Why #InspireInclusion was a massive marketing con.

Wow I felt conflicted this year.

I didn’t even know where to start with my LinkedIn post for International Women’s Day.

I knew I didn’t want to be absent on the topic.

That is is why I decided on a personal one here which I hastily wrote while quaffing a steak sandwich in Crowne Plaza Liverpool ahead of a long drive back to Somerset.

Honestly, I’ve found the recent slogans wishy washy and naff.

#embraceequity

#inspireinclusion

They’re just too vague to actually drive any meaningful debate or tangible actions and that’s what has been going wrong with International's Women's Day for several years now.

Bland, vague and instantly forgettable.

And mainly just seized on by Brand and Marketing teams for one day of token gestures.

ONE DAY!

I really hated how LinkedIn and social media in general then gets flooded each year with photos of women in cutesie poses, like this year's 'heart hands’.

It reinforces the stereotype about women being about emotions and love.

Is a hands-heart selfie really going to get women promoted? Or create a genuine level playing field?

A far better strapline would be…

#InvestInWomen

That’s clear.

It’s actionable.

It means any business caught painting their banners pink for a day (to somehow symbolize female empowerment) would struggle to hide behind their evident gender pay gap.

But did you know the official-looking International Women's Day website - a self-appointed marketing agency is not actually anything but that…a money making marketing agency….run…wait for it….

by MEN.

Here’s some of the ways they make their money:

• 'the' IWD logos and branding for your articles, publicity and events that you have to apply for ad pay for.

• They have trademarked 'the' International Women's Day logos

• You can pay them money for things that they claim are official IWD merchandise, when they're not. They never tell you where this money goes.

• You can pay them money to be an official corporate sponsor of International Women's Day, even though this organisation has nothing to do with it, so has no right to be taking that money for that purpose

• You can apply for an official International Women's Day partnership with them

The United Nations sets the theme for each year's #IWD, but the marketing agency puts more effort and expertise into marketing, drowning out the UN's theme and vital work.

This year's International Women's Day theme from the United Nations was, in fact.

Wait for it…

#InvestInWomen

YES!

The very meaningful theme that inspires action.

Don’t believe me? Look it up here.

You were conned.

We all were.

It was too late for me to influence my business on this in 2024 but I’m sure as hell not falling for the same trap again in 2025.

And I’m glad I was relatively quiet on the whole International Women’s Day stuff on social media this year.

_____________________

Here’s what we can all do in Procurement:

1. Invest in Women

2. Get rid of any gender pay gap this year

3. Call out micro aggressions in the workplace

And apply critical thinking to all that is around us…

including marketing agencies that just want to make lots of money from your inequity.