Goal of Campaign by BBDO New York Is to Change Online Dictionary Definition of “Woman”
To mark International Women’s Day, BBDO New York launched “It’s Time to Redefine,” a public-awareness campaign designed to challenge the definition of a woman as it currently appears in online dictionary resources.
BBDO New York is part of BBDO Worldwide, which is part of Omnicom Group—a global marketing and corporate communications company.
A review of these sources reveals that the existing definition of “woman” includes terms such as “servant,” “mistress,” and “prostitute.” The campaign is intended to spark a movement and to change the definition.
The campaign includes a public service announcement and an online petition. It calls on people to sign the petition to help bring to light the disparities in the online definition of “woman” and, instead, to celebrate the countless contributions women have made in society.
“Words matter. They have the power to determine how people feel about themselves and, ultimately, what they believe they are capable of. To achieve women’s equality, a great place to start is by choosing words that accurately and positively reflect woman,” said Kirsten Flanik, President and CEO, BBDO New York.
A PSA video featuring comedian Akilah Hughes encourages online dictionary platforms to revisit their description of “woman” to remove anything degrading or disrespectful. She encourages these resources to replace these definitions with words that reflect women in a more empowering and uplifting light, illustrating the countless contributions women have made in society.
Importantly, the PSA directs people to the campaign site where they can sign a petition to have the definitions changed.
BBDO recently topped the The Drum’s Big Won Rankings with BBDO New York in the world’s top three spot.
