The Overlooked Chief Health Officers of U.S. Households

In this episode of The No Normal Show, Desirée, Stephanie, and guest Victoria Davis unpack the cultural, emotional, and operational weight women carry in their health journeys—and how brands can finally meet them where they are. From weight stigma at check-ins to body image pressure fueled by TikTok trends and GLP-1 drugs, we explore how marketing can either add to the noise or cut through with empathy and clarity. If you want to connect with women as the Chief Health Officers of their households and reach the people actually making the decisions, it’s time to rethink the message, the medium, and the moment. Tune in now.

Women Are the Real Chief Health Officers Of Their Families—But Are Healthcare Marketers Ignoring Them?

Let’s get something straight: Women aren’t only a part of the healthcare equation—they are the equation. They make 80% of healthcare decisions in the U.S., from booking appointments to choosing care plans, not only for themselves but for everyone in their households (pets included). Yet, healthcare marketing continues to see women as a niche audience. Could outdated segmentation, flat personas, and tired assumptions be holding healthcare brands back?

Is Healthcare Missing the Mark?

Women are told to prioritize their health, but when they show up they’re often met with shame, dismissal, or a scale before a “hello.” Often, the pervasive weight stigma in healthcare settings and how cultural messages around body image—from the rise of GLP-1 drugs to the influence of TikTok fitness creators—are warping how women see themselves.
It’s clear that women are exhausted. They’re balancing care for everyone while navigating a system that doesn’t see them clearly. If healthcare brands want to reach them, it’s important to meet everyday women where they are.

Beyond OB/GYN: Women Need Full-Spectrum Care

Too often, women’s health marketing and advertising is reduced to maternity, menopause, or mammograms. But women also have hearts, lungs, knees, and mental health concerns—and they’re seeking care that reflects the full scope of their lives. For healthcare marketers, here’s the business case: Women drive spending and seek care more often than men. But to keep them engaged, brands need to design services and communications that reflect more than what women’s bodies do, but how women live.

Cultural Truths + Relevance = Real Connection

Imagery and language matter. Words like “weight loss” vs. “weight release,” or imagery that includes real, diverse bodies, signal whether a brand truly sees women or just markets to them. The brands winning today—like New Balance, Abercrombie, and even Polaroid—aren’t only advertising differently, they’re connecting with cultural truths and evolving their identities without abandoning who they are.

So, What Should Healthcare Marketers Do?

So, what should marketers do? First, expand the definition of women’s health beyond OB/GYN and ensure your services, campaigns, and messaging speak to the whole woman. Prioritize inclusive imagery and language—representation isn’t optional, it’s foundational. Reflect your audience with honesty, not outdated stereotypes. Show up where she is, whether that’s through WNBA partnerships, women-owned businesses, or the social channels she actually engages with. Make healthcare convenient by bundling services, offering virtual care, and simplifying access. Finally, lead with empathy, not assumptions. Skip the performative trends, understand her reality, and build marketing that truly respects her power and pressure.

Need help in better connecting with the real Chief Health Officers? Reach out to us at nonormal@bpdhealthcare.com for more.

Read the transcript here