This document summarizes the results of a study on the brands that Canadian women love and hate. The top 10 most loved brands according to the study are: 1) Tim Hortons, 2) Walmart, 3) Costco, 4) Facebook, 5) Apple, 6) Shoppers Drug Mart/Pharmaprix, 7) Starbucks, 8) Google, 9) Ikea, and 2) Dove. The study provides insights into why these brands are loved, such as their affordability, ability to save time and money, role in connecting women, and support of local communities. The document also discusses some of the top hated brands and reasons why brands can lose favor with women.

1. How brands are winning
(AND LOSING)
WITH CANADIAN WOMEN
A nationwide study featuring brand-new data from 1 000
Canadian women on the brands they can’t live without,
the state of marketing to women right now and advice
they would give today’s advertisers.

2. Housed within one of Canada’s leading advertising
communications agencies, MarketELLE™ delivers
unparalleled expertise in marketing to women. Fueled
by deep insights into the female psyche and a profound
understanding of how women shop, what they expect
from companies and brands, and how best to reach
them in today’s new media landscape, MarketELLE
helps clients drive sales, share and profit by winning
with the world’s most powerful consumers – women.
LEARN MORE AT MARKETELLE.COM

3. 3
AND YET, 4 OUT OF 5
WOMEN SAY THAT
MARKETERS JUST
DON’T GET IT.
In the past decade, more and more marketers have awakened to the power of the purse
and the economic force that women represent. The facts speak for themselves since
women control $20 trillion of worldwide spending: Women buy more than half of all
new cars. Eighty percent of home improvement projects are initiated by women. Women
make 93% of all over-the-counter pharmaceutical purchases. Two-thirds of consumer
wealth is in the hands of women.
This study, “How Brands Win (and Lose) with Canadian Women,” was designed to be provoc-
ative, to explore which brands are winning with Canadian women today and also to shed
light on the hot buttons that are turning Canadian women off. The findings provide insight
into the whys behind women’s loyalty – and their loathing – in order to identify what mat-
ters to women today and what will matter tomorrow.
Foreword

4. 4
1. Pragmatism and Practicality
A number of the brands on the list of the Top 10 Most-
Loved Brands by Canadian Women aren’t very “sexy” in
the world of brand love and, in fact, the second most-
loved brand will likely surprise many. (Hint: They are
trying to help Canadians “Save Money and Live Better.”)
The survey – amongst a national sample of 1,000 Canadi-
an women with representation across all socioeconomic
levels – indicates that the vast majority of Canadian wom-
en sincerely value when a brand or company is working
hard to help them make ends meet. Certainly post-reces-
sion budget-consciousness continues to prevail for most
Canadians, regardless of one’s financial stature. The past
several years have ushered in an era that celebrates fru-
gality over spending to excess. And thus, even amongst
the higher income brackets, women in the survey demon-
strated a strong appreciation for brands that help them
spend more wisely.
2. Connecting to Connectedness
Two technology companies hit the Top 10 Most-Loved
Brands list which is impressive when you consider that
these brands beat out more than 90 others including
perennial female favorites such as Sephora, Chanel,
Tiffany & Co. and more. These two companies hitting
the top 10 speaks volumes about women’s ubiquitous
connection to the Internet and their love for technology
overall. Perhaps most surprising is that these two com-
panies rank high on the “Most-Loved” scale for women
across the entire age spectrum that we surveyed, as
women 18–34 and 35–64 value these companies’ roles in
connecting them to the world.
3. The Love / Hate Dichotomy
Several of the brands that ranked in the Top 10 Most-
Loved Brands list were mentioned by many other
women as brands they hate. It’s not surprising, once you
understand the whys behind both the love and the loath-
ing. Research studies suggest that women typically have
stronger emotional responses to brands and companies
than men do and that the factors that women evaluate
brands and companies against are greater in number.
This survey showed that the factors that positively in-
fluence women’s brand feelings include everything from
Canadian-based companies; companies that support
local communities and women’s causes; brands that save
them time and money; brands that tap into their desire
for new technology; brands that keep them connected,
just to name a few. And on the negative side, women
cited issues with brands that they believe are contribut-
ing to obesity in our society; promoting unreal images
of women; overlooking women’s value as a customer-
segment; practising questionable sourcing policies and
many more concerns. Very few brands and companies
can check every single box to keep women happy and
several on this list are pleasing some, while losing big
with others.
4. Falls from Grace
In this world of 24/7 media coverage and social media
amplification, a few seemingly small missteps that might
have been forgiven in earlier times are now sufficient
evidence to round up the proverbial lynch mob. Mistakes
– spread like wildfire by women’s social media networks
and the media – can literally take a company down. As
we explored brands that women strongly dislike, several
brands fall into this category. Once beloved by women,
it is now these companies’ challenge to determine how
to rekindle their brand love amongst Canadian women.
SEVERAL OVERARCHING THEMES EMERGED
WHICH WARRANT CONSIDERATION

5. 5
Quantitativeresearchforthestudywascompletedonlineamongarandomsampleof1,000Cana-
dian women aged 18–64, weighted by age and province. Interviewing was conducted by Callosum
Research between March 5 and March 8, 2014. Data analysis was conducted by MarketELLE.
Respondents were provided a list of 100 leading brands and companies from which to
indicate their most-loved and most-disliked brands. Open-ended follow-up questions then
probed the reasons why women selected their various brand responses. Follow-up qualitative
research was used to deepen the understanding of women’s responses to the top 10 list.
Methodology

6. 6
THE REPORT IS DIVIDED INTO
THREE SECTIONS
1. Canadian women’s most-loved brands
2. What drives Canadian women away
3. What women would say to advertisers
ENJOY.

7. 7
Section 1
CANADIAN WOMEN’S
MOST-LOVED
BRANDS

8. 8
1.
5.
3.
6.
4.
7.
10.
8.
9.
2.
TIM
HORTONS
WAL
MART
COSTCO
APPLE
FACEBOOK
STARBUCKS
GOOGLE
IKEA DOVE
SHOPPERS
DRUG MART
PHARMAPRIX
–

9. 9
CANADIAN WOMEN’S MOST-LOVED
BRANDS AND COMPANIES
1. TIM HORTONS
“I drink or eat something from Tim’s at least
once a day.”
One of Canada’s own tops the list with nearly 40% of Canadian women citing Tim
Hortons as one of their most adored brands. Asked why they like Tim’s so much,
women’s answers went way beyond the cup of joe. No other brand in Canada
enjoys the kind of emotional connection that Tim’s does.
Women in the survey cite the company’s Canadian roots as a big part of the
appeal as well as their significant support of local communities, including the
well-known Timbits Minor Sports Program that sponsors 200,000 Canadian chil-
dren’s sports activities. The survey showed that moms in particular have an af-
finity for the brand. Said one mom, “Tim Hortons keeps me awake throughout
the day so that I can take care of my family!”

10. 10
CANADIAN WOMEN’S MOST-LOVED BRANDS
AND COMPANIES
2. WALMART
“Good prices. Good variety.
Walmart’s our one-stop shop
which is important when you
are a mom!”
Day in and day out, Walmart serves millions of Cana-
dian women – which is a big reason why this survey
reveals that more than 1 in 4 Canadian women (27%) rank
Walmart as one of their most-loved brands.
Surprised by the love for Walmart? Don’t be. Walmart
delivers on several of the key factors that are valued
most by Canadian women: Low prices remain very im-
portant to the vast majority as they try to manage their
budget and that of their family’s. Walmart’s everyday
low price strategy ensures women that they are getting
the lowest prices – no need to wait for a sale or spend
time comparison-shopping. In addition, Canadian wom-
en in the survey cited the one-stop-shop experience that
makes Walmart somewhere women can check off their
entire to-do lists.
Ultimately, moms, who act as Chief Purchasing
Officers of their households, place great importance on
being efficient with both their time and their family’s
budget, which is why Walmart comes in so strongly as the
second most-loved brand by Canadian women. And with
Walmart’s recent announcement of a $500 million expan-
sion in Canada there will be even more opportunities for
Canadian women to indeed “Save Money and Live Better.”
3. COSTCO
“I buy flowers, cosmetics, clothes
and dinner at Costco. It’s my favou-
rite place to shop for everything.”
Costco hitting #3 on the list surprised us a bit. We knew
women liked Costco but we didn’t know they loved it so
much that it would rank amongst the favourites. Costco
scores big points for their great prices, wide variety, the
quality of products and great customer service. (And we
would be remiss if we didn’t credit their amazing sam-
ples, from crackers and cheese to sushi and smoothies.)
Underlying women’s love for Costco is what shopping
anthropologists call “The thrill of the find.” There is no
feeling quite like saving big on a new espresso machine,
a 20-pack of Kobe beef burgers and a new Xbox for the
kids. In fact, the knowledge that you are saving money
on the purchase at a place like Costco actually makes
spending money feel good, by releasing a flood of endor-
phins. Perhaps that’s why 26% of Canadian women rank
Costco as one of their most-loved brands.
4. FACEBOOK
“Facebook is a great way to stay
in touch with my girlfriends from
East Coast to West Coast, and
around the world, so that we don’t
feel so far away from each other.”
Twenty-two percent of Canadian women included
Facebook as one of their favourite brands, bringing the
“queen of all social platforms” in at #4 on the most-loved
list. Within the younger demographic, Facebook proved
even more beloved with 28% of women 18–34 including
Facebook on their faves list. This shouldn’t be too much
of a surprise, given that women are 30% more active than
men on social media and the recent announcement that
Canada has the most active Facebook users in the world.
In the survey findings, women relished being able to
easily stay connected with a much-broader friend circle
than they otherwise would (the average woman has 250+
Facebook friends). And importantly, women like how
Facebook fits into their lives as a new free-time activity.
Said one research respondent, “Facebook is a way for me
to escape. I’ll take 30 minutes to see what’s going on in my
friends’ lives, check out funny videos and read a few great
articles that my friends post. It’s more fun than watching
TV and it makes me feel connected.”

11. 11
CANADIAN WOMEN’S MOST-LOVED BRANDS AND COMPANIES
5. APPLE
“I can’t remember life before Apple.”
While the quote above from one of the research respondents may be a slight
overstatement, it’s not too far from the truth. That’s why 21% of all Canadian
women – and 34% of women 18–34 – selected Apple as one of their most-loved
brands.
Apple represents so many things that women value: style, tech, an inherent cool
factor – and for moms, a shared technology with their kids. Add to that the fact
that Apple delivers impeccable customer service, which research proves is far
more important to women than men, and it’s easy to see why women love the
brand.
Women also respond very favourably to how Apple is always delivering “what’s
next,” commenting that Apple “anticipates what I need before I know I need it.”
With busy, on-the-go, want-the-info-right-now lifestyles, iPhones and iPads have
made women’s lives infinitely easier and more connected. (PS These techie toys
have become one of moms’ best allies as the latest go-to-gadget babysitter.)

12. 12
BEAUTY SPOTLIGHT
L’ORÉAL
L’Oréal was identified as one of the most-loved brands when Canadian women
were asked simply to spontaneously name a few of their favourite brands as a
woman. When asked why the passion for L’Oréal, one woman cooed “They have
wonderful face creams for every skin type. It’s a brand I’ve trusted for years.” Said
another, “No matter if I am buying a new lipstick or Preference to colour my hair,
with L’Oréal I know the quality will be there.”
And while women often criticize companies who use supermodels in beauty
advertising, many respondents gave L’Oréal particular credit for using spokes-
women like Diane Keaton, Jane Fonda and Beyoncé in their advertising, explain-
ing that these impressive women represent “beauty inside and out” and “aren’t
just pretty faces.”
Lastly, many women gravitate to the Parisian heritage of L’Oréal and see the
brand as a cut above the other brands. Since L’Oréal products are available at
stores like Shoppers Drug Mart and Walmart, women said they liked splurging
just a little – usually just $8 or $9 – for a little glamour in their lives.

13. 13
6.SHOPPERSDRUG
MART/PHARMAPRIX
“One Word: The Optimum Card.”
What’s the only thing that Canadian women love more
than Shoppers Drug Mart/Pharmaprix? Their Optimum
Rewards Card, which is clearly one of the main rea-
sons why the company hit the Top 10 Most-Loved list.
The program is super easy: shop for anything from fra-
grances to baby needs, use the Shoppers Optimum Card
to earn points and redeem them to save up to $170 off a
purchase. Canadians love loyalty programs and the Op-
timum program is certainly making plenty of Canadian
women loyal to Shoppers Drug Mart/Pharmaprix.
Of course, the company does a lot of things right besides
their loyalty program. Women love the variety of prod-
ucts, the ability to explore and test in the beauty depart-
ment; the customer service of the pharmacy team and
much more. Most importantly, the survey indicated that
Canadian women have a strong awareness of Shoppers’
commitment to women as the company plays a signifi-
cant role in improving women’s overall health and well-
being through Shoppers Drug Mart/Pharmaprix WOM-
EN, which has committed more than $40 million over five
years to support female-centric causes.
7. STARBUCKS
“Starbucks is a great place to meet
a friend… or just enjoy an amazing
cup of coffee for yourself!”
Starbucks hits the top 10 list for Canadian women by
delivering far more than just coffee. Said one respondent,
“Starbucks is an immersive and indulgent experience as
soon as you step inside via sights, smells and sounds.”
As the Starbucks corporate mission states “Our stores be-
come a haven, a break from the worries outside, a place
where you can meet with friends. It’s about enjoyment at
the speed of life – sometimes slow and savoured, some-
times fast.” Even after more than 25 years in Canada,
Starbucks continues to fuel female sensory exploration,
introducing new music, new flavours and new worlds.
With Starbucks’ recently announced biggest expansion
ever (150 new stores in Canada), there will be more places
for Canadian women to feel the love for #7 on the list.
8. GOOGLE
“Google connects me to the world.”
Google hit #8 on the list of Canadian women’s favourite
brands,whichisparticularlyimpressivewhenyouconsider
that it beat out more than 90 other brands including peren-
nial female favourites like Sephora, Chanel, Tiffany & Co.
and more. Google hitting the top 10 list speaks volumes
about women’s ubiquitous connection to the Internet
and their love for technology overall.
Perhaps surprising to some, Google ranks high on the
most-loved scale for women across the entire age spec-
trum, as women aged 18–34 and 35–64 value Google’s role
in “connecting me to the world.”
9. IKEA
“Ikea delivers affordable, stylish
living. It unleashes my imagination…
on a budget.”
Hitting the list as the ninth most favourite brand for
Canadian women is particularly impressive for the Scan-
dinavian home furnishing company Ikea, given that there
are only 12 Ikea stores in all of Canada. How do they do it?
Simply stated, Ikea is a playground for women “delivering
affordable, stylish living and unleashing the designer in-
side me… all on a budget,” gushed one respondent. Women
will trek hundreds of kilometres for a visit to Ikea – and
when a snowstorm renders that impossible, they will sim-
ply head to ikea.com/ca to feed their craving.
Said one respondent, “There is much to love inside the
400,000 square feet of Ikea!” Ikea is a brilliant retailer
that masterfully taps into the “thrill of the find” pro-
viding an abundance of inspiration while encouraging
women to express their design creativity… without re-
quiring them to take out a second mortgage.

14. 14
10. DOVE
“I admire Dove, and I buy Dove,
because they advocate for positive
body image and they make
a real difference in girls’
and women’s lives.”
Dove was ranked #10 amongst Canadian brands women
love with nearly 20% of women selecting the brand as
one of their favourites. More than 50 years after its intro-
duction, Dove continues to receive praise for their prod-
ucts from hair to skin and body. Said one female respon-
dent, “Dove has been kind to my skin for many years.”
But what makes a simple bar of soap or a $4 bottle of
shampoo worthy of hitting the Top 10 Most-Loved
Brands? Cited far more often than the product itself,
women’s love for the brand stems from their admiration
of Dove’s Global Campaign for Real Beauty. Launched
more than a decade ago, Dove zigged while the rest of the
beauty industry zagged by recognizing that fewer than
2% of women consider themselves beautiful. Dove chose
to embrace and celebrate “real beauty” in their advertis-
ing communications. Their goal? To change the status
quo and offer in its place a broader, healthier, more dem-
ocratic view of beauty. Seeing Dove ranked in the top 10
suggests that they are, in fact, making strides toward
that ultimate goal.

15. 15
MORE BELOVED
BRANDS

16. 16
SPECIALTY RETAIL
SPOTLIGHT
LUSH
“Just walking into Lush smells
amazing… and I love what they
don’t put into their products.”
While not breaking into the top 10, Lush received a lot
of love from Canadian women in the survey, who adore
the experience the minute they walk into the store.
The sights, the sounds, the free samples, the knowledge-
able staff. Said one respondent, “It’s just super fun to play
inside a Lush store.”
Importantly, many respondents were very aware of
Lush’s firm stance on important issues, including no ani-
mal testing, ethical sourcing, responsible packaging and
their charitable giving. Known as one of Canada’s top
employers, there is a lot for women to love inside Lush’s
40+ Canadian stores.
GROCERY SPOTLIGHT
PRESIDENT’S CHOICE
“President’s Choice products are
100% just as good (if not better)
than the name brands!”
Canadian women were very vocal in the survey about their
positive feelings for Loblaw’s President’s Choice brand.
As the Chief Purchasing Officers of their households,
women want to ensure that they are stretching their bud-
gets as far as possible. Too often, that requires compromise.
But with the help of more than 3,500 President’s Choice
products and a strong commitment to deliver brand-
quality products at a private-label price, President’s
Choice has delivered and grown to be one of the stron-
gest private-label brands in the world.
Women in the survey cited the array of options that
President’s Choice provides to today’s shoppers, from the
PC Black Label Collection to satisfy your inner foodie to
PC Organics and PC Green environmentally responsible
lines. They are certainly ensuring that there is no com-
promise just because women want to save some money.
And, with the new re-launch of PC Rewards, Loblaws is
just giving women more to love.
MOM SPOTLIGHT
KRAFT
“I trust Kraft 100%. Period.”
Whilenotinthetop10brandsforallCanadianwomen,Kraft
rates very highly amongst Canadian moms. Not surprising
given that their products are on dinner tables across the
country virtually every night.
Importantly, Kraft gets real praise from Canadian moms for
providing lots of meal planning help and recipes that are
available on their phones, in their email inboxes or online.
Said one mom in our survey, “Kraft’s online recipe site is my
go-to at 5:30 p.m. The recipes are easy, I usually have every-
thing on hand, and my family truly enjoys the end result!”
Kraft has been a pioneer in the content publishing space,
offering printed and online content since the early nineties
– allowing women to use how-to videos, smart 1-2-3 recipes,
an online recipe box or the built-in shopping list – across
platforms in mobile, social media and apps. And Canadian
women (especially moms) are literally eating it up.
MILLENNIALSPOTLIGHT
AMAZON.COM
“So many options! So many prod-
ucts! And I can shop anywhere,
any time.”
Amazon.com broke into the top 10 for Canadian women
between the ages of 18–34, but didn’t even crack the top
20 for women 35+. Younger Canadian women are much
more likely to shop online, and they love the endless aisle
that Amazon.com represents. Said one respondent in the
survey, “I can think of the most obscure thing I might
want to buy, and I can be 99.9% confident that I can find
it on Amazon. They’ve transformed how I shop.”
Of course, Amazon has changed how all of us shop. Stud-
ies show that women are typically very keenly focused
on finding the “absolute, 100% best choice” for anything
they happen to be shopping for, and Amazon.com has
become their secret weapon. Need the latest Kate Spade
bag? Want to pre-order the next season of Downton
Abbey? How about a new snack shack for your pet ger-
bil? The virtually endless selection, 24/7 access, customer
reviews, and a soon-to-come algorithm-based system
that knows which products you want to buy and sends
them – even before you order them – will all help women
continue to reign as the leaders in online shopping.

17. 17
#1FORWOMENINQUEBEC
JEAN COUTU
“As Quebecers, Jean Coutu has
been there for our moms… and now
they’re there for us.”
Move over Tim Hortons. Because in Quebec, women’s
most-loved brand goes to Jean Coutu. Why do nearly half
of Quebec women (47%) name Jean Coutu as one of their
most-loved brands?
First and foremost, Jean Coutu’s heritage in Quebec is
key. As one respondent said, “In Quebec, everyone knows
and respects Jean Coutu the man – the pharmacist who
opened his first pharmacy in 1969.” Another added, “For
a long time, the owner himself was in their commercials.
If you look carefully, you will still see a picture of him in
every Jean Coutu. As big as it is now, it’s still a family-run
business and I think that is a strong reason why we love
it so much. Jean Coutu has been there for our moms…
and now they’re there for us.”
But it’s not just the Québécois heritage that makes Jean
Coutu so beloved, as many women in the survey cited
its warm, welcoming customer experience. Said one re-
spondent, “I once went to Jean Coutu for a lip gloss and I
walked out with a whole makeup set because the woman
who was serving me showed me how I was missing sev-
eral products for my day-to-day regimen.” The pharmacy
staff plays a huge role as well, as women in our survey
from ages 22 to 62 cited a real bond with their Jean Coutu
pharmacist. Said one respondent, “I love my Jean Coutu
pharmacist. She is friendly, interested and always ready
to offer advice and tips. I actually look forward to see-
ing her. She’s more than a pharmacist. She has become
a friend.”
Beyond the above, women mentioned Jean Coutu’s
good prices, their plethora of products, their network
of neighborhood locations, their easy-to-print digital
photo lab, easy prescription refills and more. And, many
mentioned Jean Coutu’s corporate social responsibility.
#7FORWOMENINQUEBEC
CANADIANTIRE
“I love that you can get billy boots
and a blender all in the same trip!”
Canadian Tire just missed the top 10 amongst all Canadi-
an women, but one in four Quebec women including the
retailer in their top 10 is enough to land Canadian Tire in
the #7 spot for the province.
Why do women love Canadian Tire so much? Certainly
the wide variety of goods is a big part of the appeal.
From cookware and camping supplies to hockey sticks
and hammers, Canadian Tire seems to stock it all. Said
one respondent, “I love that you can get billy boots and a
blender all in the same trip!”
A huge appeal of the store is also their big sales, which
were mentioned by virtually everyone who said they
love Canadian Tire. Said one respondent, “They have
amazing weekly sales on big items like patio sets and bar-
becue grills, and on small things like laundry detergent
and cat food. Their flyer is a must-read every week.” Says
another, “If you have anything on your wish list, just
wait! Canadian Tire will have it on sale soon!”
And, while the above are both sensible reasons to like
the company, what women said time and again linked
back to the brand’s heritage: Many respondents said
they remembered going to Canadian Tire with their
parents. They considered the brand in the same light as
Tim Hortons: “It’s 100% Canadian. It’s where we shop.”
In fact, Canadian Tire was very well recognized by wom-
en in our survey as one of Canada’s brands that really
carries forth the Canadian flag. “Canadian Tire supports
our country, our values, our communities.” It’s hard to
argue with that reasoning!

18. 18
MOST-LOVED BRANDS:
SPLIT BY DEMOGRAPHIC SEGMENTS
Women are by no means a homogeneous group; their tastes, preferences and love affairs with
brands differ according to age, life stage, household income and more. Interesting differences
come to light when one looks at the survey data along demographic lines as shown in the
table below.
1 Tim Hortons 1 Tim Hortons 1 Tim Hortons 1 Jean Coutu
2 Walmart 2 Apple 2 Walmart 2 Tim Hortons
3 Costco 3 Starbucks 3 Costco 3 Walmart
4 Facebook 4 Facebook 4 Facebook 4 Costco
5 Apple 5 Victoria’s Secret 5 Kraft 5 Facebook
6
Shoppers Drug Mart/
Pharmaprix
6 Google 6 Apple 6 Google
7 Starbucks 7 Costco 7
Shoppers Drug Mart/
Pharmaprix
7 Canadian Tire
8 Google 8 Ikea 8 McDonald’s 8 Dove
9 Ikea 9 Walmart 9 Subway 9 L’Oréal
10 Dove 10 Amazon.com 10 President’s Choice 10 Apple
TOTALSAMPLE
(WOMEN 18–64)
WOMEN18–34 MOMS
QUEBEC
(WOMEN 18–64)

19. 19
Section 2
WHAT DRIVES
CANADIAN WOMEN
AWAY

20. 20
Section 2 of the study turned the tables to
delve into brands women loathe and the rea-
sons why. Respondents were provided a list
of 100 leading brands and companies and
asked to identify up to ten they strongly
dislike and then provide their reasons why.
From that research, we’ve identified six nega-
tive drivers affecting women’s attitudes and
brand choices right now.

21. 21
1. Growing Health Concerns
In the survey, a number of fast food chains and
soda companies topped the list of brands women
strongly dislike. When asked why, respondents cited
“fast food’s deplorable lack of nutrition”, adding that
“soda and fast food are the leading contributors to
obesity in our society today.” Further concerns were
voiced about these industries’ perceived targeting
of children with their advertising and promotions.
Said one mom, “I am trying to teach my children how
to live a healthy life and these companies are mak-
ing my job very difficult.”
Several brands are ac-
tively trying to tackle
this issue head on.
McDonald’s continues
to introduce healthier
menu options, nutri-
tional values are much
more visible on packag-
ing and in other mate-
rials, and just last year, the fast food chain launched
their “Our Food – Your Questions” campaign in an ef-
fort to be more transparent and put to rest some of
the myths surrounding food preparation, packaging
and their products. Consumers were invited to sub-
mit questions about McDonald’s food at yourques-
tions.mcdonalds.ca, and the company answered with
open and honest responses. The campaign generated
more than 13 million video views and answered more
than 18,000 questions.
Meanwhile, The Coca-Cola Company has publicly
recognized the concern by officially calling obesity
“the issue of this gen-
eration.” The company
is putting resources be-
hind global efforts “to
contribute to healthier,
happier and more ac-
tive communities,” in-
cluding offering low or
no-calorie beverage options in every market, provid-
ing transparent nutrition information, supporting
physical activity programs and eliminating advertis-
ing to children under 12 years old. Launched in mid
2013, The Coca-Cola Company’s “Coming Together”
marketing campaign began running across Canada,
and showed Canadians what the company is doing
to help fight obesity and to reinforce the importance
of making informed choices.
While growing health concerns are indeed major
hurdles for fast food and soda companies, the con-
cerns affect brands and businesses way beyond
those two industries. Health issues are paramount
to Canadian women – especially moms. Turning
a blind eye is no longer an option for marketers;
acknowledging and addressing the issues head on is
the only path forward.
2. Questionable Business Ethics
Numerous research studies show that women are
more likely than men to be aware of and influenced
by questionable company policies. Those policies
not only impact their
feelings about brands
and companies, but
often determine who
they will (or won’t) do
business with. A simple
Facebook search or chat
with a female friend will
readily tell you which
brands or companies are on their “do not do business
with” list.
In the survey, when Canadian women were asked to
explain why a company was on their “most disliked”
list, respondents cited a wide variety of concerns
including low employee wages and unfair employee
policies, lack of women on executive teams, concerns
with where goods were sourced, testing on animals,
environmental concerns, putting local mom-and-
pop stores out of business, gay rights, political issues
– and that’s just scratching the surface.
One respondent said,
“It doesn’t matter how
much I love what they
make. If what’s happen-
ing behind the scenes
isn’t good, I will take my
business elsewhere.”
And another summed
up her feelings by saying, “Sometimes low prices
come at a price that I’m simply not willing to pay.” In
fact, several respondents could readily list as many
as ten companies whose policies they didn’t condone
and thus were officially boycotting.
And while it might be tempting to believe that this is
an elitist philosophy embraced only by women with
the financial means to be able to make these dis-
tinctions in the brands they choose, don’t be fooled.
I AM TRYING TO TEACH MY CHIL-
DREN HOW TO LIVE A HEALTHY
LIFE AND THESE COMPANIES ARE
MAKING MY JOB VERY DIFFICULT.
SOMETIMES LOW PRICES COME
AT A PRICE THAT I’M SIMPLY NOT
WILLING TO PAY.

22. 22
The awareness of these issues crosses all socioeco-
nomic strata, as does the desire and commitment to
“buy with a conscience.”
3. Walking the Talk
Along with women’s keen awareness of corporate poli-
cies comes the reality that missteps by a brand quickly
balloon into major debacles. In this world of 24/7 me-
diacoverageand socialmedia amplification, seemingly
minor issues that might have been forgiven in earlier
times are now sufficient evidence to round up the pro-
verbial lynch mob. Those mistakes – spread like wild-
fire by women’s social media networks and the media
– can literally take a company down.
Lululemon is the latest such example, with the compa-
ny being the topic of quite a bit of debate in the survey,
hitting the top of the favorites list for many women
while also being one of many women’s most-disliked
brands. At its core, Lululemon is a wonderful Van-
couver-based business
with a simple, powerful
mission: helping people
(and women) live longer,
healthier, fun lives. It’s a
brand once heralded by
women. Catering to the
female athlete, or at least
those subscribing to a
healthy lifestyle, Lu-
lulemon has long dem-
onstrated strong ties to
its local communities, hosting self-defence workshops,
complimentary yoga classes, goal-setting classes and
more. Stores are community hubs where one can learn
about healthy living covering everything from yoga
and diet to running and cycling, as well as the mental
aspects of living a powerful life of possibilities.
Unfortunately, after last year’s public relations fiascos,
transparent yoga pants, production snafus and leader-
ship changes, there is certainly much to repair at Lu-
lulemon. While the company had a lot of raving fans
in the survey, still more than 1 in 10 Canadian women
included Lululemon on their list of “strongly disliked”
companies. It will be interesting to see how the new
leader, Laurent Potdevin (former president of another
beloved brand, Toms Shoes), is able to refocus and win
back Lululemon’s lovers.
4. Ignoring Women as
Legitimate Consumers
In the survey, several brands that topped the
strongly disliked list were brands, companies and
entire industries that Canadian female respondents
saw as “largely ignoring women as valuable, viable
consumers.” Car companies, banks, consumer elec-
tronics, mobile providers, sports teams, home im-
provement retailers – all were cited as not valuing
women’s business.
Interestingly, several beer brands also hit the
strongly disliked list – but not solely for the reason
one would assume. While women certainly com-
plained about scantily clad girls in the advertising,
many respondents were more frustrated by being
left out of beer culture overall: “Beer brands clearly
only care about male beer drinkers.”
Said one 20-something
respondent in the sur-
vey, “When are beer
companies going to
wake up to the fact that
I and all my girlfriends
like to drink beer too?
But we are left out of
the marketing that the
beer companies do. If a
beer brand actually did
some advertising that
was appealing to us… wow! Wouldn’t that be some-
thing?” In a beer advertising culture full of guy sce-
narios and guy jokes, women respondents said, “We
have our own party culture… why are beer brands
afraid to embrace that?” Why, indeed?
5. Objectifying Women
Portrayal of women in advertising is, perhaps, one
of the trickiest challenges a marketer faces. There is
certainly a call to “keep it real”, which was voiced by
many women in the survey who expressed distaste
for the world of stick-thin models which sets unreal-
istic expectations, advertisers airbrushing images to
perfection, and 20-year-olds selling wrinkle cream.
WHEN ARE BEER COMPANIES
GOING TO WAKE UP TO THE FACT
THAT I AND ALL MY GIRLFRIENDS
LIKE TO DRINK BEER TOO – BUT
WE ARE LEFT OUT OF THE MARKET-
INGTHATTHEBEERCOMPANIESDO.

23. 23
But candidly, none of the beauty brands drew
nearly as much criticism as several racy fashion
and intimate apparel labels. Women in the survey
complained these types of brands, companies and
advertising campaigns are sexualizing our society
and objectifying women, and that their advertising
makes young girls aspire to unrealistic ideals and
promotes a highly sexual image at a very early age.
6. Painting It Pink
Perhaps one respondent said it perfectly with the
following, “Please stop making pink Nerf guns and
Lego sets for my daughter!” Another respondent
was outraged about Bic “Pens for Her,” which come
in pastel colours and are “designed perfectly for
women’s hands.” Asked the respondent, “Why exactly
can’t I use a man-pen?”
Honestly, we’ve seen it all when it comes to trying
to market to women: toolboxes painted pink to “ap-
peal to the female DIYer”; a Volvo specially designed
to be “the ultimate female-friendly car that’s easy to
park and has features such as special headrests to
accommodate a driver’s ponytail.” And who remem-
bers Dell’s “Della” debacle with a website including
laptops in designer colours and embarrassingly non-
technical tech tips including “tips for how comput-
ers can help ladies count calories and search recipes
online?” One Twitter comment summed up popular
sentiment perfectly: “Della, website 4 women who r
2 stupid 2 go 2 dell.com.”
Women in the survey said that they want to be treat-
ed as important customers by marketers. But that
doesn’t mean they necessarily need special features,
a girly colour palette or something that makes them
unique. Sometimes yes, sometimes no. It’s more
complicated than black and white (or pink.)
PLEASE STOP MAKING PINK NERF
GUNS AND LEGO SETS FOR MY
DAUGHTER!

24. 24
WHAT WOMEN
WANT TO SAY
TO ADVERTISERS
Section 3

25. 25
WE ASKED 1,000 CANADIAN WOMEN:
IF YOU COULD GIVE ADVERTISERS
ONE PIECE OF ADVICE…
“ VALUE US ”
Some of us know more about what’s under the hood of a car
than men do.
Women have money to spend. Listen to them.
Women are smarter and more capable than advertisers think.
Acknowledge and act accordingly.
Don’t exclude us. We have money and are also interested in things
like sports and cars.
Don’t make us out to be fools. Most of the big financial decisions made
in the home are usually made by the woman.
I hate going into the car dealership – you guys need to figure it out.
Respect us.
“ KEEP IT REAL ”
I want to see more full-time working
women. Show how they balance work
and home.
More emphasis on both partners,
balancing work, home and family.
Speak to women of all shapes, sizes
and backgrounds.
Show women in well-rounded ways,
not just as women whose sole mission
in life is cleaning up after / taking care
of others.
Many of us don’t clean, cook, or stay
at home. Get with the program!
Don’t make it look like my house, my
life, my kids are or need to be perfect.
We aren’t… and we don’t want to be!
Don’t assume that every mother
is frumpy, grumpy and belongs
in the kitchen.
Men clean, too!
“ MAKE US
LAUGH ”
Why is there no funny advertising for
women? Why are guys the only ones
who get to laugh?
“ PLEASE STOP ”
... using stereotypes as a crutch.
… patronizing us.
… testing on animals.
… using women as sex objects.
… painting things pink and assuming I’ll respond.
… making husbands look like idiots in commercials.
… showing women dancing around happy about
feminine hygiene products and yogurt.
… making it look like some little product (like a dryer sheet)
is magically going to change our lives.
… using a soccer mom in a minivan as a cue
to say you get me as a mom. It’s trite.
… making Nerf guns and Lego sets that are pink for my daughter.

26. 26
“ EMBRACEDIFFERENCE ”
Women are not a homogeneous group. Stop treating us
that way.
Keep in mind the wide variety of ethnic groups. Many of
us feel invisible in your world of media and advertising.
What happens to women in advertising after the age
of 40? Apparently, we buy adult diapers – and not
much else! (Even the wrinkle cream is marketed to the
under-30 crowd!)
To quote Beyoncé, “All the single ladies, all the single
ladies…” Where are all the single ladies?
“ MEET
THE MILLENNIALS ”
It’s like advertisers have no idea who 20-somethings
are today. Really.
“ PORTRAY A HEALTHY
BODY IMAGE ”
Take the focus off being a supermodel.
Stop the focus on BEAUTY and LOOKS.
Use real women, not air brushed models.
Life isn’t all about looking pretty and being thin.
Take notice that not all women are a size 0. Start making
clothes for tall women, large women.

27. 27
Learn more at marketelle.com
For more information on the findings, please contact
DIANE.RIDGWAY-CROSS@MARKETELLE.COM