The Business Of Branding

– The F-Word

Words: Brenda McNally and Pat Kinsley

In its heyday feminism gave us The Modern Woman, but these days it no longer sees relevant. Aren't we all feminists in our own right? So has this brand essentially reached its sell-by date or is it merely getting started.

Admit it, how many times have you said or thought, 'I'm not a feminist, but...' Feminism might have won us the vote, enabled us to become career women and empowered us to believe we can have it all, but still many hesitate in defining themselves as 'Feminist'. There was a time when calling yourself the F-word posed one of two images: the cold-hearted career woman in a power suit or the Birkenstock-wearing earth mother from another planet.

These 'faces' of feminism were unlikely to attract too many new followers. Thankfully times have changed and the once extreme image has turned around to gain an all encompassing following... Everyone from the bra burners and Spice Girls fans to alpha females in the boardroom are jumping on the bangwagon. After all, feminism is potentially one of the strongest brands around: it's a global brand with international recognition... So is it a case of the more the merrier or is feminism at risk of dilution?

Read more about The F-word in the Autumn 2010 issue of WMB, on newsstands now.