andHow To Reach Women

You're Not Too Busy to Read "Too Busy To Shop"

As brands increasingly recognize the value of engaging female consumers, the amount of advice on the topic has also increased accordingly.  Blogs, conferences, networks and the Twittersphere are rich places to tap for expert opinions and research.  Many great books have been written on the topic - as you can see in the links to the left.  Adding to that conversation in a way that also brings a fresh perspective can be a challenge.  Kelley Murray Skoloda has accomplished that with her book, Too Busy To Shop.  Published earlier this year (yes, I'm late but I was busy - lots of life change!), Skoloda builds on the insights illuminated by Marti Barletta, Andrea Learned and others around the way women shop and gather information (holistic vs. tunnel vision, researching to make a good choice, wise to being talked down to, all about customer service) and includes case studies and observations that acknowledge the reality of our changing technology and communication landscape, which allows women to research and spread information even faster, while relying on their local networks more than ever. 

Some of my favorite insights include:

Priorities trump balance.  "Rather than balancing it all, moms are actively pursuing ways to honor what has become a driving priority - time with their children, especially when they're young." Skoloda calls these women "mindful" and "choosy."  Multfunctional products that save time are on their radar screen.  One great magazine instead of five.  Yoga clothes that can be worn as casual wear. Multi-function household cleaners.

Reach women where they are.  "...remember they are not 'national' beings.  They live in a particular town, city or market."  Skoloda goes on to reference the power of local moms' and women's group leaders in influencing their peer groups.  Most brands still think national will trickle down when grassroots movements in markets must be built from the ground up.  Think Candidate Obama.  One national message of hope, but it was the local groups who understood their own demographics and market and made "hope" relevant to their communities.

Before women shop, they CROP.  "This is an important new trend: women seek CRedible, OPinions while researching potential purchases.  As such, it is an essential shortcut to purchase."  These opinion leaders include friends and family, media and other influentials.  Social media makes accessing and sharing these opinions faster with exponential reach.  The influencers for each brand and audience will be different but its well worth the time to identify and engage them.

Smart, thoughtful and a fast read, Skoloda took her own multi-minding message to heart when writing Too Busy To Shop.  Take it on a plane like I did - you've seen all the Virgin Red movies, and if you haven't, catch them on Netflix - and come back with some smart ideas for getting your brand into the homes and hearts of female consumers instead.

Savvy Auntie Gives Voice, And Virtual Space, To An Un-Tapped Market: Non-Moms Who Love Kids

The most powerful marketing opportunities, the ones that start movements and build momentum, come from recognizing a segment that has been there all along, yet was never directly addressed. For the last several years brands have been extending their reach and loyalty by developing campaigns to connect with the LGBT community (lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender) or the Hispanic market, both of which wield huge amounts of spending power, and certainly did not just pop up out of nowhere.  Women have been dissected down further - both by generation (Gen Y, Gen X, Boomers) and parental status (Moms and Non-Moms).  And in that scenario, because they buy for so many, Moms are the hot market to chase.  Generally speaking, Moms are targeted with emotional messages about caring for families, being pressed for time and trying to do more with less.  Non-Moms get "me" messages that are about reveling in the joys of kid-free lives: more beauty products, more travel, more clothes. But what about the Non-Moms who love kids?  Who is talking to them?  

Melanie Notkin (pictured above), a self-described "auntrepreneur" launched Savvy Auntie this past July due to her desire to have a place where she could revel in her pride in being an aunt and connect with other women who had very important children in their lives that weren't necessarily their own.  In the first 2 months, without any advertising, Melanie's site had attracted 50,000 visitors.  

Marketing to aunts or PANK's (Professional Aunts, No Kids), as Melanie refers to them, gives brands the best of both worlds - women who have a deep attachment to children and want to spend time and money on them but who also have the time and disposable income to spend on themselves. As budgets tighten and retirement nest eggs continue to crack, aunts may be the best option to purchase the more indulgent items that parents and grandparents are being forced to strike from their shopping lists.  And as Non-Moms begin to comprise over 50% of the adult female population, it doesn't make sense to ignore them. Check out this stat from a press release on the Savvy Auntie website:

An ever higher number of American women are childless, according to statistics* released by the U.S. Census Bureau on August 18, 2008.  The data, which reports a significant rise over the last two years, shows that the percentage of non-moms is nearing the 50 percent mark, making the ratio of moms to non-moms in America almost 1:1. 

This aunt acknowledgment is reminiscent of the Right Hand campaign launched by DeBeers in 2003. Before then, in the jewelry world, women were divided into Brides and Non-Brides.  Only one could credibly aspire to wear a diamond ring.  DeBeers gave voice to a population of women who had financial means, were not married and/or weren't interested in waiting to receive a diamond ring from a man (or for that to be the only permissible reason to wear one) and opened up a whole new market segment and selling opportunity.  Single women, whether young, old, straight or gay, began to adopt right hand rings as their statement of independence and success. Many married women found the concept appealing as well. The campaign struck a powerful emotional chord that DeBeers could not have manufactured, they simply tapped in to something that was already there, just waiting to be named.

I believe recognition of "aunting" has the potential to resonate on an equally deep level.  Think of all the products developed to foster the connection between grandparents and grandchildren.   Aunts and uncles can have very powerful relationships and a profound impact on kids but those roles have no such cultural mirror.  Moreover "auntie" in many cultures is a term of endearment applied to any adult woman important in a child's life, regardless of actual blood relation, expanding the definition even further.  And the role is quite distinct from that of parent or grandparent.  Aunts can be confidantes, friends, supercool babysitters, shopping buddies, secret sharers (they know the stuff about mom or dad that grandma and grandpa still haven't figured out), homework helpers and surrogate parents, often flowing in and out of those roles as needed. 

Savvy Auntie's tagline is:The First Community for Cool Aunts, Great Aunts, Godmothers and All Women Who Love Kids. All Women Who Love Kids. Talk about emotional.  

Aunties of the World - Go spoil your nieces and nephews!

The Motrin Moms Debacle: A Better Response

The marketing world has been awash in the wave of the Motrin Moms debacle since Sunday, which I was first alerted to by Holly Buchanan's blog post on the topic.  Certainly a milestone in the influence of social media, Twitter allowed these pissed off mothers to send their messages farther, faster than anyone had previously imagined possible, even including a 9 min video montage of the tweets on YouTube - where did they find the time? -spurring an apology from Kathy Widmer the marketer who oversaw the campaign and an immediate withdrawal of the ad on motrin.com, though sadly for the company, as Widmer admitted, they can't do quite so fast a pull on the print ads.  Red letter day for social media, not so good news for print.  

But, onto the topic of that response...Seth Godin already pointed out the corporate feel of it, which isn't in sync with the medium, to say the least.  The tone is serious and grave, more apt to a product recall notice.  Look, it was definitely off target but no one's life was threatened. And I doubt the company set out to intentionally offend or alienate moms.  This is a giant, public case of foot-in-mouth.  So, why not apologize with some self-effacing humor?  Like a spoof video that begins by showing the executives and creatives involved needing to pass around a giant bottle of Motrin as they view moms' feedback to the campaign on their computer screens.  Then follow them going from their offices to their cars where everywhere they look a woman is happily toting a baby in a carrier while they duck their heads in shame. The background conversation could include the women admiring each others' carriers and raving over which ones alleviate back pain the best.  At the end each of the marketers involved adds their signature to a hand written message, which they hold up for the camera - "Sorry moms, we screwed up.  Next time, we'll talk to you first." 

Research has proven time and time again that when a company messes up and takes responsibility loyalty actually increases.  Motrin has a huge opportunity here, but corporate-sounding statements won't cut it.  The response has to be as sincere and personal as the reaction - the medium simply demands it. 

Perhaps there's still time...

 

The Evolution of the Female Executive: What She Needs To Succeed

I just returned from a board retreat in Seattle for the Outdoor Industries Women's Coalition, whose mission is to provide power, influence and opportunity for women in the outdoor-related businesses, so the topic of women and corporate leadership is fresh in my mind.  

Ironically, much of what women need to succeed are the same things their male counterparts do, but instead of the early days where women felt they had to imitate men to get ahead, they're taking these principles and applying their own twist:

*Powerful networks (built in living rooms vs. on golf courses)

*Support at home (partners who share family chores and, in some cases, take primary responsibility)

*Influential role models (more diverse, and growing)

Check out specific examples below:

The powerbase of the new COO of Facebook's social network is in her living room

Work/life balance does take a village - and equal partnership at home

These 50 women to watch range in backgrounds, responsibilities and ages - one is as young as 33

The Obama Effect On Marketing Messages

There are many brand marketing lessons to be learned from the historic election of Barack Obama, which have been covered by multiple marketing reporters and bloggers both pre-and-post election.  For the purposes of this post, I’d like to expand the topic from the paradigm shift in the techniques of marketing to the evolution I believe is coming in the content of marketing. 

This was not, on the whole, a black vs. white race.  Thankfully it was never framed that way, though “the Bradley effect” was occasionally invoked by reporters and pundits worried that the certainty the data revealed wasn’t actually possible.  As we all witnessed, the outcome, which crossed traditional demographic lines of age and ethnicity, proved the Obama effect to be far stronger than the Bradley effect.  And the cultural ramifications are certain to reach far beyond the presidential election.

In this new reality, where multiculturalism is a source of pride, our President-elect himself a blend of two races, I can’t imagine that the faces of advertising will stay the same.   I’m not suggesting that Abercrombie & Fitch is suddenly going to bust out with a self-conscious United Colors of Benetton style campaign where every ethnicity is carefully inserted to show a perfectly rainbowed coalition of eerily beautiful teenagers all on the verge of engaging in some hypersexualixed collegiate orgy (at least I hope they don’t).  But the lines of what constitutes the look and behaviors of standard ethnicities will certainly become more blurred.  The kind of cultural costuming that puts forth gangsta-lite hip-hop culture represented on one end of the scale with clean cut preppies sporting half buttoned jeans on the other, and very few digressions in between, simply won’t continue to resonate.

Additionally, look for brands to delve into social consciousness on a level that goes beyond pink packaging in October or simply swiping a credit card for a cause. As marketers are putting together their cause-marketing plans they’ll need to evolve their messages and platforms to speak to an audience who has seen first-hand the power of investing their time, energy and service to create real results.  

For instance, The Members Project, pioneered by American Express, where consumers suggest and vote on where the credit card issuer will distribute millions in funding (this year it totaled $4.9mm) could evolve that strategy to include service days in cities around the world where people can contribute in a hands-on way to further support the dollars Amex donates, connecting their members face-to-face and increasing their impact exponentially.  Those who participated in various initiatives could custom design their card with images from their project, making Amex the credit card services company where service, in all its forms, is a true differentiator.

 

 

Best Buy Evolves Jill Initiative With Help From Their WoLF Pack

Three years ago Best Buy launched the Jill Initiative (read the Washington Post article here) as part of a larger customer profiling and segmenting strategy designed to target the most profitable segments with a customized approach that would appeal to each.  Men were divided into three customer segments - Buzz (the young tech enthusiast), Barry (the wealthy professional man), Ray (the family man).  Women were identified as Jill - a suburban soccer mom and CEO of her family's household - and only Jill. Particular stores were targeted to better serve Jills, which included things like pink and red balloons at the entrance, a special customer service desk festooned with fake purple flowers and stuffed animals and specially-trained associates in pastel shirts vs. the traditional royal blue.  Best Buy reported that sales to Jills had increased 30% as a result of the new approach, though some questioned if the company missed out on the opportunity to reach, say, Maries (tech savvy entrepreneurs) or Tracys (post-college, pre-family professional women) by directing all of their efforts to Jill.  Over 50% of the population who make the majority of electronics purchases represented with one profile? It didn't add up. Then the whole thing sort of went quietly away and Jill wasn't heard from or referenced again.

Recently, Springwise reported on a new "for and by women" Best Buy store in Aurora, CO which is the result of feedback from 40 local women as well at the company's Women's Leadership Forum or WoLF Pack, which is an internal movement to develop female leadership within the organization.  Earth tones and products grouped into living areas as well as family-friendly restrooms and racecar shaped shopping carts are some of the adjustments.  No pink balloons or pastel shirts and no mention of Jill at all.  Love this idea but wonder if it was necessary to call this a "women's store."  Is there any reason men wouldn't want to shop there?  Likely not, with the exception of some guys being turned off by the idea of shopping in a women's electronic store. And that's a shame.  Perhaps like Jill herself the women's store tag will simply fade away and Best Buy will just become the best place to shop for home entertainment and electronics overall.

In Sustainability Marketing, Grassroots Is Often Greener

As sustainability becomes a key platform, both in business plans and marketing programs, we’re seeing the emergence of a new c-level position, the CSO (chief sustainability officer), as well as practice areas in consulting and branding firms, such as Saatchi & Saatchi “S” to help guide CSO’s and their organizations on how to develop, measure and communicate meaningful programs.

Despite all this brainpower, industries are still struggling to define and communicate standards and consumers remain confused as to how to understand which products and companies are truly green vs. “greenwashed.” This WSJ article re: the environmental impact of reusable shopping bags illustrates the point perfectly.

As average citizens begin to wrap their minds and arms around these concepts, a key source of information and influence is coming from grassroots groups creating their own real-world and online “green” communities.  These movements are gaining momentum and a loyal and engaged following by doing three really smart things:

1) They deliver their message in dynamic, heart-felt, user-friendly terms

2) They offer a clear and easy way to participate 

3) They allow for ordinary citizens to share their accomplishments, both in person and online

While you want to communicate your green and sustainable efforts on your website and in your marketing materials, that’s just covering the baseline -  not enough to create engagement and build trust on a level that puts your brand at the top of the list.  Tapping into some of these movements that have credibility and passion built in demonstrates that your brand’s commitment is bigger than just selling products or engaging in a seasonal marketing campaign, shows that you are plugged in and paying attention to the people and communities that are making a difference, and will provide an informal barometer on how your brand and messaging are perceived, as well as a source of new ideas. 

A handful of examples are listed below, but they’re just the tip of the iceberg.  Seek out and connect with the groups aligned with your product or service area and brand values – this part is critical as anything that smacks of greenwashing will definitely not fly with these folks - and watch your own green movement grow,

Teens for Safe Cosmetics

EcoMom Alliance

One in a Million

Carrot Mob

Run Green Feet

 

Marketing to Women In The Bags?

This tale of two bags is about opportunities yet to be realized.  The first is an occasion looking for a great bag.  This Brandweek article documents the increase in brown bag lunches spurred by recent economic challenges and the CPG companies capitalizing on it.  Pair this growing trend with "green" grocery shopping habits that include selecting paper or bringing your own bag and add to it the fact that traditional brown bags themselves often don't stand up well in crowded office fridges (which tend to include one or two spilled mystery liquid incidents per day) and there's a great opportunity for a store-to-desk bag solution.  Companies could make it easy to bring your own lunch and tout their own sustainable policies with branded bags for new employees.  A little hot/cold innovation, easy cleanup and perhaps even some killer style...Tar-jay are you listening? 

The second tale relies on the idea that if you put something in a woman's bag, she will come to find it necessary, perhaps even essential.  Last week Nintendo announced a partnership with Bags to Riches, an online handbag rental site, where the new Nintendo DS will be inserted in some handbag rentals through the end of this year.  The idea is that status created by the bag and the fashionable items you carry in it will rub off on the new gadget, making the DS the new "it" accessory.  According to the Sept. 19 MediaPost article: 

Samuel Mangiere, chairman and co-founder of the online handbag rental site, calls the Nintendo DS this year's must-have fashion accessory that goes well with handbags. "Carrying the Nintendo DS in your purse makes a statement because I truly believe there's a link between the DS and any belt, sunglasses or pair of shoes," he says. "It tells people: 'I'm up-to-date. I like electronics. I probably have a BlackBerry or an Apple iPhone in my purse, too.'"

This approach, both targeted and grassroots, stands every chance of being successful - if the DS proves itself to be a useful item that the women take out of their purses so others can spot it, check it out (and I include entertainment in the useful category) and hopefully pop for one themselves.  

Using the Forward Button To Reach Undecided Female Voters

A NY Times story highlights the tactics the Obama and McCain campaigns are employing to attract what is emerging as a pivotal audience in the presidential race - women.  Some are fairly uninspired - ad spends on Oprah, Ellen DeGeneres, Lifetime and Dr. Phil - while others seek to make direct connections with influencers - tomorrow Joe Biden will conduct a conference call with 20,000 women in leadership positions nationwide (it would be nice to know how leadership is defined here). Interestingly,the Times reports that women have voted in higher numbers than men for the last three decades, hardly a new phenomenon, but one that could make all the difference this go round.  

According to the article it is working class white women who are most in play.  McCain's team feels they can appeal to these "Wal-Mart women" by leveraging perceived sexism toward Sarah Palin and pushing McCain's "maverick image" (although the primary concern reported by members of this group is the economy).  At the same time Obama's events this week are themed "Women for the Change We Need" and Hillary Clinton is doing her part to rally her formidable base to cast their votes for her former opponent. 

More than traditional political marketing is going to be needed to make a difference here.  It is not just about getting women's attention (yes, sexism is annoying and demeaning but calling that out doesn't fix the financial markets).  This is about gaining trust by addressing the issues and providing the tools for women to share those solutions within their own networks.  The closer we get to election day, the more emails I receive telling me why the opposing party would be the worst thing to ever happen to this country. Inevitably someone hits "reply all" and voices their outrage as a staunch supporter of the other candidate. Mayhem ensues and my inbox fills with several messages from people I don't know trading jabs.  Not the most productive way to spend a morning - and not wanting to potentially subject others in my email address book to the same experience I more often hit delete than forward.  Those whose political views I share already feel the same way anyway, and are likely on the verge of sending me the same email within hours.  But what about the contacts I have that I'm not certain about?  

What would be refreshing, and motivate me to press the forward button more often, is a subject line that reads something to the effect of: "5 Concrete Ways Administration X Will Address The Economy On Day One." This is a pivotal topic that concerns 90% of the U.S. population and one I would at least stop and read, even if it didn't come from my candidate of choice.  Think of all the undecided female voters out there who might actually be swayed by such a message.

Perhaps the key to the forward button, and maybe even ultimately the election, is a series of issues-based messages with substance worth passing on.

Who's Really Driving The Green Product Boom?

Unless you've been living under a plastic rock surrounded by ethanol fumes, it's clear that green products are growing like the proverbial (free range) weed.  Several young Hollywood mothers, such as Josie Maran and Jenny McCarthy are launching eco-friendly make-up (Maran) and non-toxic surroundings for kids (McCarthy) and groups such as EcoMoms and Teens for Safe Cosmetics are gaining media attention for their efforts to use social networks to promote more responsible choices. It may surprise you to note however, that none of these groups include members of the demographic which actually accounts for the leading users of green products today. 

According to a recent survey by ICOM Information & Communications, women 55-59 are more than twice as likely than the average consumer to use green products.  Surely Gen X or Y women came in second, right? Actually, men 65-69 years old took that spot, 1.7 times as likely to use green products than the average American. These are your core influencers and early adopters.  Does your green marketing outreach include them?