Words have a powerful impact (read more here).
What we hear, read, and write influences us—both consciously and unconsciously.
The Gisler Protocol is a cross-agency initiative aimed at rethinking gender stereotypes.
The name comes from Doris Gisler Truog. She is a Swiss journalist, editor, and advertising icon who played a significant role in the introduction of women’s suffrage in Switzerland around 1969.
1. Just going along with it isn't enough.
The Gisler Protocol states: “We strive to use inclusive language. Even the Duden dictionary has done away with the generic masculine form. We always use both gender forms or a neutral form that represents all genders.”
In other words: Language is our most important tool. Messages must be conveyed clearly and unambiguously—and this applies just as much to how we refer to people. We therefore avoid the generic masculine form whenever possible and use inclusive language instead. This means:
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Use the gender colon (doctor:in, nurse:in, police officer:in) or the gender asterisk (Overview of gender-inclusive writing: underscore, asterisk, or colon? [PDF]).
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Words with a gender colon are pronounced with a short pause, known as a glottal stop. Examples of how to pronounce them can be found here.
2. Seek and you will find.
The Gisler Protocol states: “We promote equal opportunity in our collaboration with external individuals. We recommend a balanced selection of partners to our clients and are committed to fostering a diversity of perspectives.”
This means that no matter the field—whether it’s models, influencers, or bloggers—there is a wide range and great diversity. We help our clients make them visible.
3. Let's move on from the 1950s.
Gisler Protocol: “We avoid stereotypical role models and showcase different ways of life. This is how we ensure that we do justice to the reality of Switzerland and help break down #clichés.”
This means: Is Jessica portrayed as a soccer player or a ballet dancer? Is Andreas depicted wearing a blue or a pink sweater? Do we refer to doctors and nurses, or do we specify only one gender? Our language has a major impact, and we should be aware of that.
4. Hold up the mirror.
Gisler Protocol: “We raise our clients’ awareness of their responsibility in portraying gender and support them in communicating in a way that is relevant, contemporary, and free of stereotypes.”
Why: Society is changing, and change is a process. For decades, certain images have become ingrained in all of our minds—so it’s understandable that ideas and perceptions are sometimes still a bit outdated. As experts in marketing and communication, it is our job to advise you on matters of diversity and social justice as well.
5. No one is a houseplant
Gisler Protocol: “We identify and change ideas in which no women appear or in which a woman’s role can be replaced by a potted plant or a dog. The era of decorative female passengers and caring mothers in the background is over.”
For us, this means that we take a self-critical approach to our work, which allows us to deliver high-quality results and convey messages that reflect our social responsibility toward gender equality.
Conclusion
Stereotypical portrayals of gender are still widespread and shape our thinking and our society. Marketing and advertising agencies, in particular, have a greater responsibility than ever to reflect the diversity of society and break down outdated patterns of thought and behavior.
The Gisler Protocol advocates for a multifaceted representation of genders in communication and marketing, and particularly in advertising.
This is not just about equality, but about the equal value of different ways of life.
But all this constant gender-neutral language is really just annoying!
Words have a tremendous impact.
What we hear, read, and write influences us—both consciously and unconsciously.
In the book*Political Framing*, author Elisabeth Wehling vividly describes how strongly words shape us.
Would you like an example?
“In a fascinating study, participants first read a list of words that implied either tact or rudeness. They were then shown pictures of strangers and asked to assess their social behavior. The participants who had read terms implying friendliness rated the people as extremely nice and easygoing. However, those who had read words implying unfriendliness rated the same people as rude and unfriendly (SRUL/WYER 1979). The people in the pictures, however, were the same in both cases. Thus, it was not external characteristics that determined the participants’ (sic) judgment, but rather the respective frame that had previously been activated in their minds through language.”
This means that what we say and how we present ourselves has a major influence—on our behavior, our values, and even our prejudices.
This also applies to gender stereotypes —that is, ideas and assumptions about how women and men “are” or “should be.” This isn’t necessarily bad or wrong, but it can have negative consequences.
In its informational brochure, the Canton of Lucerne states: “Studies have shown, for example, that girls performed worse on science exams when they had previously been exposed to the stereotype that ‘boys are better at science than girls.’”
The canton of St. Gallen states the following regarding role models: “Young people in particular, as they are in the process of forming their identities, are shaped by stereotypical role models, which in turn can influence their career choices and life plans.”
For us as an agency, this means we need to pay even closer attention to the role models and stereotypes we hold in our own minds—and then have the courage to question them.
The Gisler Protocol advocates for a multifaceted representation of genders in communication and marketing, and particularly in advertising. It is not just about equality, but about the equal value of different lifestyles. We immediately joined this new initiative in early 2022.
