Marketing to Women Online

JC Penney Helps Men Avoid "The Doghouse"

 

There's an interesting discussion on Michele Miller's blog about JC Penney's recent viral ad effort - "Beware of the Doghouse."

I'm really curious as to whether this video is targeting male or female shoppers.  It seems like it's speaking to men, but from what I've seen, women find it funnier than the guys do.

I have to admit, I liked the video. It made me laugh out loud.  But one thing I would have changed would be the "parole board."   The women were too harsh.  I can see why some guys would react badly to the video.  

Which brings me back to my original question - is this video aimed at women or at men?  

Head over to Michele's blog to watch the video and share your thoughts.

Use Your Customers' Own Words

It's that time of year again.  Tis the season for predictable cliche ridden holiday copy.   "Put a smile on a child's face" ""The gift on everyone's list" "Show her how much you love her."

Here's a quick easy way to find new, better, more persuasive holiday messages - go online.  Visit blogs written by members of your target audience.   If you're marketing to women, check out blogs written by women and see what words they use.  

I spend a lot of time online doing this very thing,listening to how real women talk.  I then use that language in my marketing messages.

Here's a quick example - instead of "Do you want to show her how much you love her?"  try this: "Are you trying crazy hard to knock her socks off?"   (a line I lifted from a Rocks in My Dryer blog post)

When you use your customers' actual language, it resonates with them.   It gets past their "this is just a sales pitch" filter.

Try it.   Let me know if it works better for you. 

Marketing to Moms - "I" vs. "We"

One of the things I love about reading Robert Cialdini is that pretty much every time I pick up one of his books and open to a page, I find a new insight.

In Yes!  50 Scientifically Proven Ways to Be Persuasive, the authors talk about two types of advertising - Individualistic vs. Collectivistic.   

Individualism is an orientation that assigns highest priority to the preferences and rights of the individual.  Collectivism is an orientation that assigns highest priority to the preferences and rights of the group.  

It's the age old "I" vs. "We" approach.   Cialdini points out that the United States, United Kingdom and others in Western Europe tend to be more individualistic, while those in Asia, South America, Africa and Eastern Europe tend to be more collectivistic.

What I found fascinating was the research they did on products people tend to share with other people, like air conditioning and toothpaste.

I would have expected that products shared by others would naturally do better with collectivistic messages - "Share your breath-freshening experience."     And in the South Korean test group the collectivistic message indeed did better.  But in the U.S., the individualistic message "Treat yourself to a breath freshening experience." did the best.

It would be easy to oversimplify and say all individualistic messages will work better in the U.S., but I don't think that's the case.  I do think it depends on the product, but also on the target consumer you are trying to talk to.

I've noticed that ads that target moms sometimes try to go the individualistic route.   In the recent Motrin Moms debacle, there is a line in the video that says "But what about me?" 

I've seen this backfire many times.   Remember, individualism assigns the highest priority to the preferences and rights of the individual.   This may run counter to "mom mode" where it's the preferences and rights of the group (i.e. mom and kids or entire family) that take preference.

If you are targeting moms, I have three suggestions for you.

• Use the collective approach and talk about benefit to mom and kids.
• if you want to speak to her about needs of a mom, use the collective "we" along with other mothers.   
• If you want to speak to moms as individuals, why do you have to identify her as a mom?  Why can't you speak to her just as a woman?   

Here are three examples:

By using Motrin - you and your baby will be happier - your baby gets more quality time next to you, you get a pain-free back.  ("We"  - focused on benefit to mom and baby)

Baby-wearing moms unite to push a new trend - Daddy-wearing babies. Until then, Motrin is the best friend baby-wearing moms have.  ("We" - focused on benefit of "moms" as a group)

As a woman, you're carrying a lot on your shoulders, and back.   Get relief with Motrin.    ("I" - focused on individual as woman, not as a "mom")

Take a look at your marketing to mom messages.   Test the "we" approach vs. the "I" approach.  Let me know which works better for you.

Female Voice vs. Male Voice in Movies

I'm about to call up Comcast and cancel my subscription to the movie channels.   

For the last few nights I've been going through all the movie line-ups, and I wasn't able to find one movie I really wanted to see.

That's frightening.

Not just because of the amount of money I'm paying for the subscription service, but because with so much choice out there, are there truly no movies created with me in mind?

I know I'm not in the hot "theatre-audience" demo, but surely middle-age women (I use the term loosely) watch movies, too, even if it is at home vs. in a theatre.

When Beverly HIlls Chihauhua is looking like your best option, something is very wrong.

Motrin Moms Fire Back Via Social Media

If there was only one piece of advice I could give to advertisers trying to reach moms, it would be this -

Don't tell moms you understand them.

As Julia Roberts said in Pretty Woman - Big Mistake.

Moms have a B.S. meter stronger than a beagle's nose.   Anything that they deem inauthentic is going to get pummeled.  Note the emphasis on what they deem inauthentic.

In the world today - perception is reality.

So what did Motrin do that has so many moms in an uproar?

VW Attracts Soccer Moms by Making Fun of Them

Hmmm.....it's an interesting strategy.   Volkswagen is pushing their Routan minivan in a series of Webisodes featuring a slightly crazed "soccer mom."

Webisode one

Webisode two.

In a recent Advertising Age article, VW discusses the strategy:

While it's perhaps not surprising that VW used a soccer platform to sell minivans, a pairing as timeless as Thanksgiving and turkey in suburban America, the somewhat mocking portrayal of soccer moms might raise a few eyebrows.

They are the, uh, target audience, after all.

But Crispin and VW wagered that their soccer moms view that status ironically. "The relationship between minivans and moms is nothing new, but it's new to Volkswagen," said Omid Farhang, the Crispin assistant creative director who helped produce the campaign. "A lot of these women who are now soccer moms were driving Rabbits and Cabriolets when they were in college."

They're certainly right about soccer moms viewing their status ironically.   It's because, from the polling I've done, the vast majority of women do not want the label "soccer mom" applied to them.  Can you blame them?  Look at the trophy "handler" who is horrified that he's going to have to spend time with this "soccer mom."

So will making fun of soccer moms appeal to that very target audience?

2 Birthdays, a Sex Cheer and a Funeral

When I spoke at last week's Startup Princess retreat, I opened by telling all the other women business owners that I have recently joined their ranks.

I've left "Corporate America" to go out on own.   For almost the last 20 years I worked 24/7.   My friends and family barely knew me.  There simply wasn't time to build relationships, or even take care of the relationships that were dearest to me.

While it seems I now have sacrificed sleeping (I asked the women business owners at the retreat how they sleep at night, not having a steady pay check and sometimes wondering where their next client or sale will be).....but I have gained something even more valuable....time.

My sister is big on birthdays.  She says you must always celebrate someone's birthday on that day.  She's especially conscientious of single friends who may not have plans.  There is nothing worse than your mother calling up and asking you what you are doing for your birthday, and having to say you have no plans.   

I recently celebrated two birthdays with dear friends.   I made a point to make them feel special.  An added bonus was that I felt special, too.   One of the best pieces of advice I ever got was......

Startup Princess Marketing to Women Online Conference

It was one of those conversations you really don't want to have with an airport security guard.

SG:  Ma'am, what's this?

Holly:  It's a wand.

SG:  A what?

Holly:  A wand.

SG:  LIke for kids?

Holly:   Actually.....it's mine.

SG:  (deadpan)  It's yours.

Holly:   Yes. I'm a fairy godmother.

I was totally serious, but I could see the security guard thought I was yanking his chain.  So, i decided to just shut up, retrieve my shoes, belt, watch, and, yes, wand, and scamper away to redress myself.

It's always tough when you have to re-enter reality after a great conference.  This past weekend I was a speaker at the Startup Princess retreat.   What an amazing weekend.  Kelly Anderson treated all of us so well, including providing, you guessed it, special wands for all  of the fairy godmother speakers.   

Even though marketing to women online is my specialty, I still learned so much from the incredible line- up of speakers.    If you weren't there, keep reading and I'll share some of what I learned.

How To Market On MySpace

I was lucky enough to spend some time picking the brain of Heidi Browning, SVP of Client Solutions at MySpace.  I'm fascinated with how companies are tapping into the power of social media to market their brands and products.

Social media is exploding, especially with women.  I asked Heidi about how marketers and brands were successfully using MySpace to reach out to customers.   

Heidi pointed out that because of the personalization and self-expressed interests of the users, there is a chance for hypertargeting.  But she feels companies with relevant messages that customize ads have a great chance for success.