A Brief History of Women in Marketing

It’s Women’s History Month and we take a. look at the history of women in marketing.

Despite facing significant barriers and discrimination, women have played a critical role in shaping modern marketing and advertising. From the early pioneers who defied expectations, to the trailblazers who pushed boundaries and changed the industry forever.

Of course, women were historically largely excluded from the industry. Like many others, it was seen as a male-dominated field, and women were often relegated to secretarial and administrative roles. However, there were a few trailblazers who defied expectations and made their mark.

One such pioneer was Helen Lansdowne Resor, who in 1908 became the first female copywriter at J. Walter Thompson (now Wunderman Thompson), one of the largest advertising agencies in the world. Resor is credited with developing the “A Skin You Love To Touch” campaign for Woodbury’s Facial Soap, which became one of the most successful ad campaigns of its time.

In the mid-20th century, women began to make more significant strides in marketing. During World War II, women played a critical role in the war effort and were called upon to fill many jobs traditionally held by men. This included marketing and advertising roles, as companies sought to appeal to women who were managing households and making purchasing decisions while their husbands were away at war.

Women such as Mary Wells Lawrence and Charlotte Beers rose to prominence in the industry during this time, founding their own agencies and developing innovative campaigns for clients such as Braniff Airlines and Alka-Seltzer.

In the 1980s and 1990s, women continued to make significant contributions to marketing and advertising while the industry experienced a boom. Women were at the forefront of many of the biggest campaigns of the era.

Women such as Cindy Gallop and Madonna Badger founded their own agencies and pushed boundaries with provocative and groundbreaking campaigns for clients such as Calvin Klein and Victoria’s Secret.

While women as a whole still face gender bias and pay disparities in the industry, they continue to make their mark and break down barriers. Some of our favorites are:

• Ann Handley, Chief Content Officer of Marketing Profs, best-selling author, and notable keynote speaker who is rethinking the way businesses market themselves.
• Brittany Driscoll, Co-Founder and Chief Executive Officer of Squeeze, a revolutionary new massage franchise concept from the founders of Drybar.
• Aliza Freud, Founder & CEO of SheSpeaks, a diverse community of female consumers and influencers in America driving influencer marketing campaigns for brands.

It’s exciting to see women leading more major companies and driving innovation in the industry by starting their own marketing businesses. And a new generation of female marketers is emerging, determined to create a more inclusive and equitable future for the industry.

We’d like to say thank you to the early female pioneers who defied expectations and to the trailblazers who continue to push boundaries and evolve the industry. We’re closing the gap in this traditionally male-dominated industry: according to Zippia, in 2022, 47.8% of marketers were women and 52.5% were men. Women have proven time and again that they are a force to be reckoned with and marketing and advertising are no different. So long, Mad Men.