Female Orientated Brands: Building The Businesses We Need

Despite women’s obvious commercial buying power, corporations have had a blind spot for many years when it comes to gender. While women consumers drive influence, their needs have regularly been neglected for the type of products, service and business ethics they value.

 

The good news is that this is now changing. More and more founders are creating female-orientated brands that meet the needs of the female population and recognise the importance of building inclusive, empathetic, and authentic brands.

 

In the last five years, the number of women-owned small businesses has grown by 18%, with female-owned businesses now accounting for almost a third of all small businesses in the UK. What’s more, when it comes to businesses, it seems that female founders do more than sell; they create a movement.

 

Why The Rise In Female Orientated Brands?

Inclusivity

 

A recent study found that 70% of women feel alienated by marketing. For a long time, brands focused on the demographic descriptions rather than considering the people who are making the majority of consumer decisions.

 

Now, emotionally intelligent female-orientated brands are focusing more on the individuals behind the buying decisions. Instead of waiting for brands to include them, female founders are creating the brands they want to see themselves.

 

Opportunity

 

What’s more, as female entrepreneurs create these brands, they also create opportunities within the brand as well as for their consumers. Research shows that female founders build more inclusive teams, often recruiting 2.5 times more women in their teams. Female-owned brands in the UK also provide almost a quarter of private-sector employment too, creating opportunities for a diverse, inclusive and supported workforce.

 

 

Empowerment

 

In the past, marketing to women was very standardised, perhaps targeting busy mums rather than considering those who may be voluntarily or involuntary childfree. There was also the classic ‘shrink it and pink it’ approach to female marketing, where products were targeted to women by simply making them smaller and changing their colour to what’s perceived as a ‘feminine’ colour.

 

Now, female-orientated brands recognise there isn’t a one-size-fits-all approach to marketing. Instead of creating a narrow narrative for which their consumers should conform, they open the narrative and empower their consumers. These brands help consumers feel like their voice is being heard and that the brand recognises their individuality.

 

 

 

Protected Species: A Female Orientated Brand

At Protected Species, we’re proud to be a team of women. We use our own experiences and desires to create the products where we don’t have to compromise. Our designers know that technical performance is just as important as style when creating our line of lightweight waterproof jackets with hoods. We partner with women to understand what their wardrobes need and create practical waterproof women’s raincoats that look just as good in an urban setting as they do in the countryside.

 

We also know that it’s not just the final product that our customers care about, but our ethics, our sustainability and careful expert manufacturing. We have created a brand where our clients no longer have to compromise and we are so excited to see more female-founded businesses that continue to flourish and create the brands needed for a more inclusive consumer experience.