Best Marketing To Women Campaigns of 2010

Who kicked serious booty this year with their marketing to women campaigns?  I'm happy to report I've seen more positive and effecitve marketing to women efforts this year than I have in the past.  From TV commercials, to social media campaigns, to books about marketing to women - here are the folks I think deserve a shout-out in 2010. 

Drum roll please......

Best Marketing to Women TV Commercial

This one is a tie.  Both commercials hit the mark but for different reasons.

Michelle Wie Kia Soul

 

This is the first time, ever (and I do mean ever) that I've seen a car commercial that actually made me want to go out and buy the car.  I've been preaching for years about the marketing to women opportunities at the LPGA.  Kia tapped into the marketing power of Michelle Wie, who is not only attractive, she knocks the snot out of a golf ball.  

For any woman who's had to try to make her way in what can often be a "man's world", this spot hits the mark.  Yes, Michelle gets noticed for her originality, and her looks.  But she also gets noticed for her athletic talents.  The spot also hits the mark for anyone who is daring enough to be themselves, even when they don't fit in with their surroundings. 

I don't know how this commercial has affected sales of the Kia Soul - but I see this car everywhere I go.

Ameriprise Financial  - We're Here to Help

 

Well knock me over with a feather.  It's a financial services ad with real people, and real women who are financial advisers  I love the woman talking about a client coming with their financial life in a box.  These professionals aren't spewing fancy sounding language like, "wealth management."   They look like women, and men, who I'd actually like to work with.  Ameriprise has put a very human face on an industry that desperately needs one. 

Best Social Media Campaign

Philadelphia Cream Cheese - The Real Women of Philadelphia 

I know that a recipe contest is not the most original idea.  But there are a lot of reasons why Kraft and Philadelphia Cream Cheese hit the mark with The Real Women of Philadelphia campaign.  One big reason is that there was a substantial prize including $25,000.  I see so many companies ask women to jump through hoops and put in a huge ammount of time making videos and devising recipes, all for a grand prize of, like, a year's worth of the product.  Give me a break.  Philadelphia Cream Cheese ponied up a prize that made it worth the contestants' time.  (NOTE - it also sent a message that they valued the time and effort women put into the entry process).

Read more about why this campaign was so successful, raising Philadelphia Cream Cheese sales by 5%.

 Best website

U by Kotex

 

UbyKotex.com is one of the best examples I have seen of how to design a website for women.  Kimberly Clark and Organic worked together to create a site that is engaging and relevant.  Kimberly Clark really did their homework on how women feel about getting their periods, using tampons, etc.   Organic focused on getting all the details right, and creating a site that was truly interactive. 

I give Kimberly Clark extra credit for making fun of even their own previous advertising efforts in this video.

To give an example of the popularity of the site, in the Break the Cycle campaign, at the time of this posting, 2,209,243 people have signed up.  Read more about why UbyKotex.com is such a great example of designing a website for women.

Best Marketing to Women Book

In the last few years there have been several fabulous books about marketing to women. I'm encouraged to see so many smart people writing about a subject that is clearly gaining momentum.

 
This year I give a shout out to Vibrant Nation's What Boomer Women 50+ Know, Think, Do and Buy.   

There are several other terrific books about marketing to boomer women from experts like Marti Barletta.  I recommend you read everything you can get your hands on about boomer women because they are going to control almost all the money in the coming years. 

Boomer women marketing expert Carol Orsborn Ph.D. joins with Stephen Reilly and the Vibrant Nation team to deliver an insightful, in-depth look at women 50+.  What I especially love about this book is that you hear from real women in their own words.  Read the full review and get a snapshot of some of the most important learnings from What Boomer Women 50+ Know, Think, Do and Buy. 

 Best Celebrity Endorsement

There probably aren't many companies out there who can get Martha Stewart to shoot tequila (ok, "sip" tequila), but Casa Dragones pulled it off. 

  
I'm a fan of Casa Dragones for so many reasons.  But one of the biggest is that the co-founder and CEO is Bertha Gonzales.  Tequila is a male dominated industry.  But Bertha brings her talent, knowledge and marketing smarts to sell, not just tequila, but a whole experience.  There's attention to every detail from the making of the tequila, to the beautiful blue packaging, to the hand crafted crystal bottle. 

 

So congratulations to everyone for all the great marketing to women campaigns of 2010.  I'm sure there are many other worthy campaigns.  If you know of one, share it in the comment section.

Here's to your continued success in 2011.  Cheers!

 

Comments

[web development]

i've seen a Kia Soul when i went shopping the other day and like literally, my jaw dropped. it was soooo sleek and sooo modern, i just didn't have anything else to say.

[Logo design services]

wow ! such greate vids. I really have a hard time when it comes to marketing when womens are targets..maybe man's just dont know what womens think :)