Global Brand Framing of Gender Equality and Climate Action Sustainability Through Advertising

Abstract

This study examined global brand framing of gender equality and climate action sustainability through advertising. The study adopted a qualitative research design underpinned by framing theory. This study adopted an interpretivist research philosophy. The research design is qualitative and exploratory. The population of the study consists of two interconnected groups: (1) global brand advertising campaigns that explicitly feature gender equality and climate sustainability themes across digital and broadcast platforms, and (2) audience members exposed to such advertising. The advertising population was drawn from an estimated pool of over 1,500 sustainability-themed global brand campaigns circulated internationally between 2022 and 2025 across major platforms such as YouTube, Instagram, television networks, and brand websites, based on industry marketing archives and global advertising monitoring databases (e.g., UNESCO media observatories, international advertising associations, and sustainability brand repositories). A sample size of 20 purposively selected brand campaigns and 30 audience participants was obtained. The campaigns were selected based on clear inclusion criteria: explicit representation of gender equality and climate action narratives, global brand ownership, and international reach. The audience participants were obtained through purposive and snowball sampling, targeting individuals who regularly consume digital and broadcast advertising content and are active media users, ensuring information-rich cases relevant to the study objectives. The sampling technique followed a non-probability, purposive process, beginning with criterion-based selection of campaigns, and subsequent referrals through snowballing to deepen diversity of perspectives. The method of data collection involved qualitative content analysis of selected advertisements, in-depth semi-structured interviews with audience participants, and interpretive narrative analysis of advertising texts and visuals. The method of data analysis was thematic analysis. The findings revealed that audience perceptions of authenticity and credibility were shaped more by visible brand actions, consistency, and transparency than by message aesthetics, with participants trusting advertising messages that aligned with known corporate practices and showing scepticism toward campaigns that relied on E-ISSN 2545-529x vague sustainability claims or symbolic representations. The study justified that while global brands actively integrate gender equality and climate action in advertising, the reliance on symbolic and aspirational framing limits the depth of audience understanding and the potential for meaningful social and environmental impact. The study recommended that global brands and advertising agencies should design campaigns that go beyond symbolic framing, embedding gender equality and climate action into tangible programs and narratives that reflect real-world impact.

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