Advertising does more than sell products. It sells norms—about power, consent, desirability, and whose voices matter. When those norms reinforce inequality, the consequences ripple far beyond the screen.
At a virtual salon convened by the Geena Davis Institute in partnership with UNICEF and PCI Media, industry leaders, researchers, marketers, and advocates gathered to confront a central tension: Can advertising—one of the most pervasive cultural forces in the world—shift from reinforcing harmful gender stereotypes to actively preventing gender-based violence?
The event marked the launch of new research analyzing 1,000 advertisements across Mexico and the Caribbean, offering one of the most comprehensive regional baselines to date on gender representation in television and digital advertising. Designed for advertising agencies, brand leaders, private sector partners, and policymakers, the salon moved beyond awareness to accountability—asking not whether media influence norms, but what industry will commit to changing.
What made this conversation distinct was its convergence of rigorous data, global perspective, youth advocacy, and private sector leadership. This was not a theoretical discussion about representation. It was a strategic call to action grounded in evidence—and directed at those with the power to shape culture at scale.
The event opened with a shared understanding: harmful gender norms are not abstract ideas. They are learned, repeated, and reinforced—often subtly—through everyday media exposure.
Geena Davis, Founder and Chair of the Geena Davis Institute, framed the urgency with characteristic clarity. Media is one of the earliest and most consistent teachers children encounter. When stereotypes are normalized in advertising, they become embedded in expectations about dominance, submission, entitlement, and worth.
Lauren Rumble, Associate Director for Gender Equality at UNICEF, expanded the lens. Gender-based violence does not emerge in isolation; it is rooted in rigid beliefs about gender roles. Advertising—because of its scale and intimacy—has the power to either entrench these norms or disrupt them.
The research presentation, led by Meredith Conroy, Ph.D. and Michele Meyer, Ph.D., brought precision to the conversation. Through a systematic content analysis of 600 advertisements from the Caribbean and 400 from Mexico (2019–2021), the team examined how women, men, girls, and boys were portrayed across television and digital platforms.
The findings offered both clarity and challenge:
But the research did more than diagnose the problem. It provided a measurable baseline—an accountability tool for brands, agencies, and regulators seeking to track progress over time.
A global perspective from Geetanjali Master of UNICEF India underscored that this issue transcends borders. While cultural contexts differ, patterns of stereotyping—and their consequences—show striking similarities worldwide. The message was clear: this is not a regional anomaly; it is a systemic industry challenge.
The panel discussion moved the conversation from data to responsibility.
Ashley Lashley, a UNICEF Youth Advocate, emphasized the lived experience of young audiences navigating a media landscape saturated with narrow portrayals. For youth, these messages are not background noise—they shape identity formation and expectations of relationships.
From the communications sector, Meesha Brown, President of PCI Media, highlighted storytelling as a strategic intervention point. When narratives shift, norms can shift with them.
Representing the global Unstereotype movement, Sara Denby of UN Women reinforced that brands are increasingly recognizing that stereotype-free advertising is not only ethical but effective.
Private sector leaders added a necessary layer of candor.
Lucy Gaffney of Digicel Group, Ari Mandelbaum of Colgate-Palmolive Mexico, and Karen Tom Yew of Republic Bank Limited brought operational realities into the conversation—illustrating both the complexity and feasibility of institutional change within large organizations.
Throughout the discussion, one theme surfaced repeatedly: influence is a choice. The advertising industry already shapes social norms. The question is whether it will do so intentionally—and responsibly.
Geena Davis – Founder and Chair, Geena Davis Institute on Gender in Media
A globally recognized advocate for gender equity in media, Davis grounded the event in the Institute’s research-driven mission: if you can measure it, you can change it. She emphasized advertising’s formative influence on children and its role in shaping lifelong perceptions of power and worth.
Lauren Rumble – Associate Director for Gender Equality, UNICEF
Rumble connected media representation directly to the prevention of gender-based violence, underscoring that harmful norms are drivers of inequality—and therefore prevention must include cultural change.
Erin Kenny – Head of Technical Unit, Spotlight Initiative
Representing the EU–UN Spotlight Initiative, Kenny reinforced the importance of multi-sector collaboration in addressing violence against women and girls, positioning media transformation as a prevention strategy.
Madeline Di Nonno – President & CEO, Geena Davis Institute on Gender in Media (Moderator)
Di Nonno guided the conversation from research findings to industry commitments, emphasizing accountability and cross-sector action rather than performative alignment.
Meredith Conroy, Ph.D. – VP, Research and Insights, Geena Davis Institute
Conroy presented the methodological backbone of the study, demonstrating how systematic analysis of 1,000 ads provides a baseline for measurable change.
Michele Meyer, Ph.D. – Senior Director, Research and Methodologies, Geena Davis Institute
Meyer detailed the research design and analytical rigor, reinforcing that this work is not anecdotal—it is evidence-based and replicable.
Geetanjali Master – Partnerships Specialist, UNICEF India
Master offered global context, showing how similar patterns in advertising emerge across regions—and how cross-border learning can accelerate progress.
Ashley Lashley – UNICEF Youth Advocate
Lashley centered youth perspectives, reminding industry leaders that young audiences internalize media messages during critical developmental stages.
Meesha Brown – President, PCI Media
Brown highlighted storytelling as an intervention tool, emphasizing how creative strategy can challenge harmful norms rather than perpetuate them.
Sara Denby – Head of the Unstereotype Alliance Secretariat, UN Women
Denby brought a global industry framework to the discussion, reinforcing that unstereotyped advertising is both socially responsible and commercially viable.
Lucy Gaffney – Non-Executive Director, Digicel Group
Gaffney addressed governance and corporate responsibility, illustrating how institutional leadership can embed equity into communications strategy.
Ari Mandelbaum – Marketing Head, Colgate-Palmolive Mexico
Mandelbaum provided a brand-side perspective, underscoring the influence—and accountability—of multinational advertisers in shaping representation.
Karen Tom Yew – General Manager, Group Marketing and Communications, Republic Bank Limited
Tom Yew spoke to financial sector leadership, reinforcing that inclusive messaging extends beyond consumer goods into every industry that communicates with the public.
This event was convened in collaboration with UNICEF and PCI Media, with support from the EU–UN Spotlight Initiative.
Each partner plays a distinct role in advancing gender equality:
Together with the Geena Davis Institute, this coalition reflects a shared understanding: shifting media narratives is a critical lever in preventing harm and advancing equality.
Gender-based violence is often addressed at the point of crisis. This conversation focused on prevention—at the level of norms.
When advertising repeatedly portrays women as submissive, hypersexualized, or secondary, it reinforces belief systems that normalize inequality. When boys see dominance framed as masculinity, those narratives shape expectations long before adulthood.
Ignoring this influence allows harmful patterns to persist invisibly.
The Geena Davis Institute’s role is not simply to critique media—it is to provide the research infrastructure that enables industries to evolve. By grounding advocacy in data and convening those who shape global narratives, the Institute positions media transformation not as aspiration, but as strategy.
This work is not about political correctness. It is about measurable cultural impact.
Conversations like this are intentional. They convene researchers, global advocates, brand leaders, and policymakers who are actively shaping culture—not merely commenting on it.
Membership with the Geena Davis Institute provides:
These discussions are not broadly public forums. They are working sessions designed to translate evidence into action.
If your organization influences culture—through content, capital, or policy—membership offers more than entry. It offers access to insight and influence that shape what audiences see next. Join here.
