International Women's Day (IWD) on March 8th has inspired numerous marketing and public relations campaigns that celebrate women's achievements and promote gender equality.

Although one off days are VERY hard to steal noise and get mass coverage, here are some notable examples that got people talking…

The IWD PR and Marketing Campaigns of All Time

1. KFC - KFC replace their colonels logo with someone the world knew little about - his wife

In 2018, to commemorate International Women's Day, KFC Malaysia temporarily replaced Colonel Sanders' image in their logo with someone the world knew little about: His wife - Claudia Sanders.

This gesture aimed to honor Claudia's significant yet often overlooked contributions to the brand's success.

While Colonel Harland Sanders developed the secret recipe and expanded the business, Claudia played a crucial role by mixing and shipping the secret blend of herbs and spices to restaurants nationwide, often working late into the night. This logo change served to recognize her dedication and the vital part she played in establishing KFC as a global brand.

2. Interflora visualising female leader statistics using flowers

Interflora launched a poignant International Women's Day campaign that used floral arrangements to highlight persistent gender inequalities. By combining red and white roses, they created visual representations of striking statistics:​

• Corporate Leadership: A bouquet with one red rose amidst 19 white ones symbolized that only 1 in 20 FTSE 100 CEOs are women.
• Healthcare Representation: Despite women comprising 75% of NHS staff, they hold less than a quarter of senior doctor positions.

To further the message, Interflora introduced "The Equal Power Flower" bouquet, available exclusively on March 8, 2021, with proceeds supporting initiatives aimed at closing the gender gap.

This was a campaign by Rise at Seven ourselves. Read more about it here

3. Mcdonalds flip their arches for International women's day as a PR stunt from M to W

In a bold move, McDonald's turned its iconic golden arches upside down to form a 'W' in honor of International Women's Day. This gesture was implemented across various platforms, including social media and select restaurant signage. While the campaign aimed to celebrate women, it received mixed reactions; some praised the initiative, while others criticized it as a superficial gesture that didn't address deeper issues within the company or society.

4. Barbie create SHERO dolls

To celebrate IWD, Mattel's Barbie brand introduced 'Shero' dolls modeled after real-life female role models. In 2023, Olympic gymnasts Jordan Chiles and Jade Carey were honored with their own Barbie dolls, highlighting their achievements and inspiring young girls to pursue their dreams. ​

5. Burger Kings - women belong in the kitchen Tweet

Burger King found that only 20% of Chefs are women. On a mission to change the gender ratio in restaurants, they took the stereotypical statement of “women belong in the kitchen” to Twitter. Although this got initial negative feedback due to lack of context, the campaign in my eyes had impact

For other campaign inspiration, read our Valentines campaign round up featuring the best valentines PR and marketing campaigns here