and girls , which is a powerful thing . There are brand assets for members to showcase their commitment to the issue .
Kate Njoroge
One of the key things for me is the knowledge sharing : access to curated research and published best practice , proprietary and practical toolkits ( with plenty of Kantar content included ) as well as networking with other brands and brand builders that are attempting to push the world in the same direction as you .
Above all , for any brand , the benefit is the ability to demonstrate its leadership and value to its employees , stakeholders , suppliers and community , to show in action the value the brand places on women and girls in society at large .
Kate : Now , let ’ s talk about measurement .
Kendi : I should interview you for this part … ( Laughs ). Thanks to Kantar , we have the Unstereotype metric that is so simple , even I can explain it . It ’ s based on one question , can be used to test pre - or post-air and it tells you whether your ad is progressive or not .
It evaluates both male and female characters in the ad , while also giving you category and market norms for benchmarking and tracking .
But I want you to tell us what you have learnt as Kantar from analyzing and testing thousands of ads for stereotypes and inclusivity .
Kate : You have turned the tables on me , just like that ! ( Laughs ). I will share a few learnings . Our analysis tells us that ads where women are portrayed as achieving or fulfilling their dreams tend to score very favorably with consumers . Ads that portray athleticism and physical strength in women also tend to do well - for example , Nike comes to mind for their work with Serena Williams at a global level .
Humor works . It is one characteristic that appeals to both men and women , and it scores highest on our question about which features generally make people feel more positive towards ads . But the not-so-funny thing is that fewer ads featuring women are trying to be humorous . Of all ads that Kantar has tested , 51 % of ads featuring men use humour , while only 22 % of ads featuring women do the same . Progressive or inclusive ads do not need to be preachy or super serious .
And lastly , because stereotypes go beyond gender , being inclusive in how people and situations are represented is very important . Diversity is a sure thing so cast widely across ethnicities , skin tones , body types , age , social classes , languages , and representation of roles - people want to see themselves represented in adverts , and such ads tend to do well on personal relevance .
Kate : Let me get back to asking the questions . Tell us more about the Kenyan Unstereotype Alliance Chapter .
Kendi : It ’ s still very young , still picking up steam . Safaricom is the local champion ; EABL , Kantar and Unilever are members , while the Marketing Society of Kenya , Kenya Association of Manufacturers and Marketing Africa are allies .
We have two strategic priorities : Addressing gender stereotypes with a focus on harmful patriarchal traditions and norms to broaden the representation of empowered and autonomous women in private and public life , including in business leadership ; and Ensuring progressive representation and portrayals of all local ethnicities in media and advertising .
Kate : Lastly , I have to ask this . What does it cost to join the join the alliance ?
Kendi : There is a 5,000 USD annual fee , which I think is extremely affordable and accessible for most progressive corporates . A brand must commit their leadership ’ s C-suite time to the initiative so it ’ s best suited to fall under the scope of the company ’ s head of marketing or a brand director . Brands must also commit to having their ads tested using the Unstereotype metric .
Kate : How does one join the Kenya Chapter of the Unstereotype Alliance ?
Kendi : Easy . Just contact us by dropping a line to : Elizabeth . Obanda @ unwomen . org .
Kate : Thank you Kendi , for the amazing conversation .
Kendi : Thank you . Kate !
Kate Njoroge is the Chief Client Officer at Kantar East Africa , whose main responsibility is to drive clientcentricity and impact , as well as commercial profitability and growth . To learn more about testing your adverts and the Unstereotype metric , email : Kate . Njoroge @ kantar . com .