International Women's Day (IWD), celebrated annually on March 8, is a day to recognize the social, economic, cultural, and political achievements of women.
The IWD theme for this year, “Inspire Inclusion,” calls for brands to go beyond performative gestures and champion initiatives that create “a more inclusive world for women.”
“To truly include women means to openly embrace their diversity of race, age, ability, faith, body image, and how they identify. Worldwide, women must be included in all fields of endeavor,” IWD stated.
Here are how some brands across various industries are stepping up to inspire inclusion in celebration of IWD 2024.
Dove Promotes Self-Esteem With Drew Barrymore
While Dove hasn't announced a specific IWD campaign for 2024, its partnership with actress Drew Barrymore for its “Face of 10” exemplifies the beauty brand’s dedication to women's self-esteem.
Barrymore posted a video on Instagram a few days before IWD, applying glitter and gems on her face, all while talking about how young girls should not use anti-aging products.
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“You’re already beautiful. Let’s be playful. Let’s never fear getting older, because that is a privilege,” she said.
Dove's "Real Beauty" campaign, now in its 20th year, continues to challenge unrealistic beauty standards and celebrate the unique beauty of all women.
Sweaty Betty Redesigns Sports Hijab
In a move towards greater inclusivity for this year’s IWD, activewear brand Sweaty Betty redesigned its Sports Hijab, in collaboration with activist Lipa Nessa and the Sweaty Betty Foundation.
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This redesign aims to empower women who choose to wear a hijab while participating in sports and physical activities, after learning that wearing hijabs for PE classes is deemed “unsafe” by some schools.
Adding a hidden banding, as well as different customizable fastenings for enhanced comfort, the sports hijab stays put during even the most vigorous exercise.
Ford Highlights Women Car Enthusiasts
Carmaker Ford is celebrating women who love cars with its latest "Dear Car Girl" campaign.
In addition to releasing a video with four women active in the automobile and racing scene, reading Ford’s letter to “car girls,” the actual letter will also be mailed to all its female employees and customers.
Ford is also urging women to go on social media and “share what makes them a #CarGirl.”
This initiative smashes stereotypes and embraces the growing community of female car enthusiasts and professionals, all while showing all women that there is a place for them in the automotive industry.
PepsiCo Rebrands Delivery Trucks
For the third consecutive year, PepsiCo is IWD as a springboard to celebrate and empower women within its supply chain workforce.
The "She is PepsiCo" campaign highlights the career journeys of female employees in frontline roles like merchandising, mechanics, warehouse loading, and delivery driving.
of its most notable female employees. | Source: PepsiCo
Company delivery trucks are rebranded to showcase the names and faces of 24 female employees from across various supply chain functions.
This act of recognition aims to inspire other women – both inside and outside the company – to consider careers in these areas.
Kotex Champions Women's Health
As part of its “She Can” campaign, feminine care brand Kotex celebrates IWD 2024 with the release of new research about how women from around the world feel about progress.
In line with this, Kotex has released an emotional short film, in collaboration with Capital A Creative and production house Rakish, that depicts the difficulties women face and the discomfort they feel as they fight for progress.
Kotex is also encouraging women to go on social media and “help show the world what #ProgressFeelsLike.”
The campaign also includes on-the-ground activations in different countries, like a digital art festival in Brazil and a scholarship contest in Vietnam.
Binance Encourages Women to Invest in Crypto
Recognizing the gender gap in cryptocurrency investment, Binance is hosting local meetups and social media initiatives to empower women to participate in the digital financial revolution.
This campaign is kickstarted with the launch of its own “Crypto” perfume, using it as a tool to get the conversation about crypto started.
Women at a mall in Bahrain were given free samples of the perfume, plus a $25 incentive for the first 5,000 women to complete a beginner's course on the Binance Academy platform.
Whether it is through increased female participation in the workforce, improved access to resources, or simply feeling safer and more accepted in public spaces, these efforts combined offer a glimpse into a world where women can truly thrive.
As these brands move beyond IWD 2024, the question that begs to be asked is:
“Will these companies be able to translate their initiatives into long-term strategies with significant impact successfully?”
For the sake of all women out there who will stand to benefit from these female-centered campaigns, I certainly hope so.
