# Satirical Feminist-Forward Ads A Spotlight on Underpaid Women Shakes Up Belgium’s Employee Day By Georgia Wray Norsten | Published 2025-04-22 | Social Good Source: Trend Hunter, https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/underpaid-women References: [adage](https://adage.com/creativity/work/aa-zijkant-mortierbrigade-show-women-respect/)  In a bold campaign that blends wit with a hard truth, a new [satirical ad](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/in-the-raw) calls out the continued reality of underpaid women in the workplace. Launched on Belgium’s Employee Day, the spot by agency Mortierbrigade for progressive women’s organization ZIJkant delivers a sharp critique of the [gender pay gap](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/cocoamitment-campaign) through biting humor and unsettling honesty. At the center of the film is Jef, a smug 'feminist boss' who credits his career success to a team of women he proudly admits are '20% cheaper than men.' The absurdity is deliberate, spotlighting the systemic inequality many brush off as outdated. Despite progress, Belgium still faces a 20% wage gap -- a figure that’s barely moved in recent years. By turning irony into impact, ZIJkant transforms Employee Day into a moment of reckoning. The message is clear: wage inequality persists, and pretending otherwise only deepens the divide. This campaign dares viewers to laugh and then think twice. Image Credit: Mortierbrigade ## Trend Insights (Trend Hunter) - Score: 2.5/10 - Popularity: 17% | Activity: 19% | Freshness: 39% - Audience gender: 30% men, 70% women - Primary generations: Gen Z, Millennial - Top markets: Europe ## Categories [Trend Hunter](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends) > [Social Good](https://www.trendhunter.com/socialgood) > [Activism](https://www.trendhunter.com/activism) ## Key Themes ### What Makes This Trend Stand Out - **Feminist Satirical Marketing:** This trend uses humor and irony in advertising to challenge social injustices such as gender pay disparity. - **Social Impact Advertising:** Marketing campaigns are increasingly focusing on social issues, driving awareness and conversation around critical topics like gender equality. - **Conscious Consumerism:** Consumers are drawn to brands that align with their values, which creates a demand for companies to address ethical issues like wage inequality through their messaging. ### Sectors Adopting This - **Advertising:** Traditional advertising agencies are innovating by producing bold campaigns that incorporate social critique to capture attention and build brand credibility. - **Non-profit Organizations:** Progressive non-profits are leveraging creative media strategies to highlight systemic issues and engage the public in meaningful dialogue. - **Media Production:** Media companies are capitalizing on the growing interest in socially conscious content by developing and distributing media that tackles societal issues in engaging ways. ## Related on Trend Hunter - [Women-Empowering Photograph Campaigns](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/international-womens-days.md) - [Anti-Sexist Beer Campaigns](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/bad-t-to-good-t.md) - [Hilarious Female-Supporting Beer Ads](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/beaver-water.md) - [Changemaker Automotive Campaigns](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/ford-explorer-mens-only-edition.md) - [Honest Female Athlete Campaigns](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/hillberg-berk1.md) - [Humorous Period Care Campaigns](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/period-underwear-1.md) - [Gender-Based Violence Awareness Films](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/my-friend-max-hate.md) - [Menstrual Leave Campaigns](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/menstrual-hygiene-day.md) - [Empowering Women's Campaigns](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/prettypowerful.md)