Marketers’ representation of women in advertising are (still) falling short

Elissa Ha

Advertisers are still falling short when it comes to portraying women in empowering, holistic ways in campaigns, according to a study by CreativeX, the creative measurement company.

The representation of women in advertising in 2023 was marked by three worrying trends: persistent stereotypes; a lack of visibility for older and darker-skinned women; and investment decisions that failed to support ads featuring the same marginalized groups.

CreativeX reached these conclusions in our latest Gender in Advertising study, an issue we have researched every year since 2021. Our 2024 report, covering the period from January 1 to December 31, 2023, incorporated:

  • 32,213 creative assets;
  • $260 million+ in ad spend;
  • 322 brands;
  • 81 markets;
  • eight digital channels.

Our analysis used artificial intelligence and machine learning technologies to extract...

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