New research finds women are more open to receiving healthcare information and more likely to visit pharmaceutical brand sites than men, but they are much more receptive to that information when it is customized to them, particularly LGBTQ+ and BIPOC audiences—illustrating the healthcare gap that exists when brands position their offerings only to a general audience based on straight white men.
The new survey research from healthcare communications specialist CMI Media Group reinforces the inequality of healthcare services, particularly in mental health, where women tend to endure an excessive “mental load” that impacts their health as well as all other aspects of their daily lives—and indicates an opportunity for healthcare marketers and advertisers to better serve the needs of women.
The report also dives into lack of parity in oncology, cardiovascular, and other areas of health that are impacting women’s health outcomes.
“It is imperative that we focus health priorities on women, a need that is overdue and truly impacts women’s health outcomes,” said Julie Hurvitz Aliaga, EVP, innovation, content and partnerships at CMI Media Group, in a news release. “As with previous generations, we are calling on a movement to leverage this research to shed light on issues that have not been at the forefront or seen as critical. Women of every age, race, and sexual orientation are experiencing inequality in healthcare. As an industry it is our time to show up in powerful ways to advocate for each other and make a pact to do better.”
Additional recent research from CMI Media Group parent company WPP, “Health on Her Terms,” highlights that health outcomes are improved when women’s health is prioritized in advertising. While there has been progress in making advertising more equitable, the healthcare industry lags behind.
Download the full report here.
This research was created in collaboration with CMI Media Group and Compas’ Employee Resource Group (HER)Story. The (HER)story ERG creates a forum for bringing awareness to societal and workplace inequities uniquely affecting women, while also celebrating progress made by the trailblazers.
CMI Media Group will be joining Grey Health & Wellness onstage at WPP Beach at The Cannes Lions Festival in June to further amplify the research findings from the CMI Media Group report and Health on Her Terms.
In addition, CMI Media Group is collaborating with Health@WPP on an initiative supported by SHE Media that will survey women about their healthcare communications needs to further the understanding, conversation and evolution in healthcare parity. This includes a promise letter signed by CEOs across WPP’s healthcare agencies that vows to prioritize equity in healthcare advertising.
