Closing the Gap

Despite the statistics, the continued growth of the ‘she’ economy is opening up new market opportunities. This is a global phenomenon. Although indicators of female advancement vary across countries, female labor force participation in Saudi Arabia increased from 17 percent in 2016 to nearly 34 percent in Q1 2026 and women-owned enterprises account for almost 44 percent of all enterprises. In India, it rose from 23.3 percent in 2017–18 to 41.7 percent in 2023–24, while women’s share of early-stage entrepreneurs in Brazil increased from 40.2 percent in 2023 to 46.8 percent in 2024.  Progress, to be sure, but still not at parity with men.

Women Spend With Discretion

Women’s desire for self-reward and self-expression has created opportunities across new product and service categories. Women influence approximately 85 percent of all consumer purchases in the United States and act as the primary household shoppers in about 78 percent of households according to data from Capital One Shopping. Economic autonomy is expanding women’s purchasing power from automobiles to elite sports. Their financial influence is also set to expand. According to McKinsey & Co., financial assets controlled by women in the U.S. increased from $10 trillion in 2018 to $18 trillion in 2023 and is projected to reach $34 trillion by 2030.

Yet brands are still falling short of women’s expectations. BCG research across 12 countries found that women’s satisfaction levels stand at 64 percent in personal care and beauty, compared with 59 percent in clothing, accessories, sports, and fitness. In health insurance, satisfaction drops to just 37 percent. Unhappy female consumers are all too willing to switch brands. In the U.S., half of female consumers say they know more about cars than they’re given credit for and 97 percent of women say they plan to be involved in their next vehicle purchase.  

Listening to Female Consumers

The female dollar is too powerful for brand executives to ignore. In 2024, women controlled an estimated $31.8 trillion in global spending. Within the next five years, women are projected to account for 75 percent of discretionary spending worldwide.

Too many marketing campaigns are missing the mark. Female consumers remain unconvinced that brands truly understand their needs. Listening to target consumers can reveal distinctive insights that help brands connect with their audiences. Vacheron Constantin, for example, has expanded its Traditionnelle collection to include smaller designs with more vibrant colors.

Rolex is also listening and recognizes the role of women in “changing the world.” The brand announced five women as 2026 Rolex Awards Laureates, with projects ranging from protecting bees in the Amazon to preventing epidemics in West Africa. This is impressive considering that, according to the 2025 Gender in Advertising Report, only 3.3 percent of female characters in U.S. advertisements are depicted in professional or leadership positions.

Capturing Wants, Needs and Feelings

Brands need to look beyond product features and design to identify benefits that address women’s specific needs. AXA Insurance became the first insurer in France to adapt its home insurance coverage to include domestic violence, offering victims emergency housing relocation. Its commitment to women’s rights includes the launch of AXA’s ‘Safe Spaces’ program to help employers and individuals create safe and supportive workplaces for employees impacted by domestic and sexual violence. AXA Insurance provides practical solutions while also addressing women’s emotional needs.

How consumers feel about a brand can shape their relationship with it. When women are portrayed as decorative prizes or hyper-sexualized backdrops, those brands are subject to backlashes. Consumers may reject brands that use stereotypes to idealize women’s bodies or portray unrealistic, even false, standards of beauty (remember Victoria’s Secret’s Perfect Body campaign?).

Dove’s The Code addresses the pressure women face to alter their appearance in an era of AI-generated content. This commitment to “real beauty” is also reflected in Japanese skincare brand SK-II’s latest Free to Bare initiative, featuring Eileen Gu, SK-II Global Brand Ambassador. It promotes the idea “that every woman should be free to bare her true self, in skin and in life, and live on her own terms.”

Overcoming Gender Barriers

Brands also need to identify barriers that prevent women from engaging with their products and services. This is particularly important in sectors that have traditionally overlooked women’s needs. Survey data highlights women safety concerns when travelling alone. Hotels such as Sofitel Montreal Golden Mile use the SHe Travel Club label to certify safety and service standards for women travelers.

In the DIY sector, B&Q found in a UK survey that 74 percent of Gen Z women enjoy home improvement, while 80 percent feel empowered when learning new DIY skills. DIY retailers are breaking down barriers in ways that go beyond simply hiring more female sales associates. German DIY retailers Bauhaus and Hornbach run Women’s Night and Women@Work, respectively, offering workshops specifically designed to help women develop their DIY skills.

Opportunity Knocks

There is a clear business case for brands to maximize the return on the female dollar. This does not mean diverting resources into campaigns tailored specifically to women; rather, marketers need to ensure their strategies are inclusive and relatable. Next-gen consumers are particularly critical of traditional gender stereotypes, challenging brands to rethink aspiration in today’s diverse, multicultural, and antinormative marketplace. There is no one-size-fits-all female consumer; values vary significantly across generations and geographies. Yet too many brands face a gender imbalance in their marketing efforts. Brands that deliver both relevance and resonance can gain a competitive advantage and earn female consumers’ loyalty and hard-earned dollars.