As the new post-pandemic normal settles in and people adapt to a context of uncertainty, constant adversities, and pessimism, we are moving away from a moment in which consumers expected brands to rise up to society's challenges and into one when they’re demanding genuine allyship from businesses.

For many women, wrinkles and grey hair are seen as things that must be fixed to maintain a sense of self. Abigail T. Brooks, author ofThe Ways Women Age, explains why women feel pressure to stop time in its tracks, and how easy access to Botox is impacting perceptions of ageing.

Christmas can be a stressful time – something many more women than men recognise. In the run-up to the big day in 2016, M&S is winning over women across the UK with a spot starring Mrs Claus instead of her husband, reminding them that it knows who the real heroes of Christmas are.

Bodyform’s ‘Blood’ commercial is the first to tackle the physical manifestation of having a period. Vials of blue liquid and grinning, rollerblading models have been replaced with blood from powerful sportswomen. Does this advert represent real women’s attitudes to menstruation?

When cancer charity MACMA found that 67% of women don’t check their breasts, it aimed to create a viral ‘how-to’ guide. But as Facebook and Insta remove images of women’s nipples, how could it show a self-exam if it couldn’t even show a pair of boobs? It found a loophole – use 'moobs' instead.

The majority of feminine hygiene products aren’t exciting, but with the corporations responsible for making them barely changing over a century, do women have much choice? Period panty start-up Thinx says yes, offering a friendlier, cheaper and cooler way to sail through that time of the month.

One in three women will suffer from urinary incontinence at some point in their lives, but the attached stigma means that they may wait up to 6.5 years before seeking help. Looking to tackle how people think about feminine hygiene, Icon is offering up fashionable, pee-proof undies for women.

Managing fertility can be tricky; a 2014 study even found that half of women didn’t know that vitamins can help prevent birth defects. Clue aims to change this with a sleek app that tracks all aspects of a user’s reproductive health alongside their mental wellbeing, sleep and energy.

Tupperware has been encouraging women to sell its plastic kitchenware and seize economic power in the household since the ‘50s. And with gender equality almost achieved in the Western world, the brand has now set its sights on developing countries. But does empowerment still sell?