What with it being Mothers Day this weekend and with the recent International Woman’s Day on the 8th March, it seems like March is certainly a month for the ladies of bingo! From humble beginnings as part of the socialist movement, International Women’s Day (IWD) has grown to become an international day of recognition and celebration of women across the world, growing from strength to strength in the process. As proof, the United Nations has held an annual IWD conference to ensure that across the world, women’s rights are being observed and women are taking an active part in both national and global social, political and economic processes. And for some countries, IWD is even a National Holiday – Bulgarians, Russians and Chinese all take time off to celebrate us girls and all we do!
And to celebrate, the 888 Ladies site recently commissioned a poll to decide who was their player’s top choice when it came to being a woman. Perhaps it is no surprise that top of the poll was the late Princess of Wales, who managed to get 38% of the vote. The full list reads as follows:
1. Lady Diana – Royal and Humanitarian
2= Marie Curie – Nobel Prize winning scientist
2= Mother Theresa – humanitarian and nurse, Nobel Peace Prize winner
4. Queen Elizabeth I – A strong queen in a man’s world
5= Margaret Thatcher – First Female Prime Minister
5= Emmeline Pankhurst – suffragette (votes for women)
7= Maya Angelou – author of such topics as identity, family, and racism
7= Madonna – pop icon
7= J.K. Rowling – Harry Potter author
10= Boudica – rose up against Roman Rule
10= Joan of Arc – at just 17, led the French to victory over the invading English armies
10= Rosa Parks – Civil Rights icon
10= Oprah Winfrey – Chat Show Host and Women’s Rights Campaigner
10= Clara Zetkin – first woman to launch the International Women’s Day
Also recognised were the Queen Mother, Enid Blyton and Jane Austen. 888 Ladies bingo were giving away loyalty points left right and centre on the day, rewarding players in special games and chat games with cash prizes as well… Seems like 888 Ladies are particularly well placed to know the way to their female bingo player’s hearts!
But the IWD got us thinking – with bingo being a game that is often associated with women, it was amazing that so few sites actually picked up on IWD and used it as a good opportunity to engage with their predominantly female audience.
And whilst other sites have been quick in the past to capitalise on their female market share (including Foxy Bingo’s specially designated Ladies Day promotion last year) and the overwhelming majority of online bingo sites are chock full of female friendly colour schemes and graphics – their presence when it comes to celebrate women on International Woman’s Day was notably absent!
Although we are more than happy to share the love with the guys when it comes to playing bingo, it seems pretty bizarre that online bingo operators are not making the most of the increasing role they are playing in many women’s lives!!
