Episode #4
Are You Missing Half the Audience? The Critical Role of Gender in Media and Comms Strategy
In this episode, James Kirkup and Jenny Scott look at how organisations talk about gender and sex in their communications, and where that talk goes wrong. They discuss recent election campaign mistakes, media habits, and corporate messaging, and set out what authentic, evidence-based engagement looks like in practice. James and Jenny use the Makerfield by-election as a case study, breaking down voting patterns by gender and what they reveal about how political and corporate messaging lands differently with men and women. From there, the conversation moves to platforms and media habits. Men and women consume media differently, and that has direct consequences for where organisations should be spending their communications budget and how they should be writing for each channel. The hosts warn against the "pink it and shrink it" approach to marketing: superficial gestures, like changing a product's colour or adding generic language about empowerment, tend to reinforce the stereotypes they claim to challenge. They argue for engaging women based on genuine insight rather than tokenism, and extend that argument to representation more broadly, covering how panels, media appearances, and corporate leadership benefit from a real range of voices rather than a single token presence. The discussion then turns to structural issues, including the pension gap and unequal wealth inheritance, and how organisations can address these through clear, evidence-based messaging rather than vague statements of intent. This leads into a broader point about virtue signaling: James and Jenny argue that public commitments to gender equality only hold up if an organisation's internal practices match them, and that the gap between the two is where most reputational damage happens. They also tackle the question of whether a brand needs a "female face" to reach female audiences, concluding that substance matters more than representation. The episode closes with practical guidance: how to frame campaigns without patronising the audience, how to watch tone and word choice, and how to campaign on gender issues without crossing into exploitation. They end on the point that runs through the whole episode: communication on gender works best when it starts from data and genuine engagement rather than assumption. Resources & Links Equality Act Gender and Media Consumption Data Pensions Gap Research Elizabeth Stokoe's Work on Communication and Gender Dove Campaign on Real Women Apella Advisors website This podcast is hosted by James Kirkup and Jenny Scott. James has over 20 years in high-profile Westminster roles including Political Editor of the Daily Telegraph and Director of the Social Market Foundation. Extensive experience of thought leadership and advocacy work, with a particular focus on the relationship between business, politics and public policy. Continues to contribute regularly to national media outlets as a columnist at the Times and Spectator. Jenny Scott; Former Executive Director of Communications at the Bank of England and co-lead for Bank wide strategy. Advisor to the Governor, sat on the Bank's executive committee and risk committee. Formerly economics and politics correspondent for the BBC and presenter of the Daily Politics. Trustee of Pro Bono Economics. We'd love to know what you think. Email us at podcast@apellaadvisors.com and please consider leaving us a review. This episode was produced by The Podcast Coach .
