Facebook, and Bozoma Saint John, CMO of Netflix, have become high-profile figures in the industry.
On International Women's Day, we celebrate the social, economic, cultural, and political achievements of women. We have a lot of wonderful people at it'seeze and on the 8th March, it is all about celebrating and appreciating the amazing women we are lucky to have!
Now it's time to speak to a few of the women at it'seeze...
What better way to celebrate International Women's Day than speaking to some of the women Web Designers and Developers in our community at it'seeze, gaining an insight how they got into web design, the work they're proudest of and where they go to feel inspired.
Get to know a bit about them by reading their answers to a few questions we asked...
Meet Naïs - Front-End Developer
How did you get into web design?
"I got into designing because I was always a very creative kid and loved drawing, but I wanted drawing to stay a hobby, so I thought designing would be a good way of still having a cool and creative career. I started coding when I joined it’seeze, I felt that it would make my job as a web designer easier".
Where do you go to feel inspired?
"I get inspired walking around cities. There’s always something interesting that can be inspiring for future projects, a cool logo outside a coffee shop, a take away packaging, a fun graffiti or a building with funky coloured doors".
Tell us something interesting about yourself?
"I just had chickenpox for the 1st time, I'm in my 30’s!
I love lifting heavy weights, women can be strong"!
Meet Eve - Web Designer
What work have you created which you are the proudest of?
"I designed one of my favourite sites when I was very new to the it'seeze team; a woman's domestic abuse charity.
It’s feminine, quirky and has an uplifting quality which I think is vital for the subject matter."
Where do you go to feel inspired?
"I am inspired by a mixture of things - illustrators, designers and even interior design.
I love this site when I am looking for something a bit different, as it inspires me to create something new and innovative".
Meet Sam - Web Designer
How did you get into web design?
"It was a gentle transition for me from the graphic design work at it'seeze to the web-based work".
Where do you go to feel inspired?
"I get inspired by everything from seeing some cool sites on the web to discovering interesting shop signage when I'm travelling. This kind of creative stimulation also motivates me".
Tell us something interesting about yourself?
"When I'm not creating sites at it’seeze, you'll often find me singing and playing guitar with my brother in the local pub!"
Meet Emily - SEO Executive
Tell us something interesting about yourself?
"When I'm not optimising sites at it’seeze or making the marketing team the best coffee they've ever had, I'll either be walking my red setter, Beau Jolais or playing Fruit Ninja!"
How did you get into marketing?
"After completing my A Levels, I did an apprenticeship in content producing, now i'm at it'seeze, learning and gaining more confidence every day".
So make sure you're celebrating today with the amazing women we are sure you have surrounding you!
Now, for the the men, don't freak! Your time is coming on the 19th November. International Men’s Day celebrates the positive value men bring to the world, their families and communities.
About the author
After undertaking an apprenticeship for a digital marketing agency, Emily joined the it'seeze marketing team as our resident SEO Executive.
Emily is 21 years old and has a passion for social & digital marketing. Describing herself as hard-working and customer-focused, Emily brings a wealth of fresh ideas and a new perspective to the team.
Share this post:
