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NEW YORK, March 02, 2022 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Ahead of International Women’s Day, iStock, a leading ecommerce platform providing premium visual content to SMBs, SMEs, creatives and students everywhere, has released research revealing that two out of every three women globally (66%) are still experiencing bias, with the top reason being due to their body shape and size (26%).
The findings are reported within research for iStock’s creative insights platform Visual GPS, and indicates women are experiencing bias due to being too heavy (46%), too curvy (21%), too skinny (18%), and too shapeless (13%).
Although stereotypes are often intrinsically linked to real-world discrimination which women still experience, the latest Visual GPS research also reveals that there has been a slight shift in how biases are perceived because of recent efforts by brands and companies to feature more diverse body shapes in their advertising campaigns. Visual GPS research found that there has been a 7% drop in people experiencing any form of body bias in 2021, when compared to 2020 figures.
“While we have seen a move in the right direction when it comes to gender representation, despite best efforts there is still work to be done to break the bias in visual storytelling,” said Dr Rebecca Swift, Global Head of Creative Insights at iStock. “Our Visual GPS research demonstrates that the images and videos businesses choose in their visual storytelling matters because it directly affects the way female consumers perceive and engage with your business.”
“There is more we can do to change the perception of heavier and curvier women. Choosing images and videos that are diverse in the depiction of women connects with a wider audience and provides an opportunity to reinforce your commitment to potential consumers.”
Below, Dr Rebecca Swift reveals three key tips to help businesses select inclusive visuals this International Women’s Day and beyond:
To find inclusive imagery and videos, visit https://istockphoto.com/
Media contact Gill Jones - Senior PR Specialist (EMEA) [email protected]
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