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Brands are still underestimating women. Here’s how that can change.

Two blocks of solid marble with one partially carved statue of a woman between them. A cursor clicks and drags marble away from the center sculpture.

Illustration by Robyn Phelps / Shutterstock / The Current

From Taylor Swift’s electrifying presence seemingly helping boost NFL viewership and Ilona Maher’s Olympic TikTok takeover, to the New York Liberty’s championship surge and a groundbreaking female presidential candidate entering the fray, 2024 has undeniably crowned women the narrative queens of sports, politics and entertainment.

Despite this undeniable cultural dominance, brands continue to tragically underestimate the sheer power of the female consumer, leaving untold potential untapped.

The data speaks for itself: In 2024, women commanded over two-thirds of global consumer spending, and over the next five years, are predicted to control a staggering 75% of all purchasing decisions; yet, only 9% of women feel that brands effectively connect with them, according to NielsenIQ. This chasm between influence and connection represents not just a missed opportunity to connect, but billions in untapped revenue potential — particularly in online spaces, which 44% of female shoppers prefer to browse and buy in. Connecting authentically with women is becoming a requirement for brands to succeed financially.

The bottom line is this: The “Year of Women,” with all of the Giggly Squad podcasts and Alix Earle’s crossover into the sports world, isn’t just a trend — it’s a seismic shift. This isn’t about chasing the latest TikTok sound; it’s a fundamental recalibration of digital strategy. The question for brands isn’t whether to invest in reaching women, but how to do so authentically and effectively, generating measurable results.

The answer lies in three key areas:

  • Personalize and localize: Traditional demographic targeting isn’t enough. Women are not a monolith and gone are the days of targeting women aged 18 to 34. Targeting should be pressure tested. Nivea provides a good example. For their Luminous630 Anti-Stretch Mark Body Oil Serum campaign, they knew that almost everyone in the world uses skin care in some shape or form but also that only a fraction of their customers seek out beauty content. While these individuals aren’t following beauty influencers, they are following sports, travel and food influencers. Nivea found the crossover between the interest and the product, engaged influencers, and showcased the benefits of Nivea in a new light to a diverse audience. Successful brands are leveraging advanced analytics to understand the nuanced ways women consume content across platforms. The Nivea Luminous630 campaign exemplifies this approach, using data-driven insights to deliver personalized content that resonates across different communities.
  • Community over campaign: The most successful brands in 2024 have moved from transaction-focused marketing to community-building. Take Skims’ partnership with the WNBA — rather than just placing ads, they are borrowing equity. Both female-first brands are coming together in a somewhat surprising collab to push gen pop — i.e., mainstream audiences — to see the brand in a different light, drawing in potential customers who may have not been interested before. Simultaneously, they’ve created an ecosystem of content and engagement that resonates with female athletes and consumers alike.
  • Investment in where she invests her time: While many brands still allocate the majority of their digital spend to traditional channels, the data shows women are increasingly engaging with emerging platforms and formats. Even presidential candidates recognized the power shift, appearing on podcasts like Joe Rogan and Call Her Daddy. With female listeners consuming more podcasts weekly than men, the opportunity for brands within this medium is undeniable.

Trends to look for

As we move forward, several trends could shape how brands can authentically connect with female consumers.

  • Programmatic evolution: Look for AI-driven advertising solutions that can better predict and respond authentically to moments that matter for the female audience.
  • Content that speaks to community: Rather than a hyper-individual or one-size-fits-all campaign, successful brands will create content that speaks to her and her community in disruptive, smart ways across platforms.
  • Performance metrics redefined: Traditional KPIs will expand to include community engagement metrics and long-term value indicators rather than just immediate conversion rates.

Advice for 2025

Success in 2025 and beyond will belong to brands that build genuine connections with female consumers through data-driven, community-focused marketing.

  • Audit your targeting strategies to ensure they’re based on behavioral and engagement data rather than demographic assumptions.
  • Allocate budget to testing emerging platforms where female engagement is growing.
  • Implement community-focused metrics alongside traditional performance indicators to measure true engagement and a value-exchange program that can build real loyalty.
  • Develop content strategies that emphasize those cultural and life moments that matter to her and know where she is.

Digital marketers must move beyond surface-level metrics to develop sophisticated, multichannel strategies that recognize and respond to how women actually engage with content and make purchasing decisions. The technology and data are available — now it’s time to use them effectively. May the odds be ever in your favor.

This op-ed represents the views and opinions of the author and not of The Current, a division of The Trade Desk, or The Trade Desk. The appearance of the op-ed on The Current does not constitute an endorsement by The Current or The Trade Desk.