McDonalds W arches are only the latest corporate feminism fail

McDonalds W arches are only the latest corporate feminism failMcDonalds W arches are only the latest corporate feminism failToday marksgrenzberschreitend Womens Day, a day where people recognize the achievements and rights of women everywhere. Since its an agnostic day thats not tied to one particular group, many countries, celebrities, and brands all recognize it.But when corporations dip their toes into female empowerment, they can ansturm into trouble when they co-opt the language without backing up that talk with action.Andi Zeisler, author of We Were Feminists Once From Riot Grrrl to CoverGirl, the Buying and Selling of a Political Movement, calls this gap between feminist advertising and feminist action empowertising - an advertising tactic of lightly invoking feminism in acts of exclusively independent consuming. Its a strategy where brands sell the idea of buying products associated with women as an empowering act through the logic that being female is in itself a constant s ource of empowerment.But dont get fooled into thinking that this feminine branding will necessarily lead to womens progress. As Zeisler reminds us, Advertising has one job to do, and its not to reflect the nuances of social movements.Take how fast-food giant McDonalds decided to celebrate this years International Womens Day as a cautionary tale of how your positive message can clash spectacularly with how your company actually treats its female employees.McDonalds empowering women by flipping a letter upside-downFor International Womens Day, McDonalds announced that it welches flipping its trademarked golden arches upside-down, changing its M to a W. The company physically flipped the M in one Lynwood, California, restaurant and it digitally flipped the arches across its social media channels.Today, we flip our Golden Arches to celebrate the women who have chosen McDonalds to be a part of their story, like the Williams family. In the U.S. were proud to share that 6 out of 10 restaur ant managers are women. https//t.co/6z88OhjXpO pic.twitter.com/hXfOi3wWQf- McDonalds (McDonalds) March 8, 2018We have a long history of supporting women in the workplace, giving them the opportunity to grow and succeed, company spokeswoman Lauren Altmin told CNBC.But others were not buying the message, pointing out that McDonalds actual history of female empowerment was checkered with sexual harassment complaints.In 2016, the company was accused of ignoring sexual harassment allegations female employees raised. Moreover, the company, which netted $698.7 mio in income in2017, has fought against increasing the minimum wage it pays its workers. In 2015, it sued the city of Seattle to stop it from increasing the citys minimum wage.KFC creates a temporary female brand mascotMcDonalds was not the only company empowertising women for International Womens Day.To honor its real women employees, KFC announced today it was doing the grand gesture of changing its logo from a man to a woman - w ith some caveats. The change would be temporary and not in the United States. KFC Malaysia said it was changing its logo of Colonel Sanders to his wife Claudia Sanders across its social media platforms online.This International Womens Day, we pay tribute to Claudia Sanders for her role in the making of Malaysias favorite fried chicken. And to every woman whose ideas, hard work and passion contribute to making the world a better place. Thank you, the companys Malaysian website said in a statement.Other companies are also honoring women this Womens History month by changing their male brand ambassadors on logos to women. Thats right, people everywhere can now buy Brawny Woman paper towel rolls and Jane Walker whiskey, and rejoice at womens progressThese symbols come off as empty gestures of pandering when they link the power of a product like a paper towel to the power of a social and political movement like International Womens Day. And even on a plan level, these gestures can seem h ollow by their temporary nature.After these celebrations of women end, what does it mean that these branding logos are likely to go back to being men?Not the first time this has happenedThis is not the only time Internationals Womens Day has been the cause of a corporate feminism fail. During last years International Womens Day, State Street Global Advisors, an investment firm, unveiled a Fearless Girl statue to face off against the Charging Bull statue on New York Citys Wall Street. State Street said it funded the statue of the defiant young girl to celebrate the power of women in leadership.This was a positive message that contrasted with the realities of what employees at the asset manager experienced at the company. The U.S. Department of Labor later caught State Street paying its female employees less than men in an audit. To settle the allegations, State Street agreed to pay hundreds of its female executives$5 million.Happy International Womens DaySo next time, you spot an ins tance of empowertisement, do a close reading of what is being sold and research what is happening behind closed doors at the companies. Ask yourself, How are these gestures helping and championing real women that work at these brands?