Understanding Women’s History Month

As Women’s History Month comes to a close, we thought we should take the time to discuss why it exists in the first place.

According to History.com, “the actual celebration of Women’s History Month grew out of a weeklong celebration of women’s contributions to culture, history and society organized by the school district of Sonoma, California, in 1978”. Eventually, the movement spread across the country and other communities planned their own Women’s History Week celebrations the following year. Over the decades, it has developed into what we know today as Women’s History Month, celebrated with television specials, classroom learning initiatives, and (more recently) social media posts from companies honoring the women on their teams.

Historian, author, social worker and advocate for women’s rights, Aparna Basu is quoted as saying, “History is no longer just a chronicle of kings and statesmen, of people who wielded power, but of ordinary women and men engaged in manifold tasks. Women’s history is an assertion that women have a history.”

But still, why we have it is less important than the fact that we do. And the fact that it is so broadly recognized by schools, corporations, and society at large is a testament to how far we have come.

Marketing Strategy from a Female Perspective

We’re sorry but, we have to take a look at everything from a branding angle – it’s just in our nature. And, well, Women’s History Month could use some work. To truly celebrate the achievements of women in advertising, we need to be more aware of them than we already are.

So, to remedy that lack of awareness here are some pioneering women everyone in the advertising industry should have heard of by now:

Mathilde C. Weil

Founder of the first female-run advertising agency, the M.C. Weil Agency in New York.

Christine and J. George Frederick

Founders of the League of Advertising Women, created to encourage women to pursue careers in the ad industry and provide a much-needed alternative to the men-only clubs that were popular at the time.

Caroline Robinson Jones

The first black female VP of a major advertising agency at BBDO. She went on to found a few of her own firms, and some of her TV work for major brands like Goodyear is even featured in the Smithsonian American History museum.

These days, female agency owners are not only commonplace, they’re likely to become the majority soon. It is important to recognize that we have achieved a lot, and built our reputations over the years to be respected and appreciated for the different perspectives we bring to the table.

Not just during the month of March, but every day.