Case Mosca Hnos.: Breaking Gender Stereotypes Through the Game

Abstract

This chapter gives an account of the case study conducted by the Uruguayan company Mosca Hnos., who jointly with the social organization Girls in Tech and the communication agency ALVA, developed a campaign of social marketing encouraging the inclusion and promotion of STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics) skills through educational games for girls. From this perspective, the campaign aims to promote the improvement in women’s life quality by involving the objective of changing the perception that people have of their life position vis-à-vis their cultural context and the value systems that prevail in Uruguayan society associated with the feminine or masculine gender. This campaign promoted a change of interests, expectations, future achievements of women, and gender inclusion.

Through social marketing, a change of behavior is promoted in reference to the social problems the communities in which the companies operate face, influencing an improvement in the quality of life of its members, in this case, in relation to gender equality. The campaign was a pioneering experience in Uruguay aimed at modifying the choice of stereotyped purchase of toys for girls or boys, enabling the development of STEM skills in girls and giving them the opportunity to expand their future horizon.

Teaching Notes

Question 1. What do you think drives companies to join this type of campaign?

A space for reflection is opened regarding the role of companies as agents of change and regarding the fact that, if they wish to be sustainable, they cannot limit themselves only to obtaining benefits, but also be responsible for their negative impact and generate positive impact. In this sense, they can commit themselves to contribute to the development of opportunities for improvement in social problems, thinking of generating a win-win relationship between the parties involved by promoting behavioral change focused on achieving gender equality, necessary for the social and economic development of the countries. Gender equality allows companies to benefit by strengthening their work environment, better taking advantage of the talents of their staff and increasing their commitment and predisposition to collaborate in improvement and quality processes.

Question 2. What factors do you think limited other companies in the Uruguayan market to join this campaign?

From the point of view of the social organization GIT, MOSCA Hnos. is the only company in the market that has the right toys to promote STEM skills in girls and boys. This is linked, for example, with the decisions about the products to be imported, with the knowledge and commitment towards this social cause and with the capacity of in-house toy production. The Director of GIT stated that “it would be a dream for us to produce a line of STEM toys”, but they have not yet been able to generate an alliance with a company that carries out this purpose, so an opportunity opens up to continue supporting and spreading the participation of girls in STEM skills from childhood, as well as a market opportunity could be developed.

Question 3. What is your opinion on the interaction of the three actors of the campaign? What strengths and weaknesses are seen?

It is necessary to visualize the contribution of each party involved: knowledge, experience, resources that are extremely valuable and different and allow creating the necessary synergy and achieving a greater result than each of the parties would have achieved if they had proposed to develop this campaign only with their means. Opening the debate to analyze the highlights of the campaign, the limitations framed in social marketing practices and what factors are considered necessary to sustain this joint work over time is intended.