Gendered Marketing in the World of Apps: How Companies Segment Their Audiences

ASO Creative Mobile Marketing

Asaf Vicci 17 February 2025

Gendered marketing has been ingrained in culture for as long as we can remember—blue for boys, pink for girls, and everything in between. From clothing ads and celebrity endorsements to influencer campaigns, marketing strategies have long tailored their messaging based on gendered assumptions.

But what about the App Stores? While audience segmentation is often considered a double-edged sword in mainstream marketing, some companies have found success by leaning into it—crafting gender-specific approaches to stand out and boost engagement in the ultra-competitive app marketplace.

Outside of the app ecosystem, gendered marketing is a longstanding practice. It goes beyond color palettes—brands often adjust messaging, pricing, and even product design based on perceived gender preferences. Something as simple as shaving razors or gift cards can be marketed differently depending on the target audience, with studies showing that products marketed towards women are, on average, 7% more expensive than those targeting men.

Life360: A Masterclass in Emotionally Driven Gendered Marketing

Take a look at the screenshots below from the Life360 app on the iOS App Store. Does anything stand out?

At first glance, the imagery seems neutral, but to marketers, the subtle cues are unmistakable. The light-purple color scheme, the women embracing in the first screenshot, and even the 3D hearts in the last image—every visual decision appears crafted to resonate strongly with women. But why?

To fully understand the creative direction, we need to look at Life360’s positioning in the market.

As a family tracking app, Life360 faces stiff competition from built-in tracking solutions like Apple’s ‘Find My’ feature. So how do they differentiate themselves?
They tap into emotional marketing—using advertising and messaging that highlight family dynamics, parental peace of mind, and protection. Press releases and campaigns frequently emphasize the relationships between teenagers and their parents, particularly mothers.

Now, revisit their App Store screenshots. Suddenly, those images don’t just depict two women hugging—they portray a mother and daughter. The purple hues and warm, affectionate visuals aren’t just a design choice; they’re a strategic appeal to a core audience of parents and caregivers, particularly mothers, who statistically tend to engage more in family safety decisions.

This is gendered marketing done right—subtle, strategic, and emotionally compelling.

Home Workout Apps: A Case for Custom Product Pages (CPPs) by Gender

Custom Product Pages (CPPs) are an app store optimization (ASO) strategy that allows app marketers to create alternative versions of an app’s product page, each tailored to a specific audience segment, which can be accessed through specific URLs that we use in different contexts. This means companies can target different user personas without changing the core app itself, improving conversions.

The app ‘Home Workout’ provides us with a clear example of how gender-based segmentation is applied in fitness apps. Below, on the left, are their regular screenshots, while on the right, we see a CPP designed around female-focused keywords like ‘pilates,’ ‘women weight loss,’ and ‘yoga.’

Key Observations in the Gendered CPP:

• The models and captions have been altered to resonate with women.
• The UI highlights targeted muscle groups such as ‘butt’ and ‘arms’—commonly searched workout areas among female users.
• The overall tone and imagery align with fitness trends that tend to have a strong female following.

In the sports app industry, gendered marketing is a common practice, often influencing and shaping how these apps are designed and presented. This trend is particularly evident in cases where the same company creates separate apps tailored specifically for different genders (see examples below). 

While this hyper-personalization strategy has proven effective for conversions, brands must be mindful that not all fitness preferences align strictly with gender norms. Some companies in the industry are experimenting with gender-neutral branding, ensuring that their messaging attracts diverse audiences without reinforcing stereotypes.

The Dating App Space: A Rare Case Where Gender Segmentation Works

Originally launched as a dating app for all genders, Bumble distinguished itself by allowing women to make the first move in heterosexual matches, thereby adopting a female-centric marketing approach. This strategy emphasized female empowerment and safety, appealing directly to women seeking more control over their online dating experiences.

So how does Bumble emphasize this message on the App Store?

Let’s examine the brand’s in-app events from December 2023/January 2024 and February 2024.

• On the left: Three conventionally attractive men wrapped in a bow—a playful, lighthearted nod to dating dynamics.
• On the right: A serene, contemplative woman, accompanied by the tagline, “Don’t leave it to Cupid,” reassuring female users that they’re in control of their dating journey.

These choices aren’t random—they reinforce Bumble’s empowerment-driven branding, making sure that their messaging remains aligned with its core audience: women looking for a dating experience on their terms.

The Flip Side: Where Gendered Marketing Can Backfire

While gendered marketing can be a powerful tool, it’s not without its risks. If done too aggressively or stereotypically, brands can alienate potential users or reinforce outdated perceptions.

Some companies, like The Phluid Project and Thinx, have gone in the opposite direction—embracing gender-neutral branding to appeal to a broader audience. These brands challenge traditional segmentation, proving that in some industries, inclusivity and fluidity can be just as effective as gender-based targeting.

For app developers and marketers, the key takeaway is balance:

• Leverage gendered marketing when it adds value—not just as a default.
• Test different creatives using A/B testing and Custom Product Pages (CPPs) to see what actually resonates with different user segments.
• Stay adaptable—as cultural attitudes shift, so should marketing strategies.

Final Thoughts: A Tool, Not a Rule

Gendered marketing continues to be a significant strategy in many industries, including apps. When done thoughtfully, it can highlight the unique needs and preferences of specific audiences, creating a more personalized and engaging experience. 

That said, the most successful brands understand the fine line between personalization and exclusion. The future of app marketing will likely be a mix of gendered and non-gendered strategies, allowing brands to tap into segmentation without boxing users into rigid categories.

As app marketers, it’s not about choosing one side or the other—it’s about knowing when and how to use gendered marketing in a way that enhances user experience rather than limits it.

Asaf Vicci

Asaf Yankilevich-Vicci is an App Store Optimization (ASO) analyst and localization specialist with a passion for helping apps and mobile games achieve greater visibility and higher conversion rates on the app stores. He has two mischievous dogs appropriately named Thelma and Louise and is obsessed with Garfield the cat.

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