The Multi-Dimensional Mom
posted by Karen DavisFriday, October 24th, 2008
I just returned from the Marketing to Moms conference and I have to say, it truly has never been a better or more exciting time for marketers to be reaching moms. Why? Well, for one, mom’s powerful. Consider the fact that mom controls 80% of all household spending. She spends $1.7 trillion every year, including an average of $13K on her baby during the first year alone. But today, it’s not enough to simply know that mom is out there spending money. With so many different types of moms out there, it’s more important than ever that we as marketers understand how to effectively engage her in relevant and meaningful ways. In other words, welcome to the new age of “mom.”
Who is she?
She’s a fan of reality TV, and she’s active on the message boards. She doesn’t watch TV. She’s playing games online. She can’t wait for her triplets to arrive. She’s stressed about the arrival of her second baby. She’s all about “me” time. She only buys organic. She eats out four times a week. She’s working full-time. She’s staying at home.
One theme that was woven throughout every piece of this 2-day conference was centered around the idea that all moms aren’t created equal. Whether you’re talking to a “Gen Y Mom”, or a “Second Time Mom,” today’s moms are multi-dimensional people (yes, not just a “mom” but a real person) who constantly influence the decisions of those around her. Did you know that the biggest concern of the Gen Y moms is time? Or that sixty-two percent of second-time moms use social networking sites? This is important because it reinforces the fact that we must speak to these moms differently. Whether it’s a different message, or a new communications channel, campaigns must be targeted to be effective.
Another key differentiator among today’s mom is how quickly she moves into different roles. Eighty-six percent of women see motherhood and womanhood as something very different. Marketers need to think about mom as a 360 and respect her different hats. In other words, “Don’t go all mom, all the time.”
Not surprisingly, moms are online. Technology has liberated moms from feeling ‘alone’ and has empowered them to trust their instincts and seek information from experts as well as other parents. Consider the fact that moms are going on social networking sites more than any other demographic. They are pushing out information as quickly as they are absorbing it. Among pregnant and new moms, the internet is the #1 driver of word-of-mouth. And half of all moms say blogs influence their purchasing decision.
At the end of the day, the message moms are sending us is that they are people too, with different habits, needs and wants. And like anything, it’s critical to research and understand the moms you are talking to so you can reach them effectively.
After all, they’re the ones holding the purse strings.
October 24th, 2008 at 4:53 pm
Very interesting! As a mom I find myself finding more and more of my information from the internet.
October 28th, 2008 at 6:05 pm
My favorite part of Karen’s “The Multi-Dimensional Mom” blog is the line: “Marketers need to think about mom as a 360 and respect her different hats.” (By the way, I’m that 67-year-old “linked-in mom” to whom Karen referred in an earlier blog. I should also confess that I’m a retired public relations executive, mother of three young adults – and a grandmother, too).
As one of the “dinosaur” or “one hat” generation (we were expected to stay home with our children and read “Ladies Home Journal” and “Parents Magazine” and maybe watch “As The World Turns” while the offspring napped), I see so many different exciting choices for today’s mom; and every one of those “hats” which she wears creates a marketing opportunity. Don’t miss any of these targets!
January 4th, 2009 at 3:17 am
hello it is test. WinRAR provides the full RAR and ZIP file support, can decompress CAB, GZIP, ACE and other archive formats.
ohmnatcvnnhvjfoiqoqfoevclomihtzzfhihello
March 8th, 2009 at 11:03 pm
Miel E. Vacs…
Say no more….