Category Archives: Reflections

The place of gender in school: what responsibility do teaching institutions have?


Diversity and equality are not synonymous

In 1975, co-education became required in all schools in France. If this mutation delighted women’s rights advocates, it has been primarily driven by economic objectives. The increase of higher education has a cost and the creation of communal institutions helped to optimize budgets. In hindsight, we understand better why so many studies highlighted gender stereotypes persistence in schools. (1)

Co-education has been considered as an economic tool before being considered as an educational tool for equality. (2) “It’s not enough to declare that co-education (even if it’s necessary) will make the gendered division of knowledge and skills disappear” says Françoise Vouillot (3), psychology teacher and a member of the Laboratory of equality (www.laboratoiredelegalite. org/).

Posted on 27 March 2013 in Differences men and women, Reflections

(Français) Faire une place aux « gender studies »


Posted on 8 February 2013 in Women's culture, Reflections
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Women dare less than men


In Mars 2012, Harris Interactive polled online for aufeminin.com about what French people say they dare to do or not. Results show that, in specific cases, to dare differs according to the gender, age but also social class of the panel.

 

In everyday life

une-femme-oseOn the whole, 8 French people to 10 describe themselves as self-confident. This feeling is more present in men (90%) than in women (76%). Therefore, it’s not striking to observ an over-representation of women among French people who say they are not very self-confident (24% to 10% for men). This lack of confidence is more important for young people aged 18 to 24 and, in particular, for young women. 37% of them don’t feel self-confident (to 20% for young men)

Posted on 31 July 2012 in Differences men and women, Reflections
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Green wave has surged in France


More than one in three French women uses organic cosmetics. At the same time as being friendly to both your health and the environment, these trendy products are also easily found in store. Let’s have a look at this fast-developing market.

 

Without toxic chemical.

green trendConcentrated with natural ingredients, without dye, conservative and perfume, an organic cosmetic nor is there any more substances that are proven to be detrimental to health like paraben or phenoxyethanol. The organic certification guarantees the organic quality of products, GM-free and without chemical treatment, but also they were manufactured in accordance with ecological criteria. Moreover, these products are not tested on animals. These arguments have been able to attract a consumer more in more vigilant about product quality and who both wants to do a good environmental choice.

 

Posted on 24 July 2012 in Women's culture, Reflections
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Smartphones attract more and more women


Who said technological gadgets were a man’s privilege? In 2011, the smartphones market has been marked by growing interest on the part of women, who appreciate it in particular for its easy access to social networks.

Women drive adoption of smartphones

A woman and her smartphone.

During the 4th semester of 2011, France counted 19 million mobile Internet users, a 23% increase compared to last year, according to a survey by Mediametrie conducted in January 2012.

The profile of these users has become progressively more feminine and young. 43% of mobile Internet users are women, up from 40% just a year ago, and about 1 mobile Internet user in 2 is under the age of 35.

“Ten hot trends of consumer for 2012”, a study by Ericsson Consumlab, even considers that women drive adoption of smartphones because smartphones allow them to integrate all the various communications channels in one device. Whereas men use their smartphone for video or VoIP – a technology that allows telephone calls to be made over computer networks – women prefer more classical services like calls, texts and Facebook.

Posted on 16 July 2012 in Women's behaviour, Reflections
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Gender Marketing encounters, interview n°16


METLIFE Interview
With Doria Cherkaski, Product & Marketing Communications Manager
3rd May 2012

Agence L / Womenology
What percentage of MetLife’s customers are female? Has this percentage evolved over the last few years?

Doria Cherkaski

Doria Cherkaski, Product & Marketing Communications Manager at Metlife

Doria Cherkaski
Overall, our porfolio of direct customers is made up of 57% women. Today, this proportion of women is a bit less than it was in 2002. This slight over-representation of women in our portfolio is perhaps due to the typology of our products which females tend to buy more, such as “accident”, “hospitalisation”, “funeral plan” products. For protection plans that require a consulting or patrimonial approach and that are bought face to face, the male population is more present.

Agence L / Womenology
MetLife isn’t so well known in France; how do you communicate your brand?

Doria Cherkaski
It’s only been a year that we’ve been under the brand MetLife in France. We’re eager to develop the brand’s reputation but that will happen gradually, particularly by highlighting the innovative nature of the new products we’re developing.
We have just launched a product that’s aimed at the female market, Serena, an insurance in the event of diagnosis of a female cancer, which is driving us to advertise in very different media. Being an extremely segmented product, we’re also going to put in place a very segmented advertising system by being present on sites with a very large female audience that focus on family and women’s concerns…

Posted on 15 June 2012 in Banking & Insurance, Reflections, Gender Marketing encounters , Sectors
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Gender Marketing encounters, interview n°15


Renault-OMD-Publicis Conseil interview

Laure Grégoire-Braems, Marketing Strategy supervisor, Renault
Cyril Forget, Media Analyst for Communicatons Director of models & brands at Renault
Sophie Benkemoun and Hélène Duvoux-Mauguet, strategic planners at Publicis Conseil
Maria de Saint Roman, Strategic Director at OMD
Elisabeth Tran, Insight Director at OMD
Stéphanie Duhamel, international advertising sales director and Carole Barkatz, marketing strategy director at aufeminin.com

20th December 2011

Agence L / Womenology
What percentage of your consumers and shoppers are female?

Renault – OMD – Publicis Conseil
In the studies that we have available to us and that are based on the main driver of the car (i.e. the registered keeper of the vehicle), 1/3 of new car buyers are women. In the small car segments (Twingo, Clio, etc.), this reaches 50%.
But these studies tend to underestimate the weight of women as secondary drivers (i.e. not the registered keeper of the vehicle), such as mothers, for example.

Posted on 11 June 2012 in Motoring, Reflections, Gender Marketing encounters , Sectors
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Les rencontres du Gender Marketing, interview n°14


Interview with François Xavier Apostolo, Marketing Director of Beauty and Toiletries at Unilever France

7th March 2012

Agence L / Womenology
How would you define the Dove brand’s approach towards women?

François Xavier Apostolo
For International Women’s Day, we wanted to send a strong message out with Dove. We know that it’s a bit overworked and that we wouldn’t be the only ones speaking to women. But with this brand, we think that we can legitimately talk to women on this particular day because we address them differently.
The Dove Campaign for Real Beauty was launched in the 2000s. It formed part of a coherent approach in relation to Dove’s vision of beauty, by emphasising the “real beauty” of women.
Today, we’d like to take things even further: we want to reunite “real beauty” with a slightly more aspirational dimension. Beauty has been pigeonholed for a long time with models on the one hand, and “real beauty” on the other, with no link whatsoever between the two.

Posted on 23 May 2012 in Beauty & Toiletries, Reflections, Gender Marketing encounters , Sectors

Gender Marketing encounters, interview n°13


CLUB MEDITERRANEE Interview
With Laure Baume, Marketing & Customer Relations Manager in France, Belgium and Switzerland

30th March 2012

Laure Baume, Marketing & Customer Relations Manager in France, Belgium and Switzerland

Laure Baume, Marketing & Customer Relations Manager in France, Belgium and Switzerland

Agence L / Womenology
What is the percentage of decision-making women for purchases of Club Med holidays?

Laure Baume
Women represent 70% of purchasing decisions. They decide to come to Club Med, not because they don’t know how to organise a holiday themselves but because they want a bit of time for themselves. We also have 30% of single-parent families. Studies we’ve led show that men (separated, divorced or living on their own with their children) come to Club Med because they can focus on the essential, their relationship with the children they don’t see very often, because Club Med takes care of all the material aspects. It’s a really important benefit that Club Med provides.
But active women, whether single parents or not, are our main target market. Club Med offers them moments when they can be sure of keeping all the family happy, and moments when they can take time for themselves, do some sport, go to a party, etc… all the while being able to make the most of time spent with their children. Club Med has this ability to reunite all of these elements in one week.

Posted on 23 April 2012 in Entertainment & Culture, Reflections, Gender Marketing encounters , Sectors
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Gender Marketing encounters, interview n°12


Pernod/TAC (The ABSOLUT Company) Interview
With Karine Lienhard, Regional Director, South & West Europe Brand Development – Pernod/The ABSOLUT Company

Karine Lienhard, Regional Director, South & West Europe Brand Development - Pernod/The ABSOLUT Company

3rd February 2012

Agence L / Womenology
Do you see any differences in female purchasing or consumption behaviour in the markets that you’re responsible for?

Karine Lienhard
I manage a dozen markets in Europe and yes we see differences from one market to another.
In the United Kingdom, for example, women’s purchasing behavior is very compulsive, driven by brands’ promotional strategies and innovation.

Posted on 10 April 2012 in Diet, Reflections, Gender Marketing encounters , Sectors
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