Study: Gaslighting, Gray hair and Gadgets - Reclaiming Women's Health and Wellness in the Digital Age

NEW YORK, NY (September 5, 2024) – Plus Company (an entrepreneurial network of forward-thinking creative agencies) today released its latest report, a survey of more than 2,500 adults aged 18-65 in the US and Canada, titled, “Gaslighting, Gray hair and Gadgets: Reclaiming Women's Health and Wellness in the Digital Age.” The extensive paper addresses how although women’s health has historically been underrepresented, understudied, and underfunded, that is beginning to change. New funding for women’s health research, care, and treatment (such as the U.S. government’s recent announcement of $12.5 billion in funding) is providing opportunities for brands to find relevance in the world of women’s health and wellness.

“It's a pivotal moment for brands and how they appeal to women in the health and wellness sector,” said Melanie Dunn, President, Plus Company Canada and CEO, Cossette. “Our research shows that 80% of customers who purchase health and wellness products are women, and that by 2028 women are estimated to control 75% of discretionary spending. Health and Wellness brands will drop the ball if they do not cultivate this impactful and growing sector.”

Among the growing trends available in the women’s health space, four emerge as trends that brands should be aware of when considering opportunities in the women’s health space:

Women are owning their health and wellness - The women’s health app market is growing by almost 20% YOY and is expected to expand from $4 billion in 2023 to $13 billion in 2030.
The Doctor is Out. Online is in. But beware . . . - Skeptical Gen Zers are turning to online communities such as Reddit to validate what they see on social. To counter the rise of misinformation, there is an opportunity for brands to become a trusted voice by bringing expertise and authority to these conversations.
Menopause: the last taboo? - One-billion women around the world are in perimenopause, menopause, or post-menopause. One in three women don’t mention symptoms in the workplace for fear of being perceived as weak, old or past their prime. Brands that break the menopause taboo while focusing on different stages of it will be in high demand.
Is our obsession with health making us unhealthy? – Society’s obsession with health monitoring via smart rings/watches, period trackers and sleep trackers is fueling a trillion-dollar industry. Yet, it also creates health anxiety, especially among women, who report higher levels of chronic stress than men and are 60% more likely to experience insomnia.

For additional information and a deeper dive into the data, the full findings of the study are available here.

About Plus Company:

Plus Company, founded in 2021, is an entrepreneurial network of forward-thinking creative agencies, each bringing its own expertise and empowered by the collective capabilities of the network representing 15 countries in North America, Europe, the Middle East and Asia Pacific. Brought together by the unabashed belief that anything is possible, the unique partnership of and limitless drive of delivering creative magic fueled by an innate understanding of culture, technology, and data. Plus Company agency brands include: We Are Social and its partner practices The Narrative Group (TNG), Socialize, Hello, Kobe, and Metta; Cossette, Citizen Relations, Mekanism, All Inclusive Marketing (AIM), Aperture1, Camp Jefferson, Cossette Media, Impact Research, Jungle Media, K72, Level Eleven, Magic Circle Workshop, Make My Day, Middle Child, Mindshaker, Munvo, Septième, Visionnaire, Zapiens and 55rush. Built on collaboration, not competition. We are Partners In Possibility.