Creative agency Southpaw and media specialists The Kite Factory hosted a webinar targeted at the industry’s male leaders, exploring research into midlife women following a dismal turnout from men at an earlier session.
The two agencies released a report in July this year which looked at the real needs and desires of midlife women, highlighting the responsibility of brands, influencers, and the media to shatter stereotypes and better connect with this often-overlooked 'super-consumer' audience of 45-54 year olds.
Although men are 23% more likely to hold board positions and lead decision-making, they made up only 4% of attendees at the report’s launch event. Given their prominent share of senior roles in media and marketing, men’s engagement is crucial for meaningful change. The webinar calls on men to take an active role in discussing and acting on the report’s findings.
“We can’t reshape the narrative about midlife women if half of the people in the room aren’t part of the conversation,” says Niki Jones, head of strategy at Southpaw. “Our research shines a light on the stereotypes, but it’s up to those making the decisions - many of whom are men - to turn these insights into action. This isn’t just a ‘women’s issue.’ It’s a business issue, a creative issue, and an opportunity for brands to connect more deeply with a powerful audience.”
The webinar, held on Wednesday 11th December revisited the key findings from the bespoke quantitative and qualitative research conducted by Southpaw and The Kite Factory, with a special emphasis on how men in marketing, media, and brand management can lead the charge for fairer representation.
The event delivered lively debate, actionable insights, and a call for men who want to ensure they see - and shape - the full picture.
Alongside The Kite Factory’s head of insight, Charley Day and Southpaw’s head of strategy Niki Jones, on the panel were Dino Myers-Lamptey, founder of The Barber Shop, Bronte Skelcher-Maxwell, senior commercial insight analyst at Channel 4, and Heather Jackson, co-founder of menopause partner GenM.
To catch up on all the discussion you can watch the webinar on demand below:
