Shocked by Ad About Women: "It Hits Completely Wrong"

A recent advertisement by Nordea, featuring the slogan "Behind every powerful woman stands a good advisor," has drawn sharp criticism, particularly from Nordnet economist Else Sundfør. The ad, which flips the old adage about men, has been interpreted by many as suggesting women are incapable of achieving success on their own and that the financial world is too complex for them.

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I thought at first it was just a joke, or a mistake. It's a strange message.

Sundfør expressed shock and disappointment upon reading the ad, calling it a "strange message" that "hits completely wrong." She believes it reinforces a harmful myth that finance is overly complicated for women, rendering them passive recipients of guidance rather than active agents in their own success. As someone who built her investment portfolio independently, Sundfør found the message particularly disheartening.

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I understand that in the ad they might be trying to make a joke with a twinkle in their eye based on the old saying about powerful men, but the message hits completely wrong.

Nordea, however, explained that the advertisement is part of a larger campaign in the magazine Kapital, which showcases the bank's female investment advisors. According to Nordea's press contact, Frida Daae Hessen, the campaign was intended to highlight how Nordea's skilled female advisors support other successful women. The bank stated that the message was meant to convey that even highly successful individuals choose to rely on good investment advisors, regardless of gender.

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It reinforces a myth that finance is too complicated for women, and that women's success depends on help from others.

Despite Nordea's explanation, critics like Sundfør maintain that the ad's framing makes women appear as passive objects needing guidance. This, she argues, is counterproductive to ongoing efforts to empower women in finance and encourage them to take greater control of their financial futures. The ad's focus on an external advisor, rather than a woman's own capabilities, is seen as exclusionary and misaligned with the goal of fostering financial independence.

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For me, who has built everything from scratch with my own investment portfolio, it was especially hard to read.