# International Women's Day posts that celebrate real people [Canonical HTML page](https://gradiently.design/guide/womens-day-posts) On 8 March, feeds fill with purple and slogans. The posts people actually share are about someone specific. Here is how to make those, and the colours that carry the day's history. ## The short version - International Women's Day is on 8 March every year, and the strongest posts celebrate named, real women rather than women in general. - A good spotlight post asks permission first, uses the person's own words, and lets them approve the final design before it goes out. - Purple, green and white are the colours associated with International Women's Day, a link that goes back to the suffragette movement in Britain. - Posts that feel hollow tend to pair a slogan with no action, discount products for women, or use stock photos instead of the people who work with you. - A carousel is the natural format for spotlights: a cover with the person's name and role, then a page or two in their own words. The **International Women's Day posts** people remember spotlight a real woman by name: a colleague, a founder you buy from, a customer who built something, in her own words and with her permission. International Women's Day falls on 8 March every year. A purple graphic with a general slogan says very little; a portrait of the person who runs your kitchen, and why she chose the work, says a great deal. ## How to make an International Women's Day spotlight post A spotlight is a short profile in a post or carousel. It works because it is specific. It only works if the person wants it, so the process matters as much as the design. 1. **Ask, with time to say no** Ask two or three weeks ahead and make it easy to decline. Some people dislike being featured, and that is fine. 2. **Ask good questions** What do you do here that people don't see? What would you tell yourself on your first day? Who taught you the most? Short questions produce quotable answers. 3. **Use her words** Quote her directly rather than paraphrasing into marketing language. Trim for length, never for tone. 4. **Use her photo, her way** A photo she likes, or no photo at all. A strong name and quote on a well chosen background works without a portrait. 5. **Show her the final design** Let her approve it before it goes out, and tag her only if she agrees. A portrait carousel cover introducing a coffee shop's head roaster on a calm gradient background The carousel cover: a name, a role, a reason to swipe. A portrait quote post with a short line of advice from the head roaster on the same gradient background The second page, in her words. Same Mark, so the carousel reads as one piece. Carousels suit this better than a single image, because a name, a quote and a little context rarely fit on one page. [Instagram carousel design](https://gradiently.design/guide/instagram-carousel-design) covers pacing and covers; on LinkedIn, a spotlight can also double as [employer branding](https://gradiently.design/guide/employer-branding-design). ## Why International Women's Day is purple Purple, green and white are the colours most associated with International Women's Day. They go back to the Women's Social and Political Union, the British suffragette organisation, which adopted them in 1908. The official International Women's Day campaign describes purple as signifying justice and dignity and green as hope. Purple is now the day's leading colour almost everywhere; [the meaning of purple](https://gradiently.design/guide/purple-color-meaning) traces its wider history. - Suffrage purple: #3b1f5c - Violet: #7a4fb5 - Lilac: #c8b6e2 - Hope green: #2e6b4f - Warm white: #f7f4ef A palette rooted in the day's history. Suffrage purple carries the type; Hope green is a small accent, as it was on the original sashes. - Deep violet: `radial-gradient(circle at 75% 25%, #7a4fb5 0%, #3b1f5c 50%, #1a0e2b 100%)` - Lilac morning: `linear-gradient(160deg, #f7f4ef 0%, #c8b6e2 55%, #7a4fb5 100%)` - Purple and green: `linear-gradient(135deg, #3b1f5c 0%, #3b1f5c 40%, #2e6b4f 100%)` - Violet bloom: `radial-gradient(circle at 30% 80%, #e7a6c9 0%, #7a4fb5 40%, #2a1745 90%)` Four purple gradients for the day. Deep violet and Purple and green hold white type; Lilac morning needs dark type. You don't have to use purple. If your brand has its own colours, a spotlight in your usual look can feel more sincere than a sudden change. If you do go purple, [purple gradients](https://gradiently.design/guide/purple-gradient) has more to choose from. ## Women's Day post ideas beyond the spotlight - **A founder's note.** If a woman founded the business, a short, plain account of how it started, written by her. - **Women you buy from.** Introduce the makers, growers or suppliers behind your products, and link to them. - **A team carousel.** One page per person who agreed, each with a single line about her work. - **Mentors and firsts.** The person who trained your team, the first apprentice you took on, the customer who believed early. - **A real commitment.** A donation, a scholarship, a paid speaking slot. Say exactly what, how much, and to whom. - **Women in your field's history.** A short, well sourced profile of a pioneer in your trade, with a reference people can check. ## What makes a Women's Day post feel hollow ### Hollow - A slogan with no person and no action - A discount "for the ladies" on the day - Stock photos of strangers - Posting someone without asking - A big statement while your own team stays invisible ### Real - A named person, in her own words - A specific commitment with details - Photos of the people who work with you - Consent and approval before posting - Something you will still stand behind on 9 March People notice when a brand that is quiet all year becomes loud for a day. A modest, true post is better than a grand one. The same principle applies to every awareness day; [social media holidays](https://gradiently.design/guide/national-days-calendar) covers how to decide which ones to mark at all. ## A caption you can adapt The caption carries what the design cannot: a little context and a credit. Keep it short, lead with her name, and end with something people can do, such as visit her shop or read the full interview. ```text This is [Name], our [role] since [year]. We asked what she wishes more people knew about her work: "[Her answer, in her words.]" Thank you, [Name], for [one specific thing she does]. #InternationalWomensDay #IWD ``` A spotlight caption template. Fill the brackets with her own words, and check the final text with her before posting. ## International Women's Day post sizes - Carousel page 1080×1350: 1080 × 1350 - Story 1080×1920: 1080 × 1920 - LinkedIn post 1200×1200: 1200 × 1200 A portrait carousel for Instagram, a story to point people to it, and a square for LinkedIn. Spotlights often mean several people and several pages. In Gradiently, the Designer can draft a carousel from your interview notes, write the cover line and lay every page out on the same Mark, then make the story and LinkedIn versions from that one design. You still choose the words that matter: hers. ## FAQ ### When is International Women's Day? International Women's Day is on 8 March every year. ### What colour is International Women's Day? Purple is the main colour, with green and white. The three come from the British suffragette movement, which adopted them in 1908. ### What does purple mean on International Women's Day? The official International Women's Day campaign describes purple as signifying justice and dignity. ### What should a business post on International Women's Day? A spotlight of a real woman connected to the business, in her own words and with her consent, or a specific commitment with clear details. ### Which hashtags should I use for International Women's Day? #InternationalWomensDay and #IWD are the widely used tags, plus the year's official campaign theme if you support it. Two or three relevant tags are enough. ### Is it wrong to run a Women's Day sale? It often reads as missing the point. A spotlight or a real commitment usually lands far better than a discount.