Market to women (NOT just mums)

Marketing to women is not a new thing. Women have been marketed to for many years. However, the focus when marketing to women seems to be making a huge assumption that all women are mums. First big mistake!!

Not all women are mums NOR want to be mums. With close to 1 in 4 women choosing to be childfree, it is time that marketers consider this growing group of women and what our lives look like.

Marketing 101 is about understanding your target audience. Don’t make assumptions that all women want little babies. DO NOT Stick me in a box with a label. I do not want to known as mum or housewife. Seriously WTF?

Women are the key decision-makers. According to Marti Barletta, author of Marketing to Women, women are the primary decision-makers for consumer goods in 85% of households. They make 75% of decisions about buying new homes and make 81% of the decisions about groceries. They influence at least 80% of all household spending.

But here’s the thing, I might be a decision maker but I ain’t no damn housewife!!! I do not clean, cook or garden. Nor am I a mother (by choice). I don’t want to see ads with cute angelic looking babies in them. That will not influence me to buy whatever it is you are flogging!

I am not picking up what you are putting down. This woman cares more about the shoes and clothing she is buying, the holidays she is booking and the cars she is driving, where she is going to book dinner with her girlfriends….

Women, as consumers, do not all behave and act in a uniform way and if you are marketing to me I expect you to acknowledge that. (I might even spend more money with you if you do). I want you to acknowledge me as a person and with so much digital data available, that is easier to do than ever before.

Most marketers are being lazy and it is easier to throw us all into the same group with one label. Women are shoppers and decision makers. We are multi-faceted and wear many hats. So, you need to look deeper into the women in your market and design ways to communicate to each segment. Stop making assumptions that all women will find your ad with the perfect little baby cute and adorable.

They don’t! And to be honest it is insulting to women to be labelled just as one thing – a mother, when we are so much more than that

This is why it is refreshing to seeing brands like Jaguar show that family isn’t always Mum, Dad and 2.5 kids. In their latest campaign, the 2.5 kids are 2 large dogs and one small dog sitting in the backseat. I love this – well done Jaguar.

Australian brand Bonds, also seems to be listening and now have a category for their baby search for furkids. Perhaps this is research for a new dog clothes? Perhaps they are just recognizing that not everyone has a traditional child.

Those brands that are assuming that all their female customers are mums, are missing a big chunk of the market.

You can’t divide your marketing pot into male and female than assume that everyone in those groups plays traditional roles or wants to be marketed to the same way. I am far from impressed when I get ads for baby products in my social media feeds. Don’t lump me into your all women targeting and think that I won’t be offended!