I love when I see great Mom Marketing. I can't help it. I am old enough to remember a day when brands didn't really focus on moms in their marketing campaigns. Let me correct myself; there were some brands in the ’90s that used images of June Cleaver to portray their interest in and knowledge of moms but I rarely count that as good mom marketing.
What's really ironic is when my teenage children point out good Mom Marketing to me. This was the case last week during the Cincinnati Reds game against the Milwaukee Brewers. My son and I were traveling through the Midwest on college tours when he persuaded me to stop in Cincinnati and enjoy a baseball game. Knowing that I was in the land of Proctor & Gamble, I should have expected to find Mom Marketing in the Great American Ball Park but it was the execution of the "Thank you Mom" Olympic campaign that delighted me. My son immediately pointed out the large "Thank you Mom" banner on the wall in right field.
The real surprise came during a fifth-inning break when the camera on the JumboTron scanned the bleachers to find moms with their children. It was great. Every fan they featured on the large screen was a mom sitting in the stands with her children. It was so heartwarming to see so many Moms smiling with their kids. Best of all, the only branding to the entire JumboTron was a small "P&G" in the lower corner. They didn't need to say anything else. No one could deny that P&G understood mothers at that moment.
HP is another brand doing smart Mom Marketing. It's back-to-school season but instead of just telling moms to buy their product, they have partnered with moms to get their solution-based ePrint printers featured on Pinterest. They know that moms are searching for creative and innovative back-to-school supplies that help their family members organize and prioritize during the school year so they enlisted over 100 moms to create Back-to-School boards on Pinterest. Each board features not only a HP ePrint printer but the best of back-to-school tools. Although it's completely visual, it demonstrates that HP knows that conversations with moms take on very different forms.
Did you ever think that a "fascinator' would become an American fashion accessory? In case you don't recognize the word, it's the small ornate hat-like accessory the royals and their guests wear in England. They were made famous during the royal wedding and later the Queen's Jubilee. Cadbury and Blue Bunny combined the fun of fascinators, chocolate and ice cream by engaging moms in hosting Mommy High Tea Parties (www.mommyparties.com). The customized in-home party kits included a fascinator for each mom and child, product samples of the new Cadbury ice cream bars by Blue Bunny, coupons and a porcelain tea set for the host mom to use during her event. Moms and children enjoyed the magical tea party that every mom dreams of while tweeting, Facebook posting and recording every moment. To see some of the great photos produced by the moms who attended check out: https://www.facebook.com/#!/MommyParties.
My final spot-on mom marketing campaign comes from a food brand. The name of the company doesn't matter to us as marketers. I'm sure, however, that the moms involved with the program will definitely remember the name and more. Instead of setting up shop in New York during BlogHer, this meal-solution brand decided to develop their relationship with moms where it mattered most to them -- around the dinner table while they are away from home. The company sent easy-to-make dinner kits to husbands of mom bloggers traveling to New York. The mom blogger may never see the product but I assure you they will remember who fed her children while they were away. And I bet dad will remember, too.
All of these creative and original marketing programs demonstrate that reaching moms can take on many different looks. The common thread is that each of these campaigns hits the heartstrings of moms and speaks to them at the exact right moment.
Showing posts with label mom. Show all posts
Showing posts with label mom. Show all posts
Friday, August 3, 2012
Tuesday, January 17, 2012
Where Your Brand Needs to Be in 2012
There have been lots of predictions about moms in the New Year: how moms are shopping, what they will buy and what you should be doing to connect with them. I decided to focus on the "where" in the formula of how to market with moms. Even the best tactics will miss the target if they are executed in the wrong environment.
You've heard it a hundred times that moms are a moving target, always on the go and constantly connected via numerous technology tools. Deploying the right marketing strategy that engages moms in a relevant dialogue with you and your brand is essential to earning her loyalty. Here's where you need to be in 2012:
1) On YouTube- As the second largest search engine, YouTube provides moms an easy way to not only search for products, but to also learn how to use them. Create short videos - less than 3 minutes - that tell moms how to create solutions with your product. Use mom vloggers or mom employees to produce videos in order to create a relevant connection with the female audience.
2) On Pinterest- If you haven't discovered this hot, new social media community yet, make it a New Year's Resolution. This is not only where moms are migrating for ideas and product suggestions, but it's cool to her ‘tween and teenage kids as well. The next time a mom blogger tells you she loves your product, ask her to "pin" it on her Pinterest bulletin board.
3) In Her Home- An article by the Associate Press last week, titled “Why Are Toys Selling Out? Might be Mommy Blog Buzz” , focused on the success of LeapPad Explorers and their popularity, thanks to the buzz created by MommyParties . It's using the fun of Tupperware parties without the pressure to buy items. Allowing moms to test and share your product in a social setting is an effective way to fully engage mothers in peer marketing.
4) In Her Email Box: We often forget the power of email, however moms are still reading emails several times a day. In fact, most moms say they learn about sales and promotions via email. They also say they don't want numerous emails promoting the same deal or emails that have no relevance to their lives. In other words, don't send a mother with teenagers an email promoting baby food. An “unsubscribe” is sure to happen, followed by a delete of your company from her buy list.
5) At Smaller Niche Conferences: Brands love to sponsor conferences but often do so without a plan or strategy behind it. Sometimes bigger is not better. There are over 30 mom blogger and social media conferences in 2012. Some of the smaller, more intimate conferences can provide you a better platform to truly ENGAGE with the moms in attendance. It's not about being a logo on a brochure, but rather truly engaging with the moms who are at the conference. There are conferences for Christian Moms, Frugal Moms, Video Moms and many others. Look for the conference that fits your brand and message.
6) On Her iPad: “There's an app for that” and moms on average have 31 of them on her iPad. One third of the apps on her ipad are there at the request of her children. Make sure you are among the solution-oriented apps that she downloads to her wireless device in 2012.
7) On iTunes: More and more moms are listening to podcasts. It's easy and inexpensive to create a podcast for your brand. Consider what solutions you can offer mom and pull up a microphone. For example, if you are a car company, create product podcasts on travel ideas or destinations for families. If you are a food brand, consider a cooking podcast. If you can't find a radio guru in your hallways, think about contracting with a mom podcaster to host your show for you.
I wish everyone a successful 2012. Remember, it's about engaging instead of connecting, relevance instead of inundating, relationships instead of quick hits. With these strategies, you'll find 2012 as your best year ever in the mom market.
You've heard it a hundred times that moms are a moving target, always on the go and constantly connected via numerous technology tools. Deploying the right marketing strategy that engages moms in a relevant dialogue with you and your brand is essential to earning her loyalty. Here's where you need to be in 2012:
1) On YouTube- As the second largest search engine, YouTube provides moms an easy way to not only search for products, but to also learn how to use them. Create short videos - less than 3 minutes - that tell moms how to create solutions with your product. Use mom vloggers or mom employees to produce videos in order to create a relevant connection with the female audience.
2) On Pinterest- If you haven't discovered this hot, new social media community yet, make it a New Year's Resolution. This is not only where moms are migrating for ideas and product suggestions, but it's cool to her ‘tween and teenage kids as well. The next time a mom blogger tells you she loves your product, ask her to "pin" it on her Pinterest bulletin board.
3) In Her Home- An article by the Associate Press last week, titled “Why Are Toys Selling Out? Might be Mommy Blog Buzz” , focused on the success of LeapPad Explorers and their popularity, thanks to the buzz created by MommyParties . It's using the fun of Tupperware parties without the pressure to buy items. Allowing moms to test and share your product in a social setting is an effective way to fully engage mothers in peer marketing.
4) In Her Email Box: We often forget the power of email, however moms are still reading emails several times a day. In fact, most moms say they learn about sales and promotions via email. They also say they don't want numerous emails promoting the same deal or emails that have no relevance to their lives. In other words, don't send a mother with teenagers an email promoting baby food. An “unsubscribe” is sure to happen, followed by a delete of your company from her buy list.
5) At Smaller Niche Conferences: Brands love to sponsor conferences but often do so without a plan or strategy behind it. Sometimes bigger is not better. There are over 30 mom blogger and social media conferences in 2012. Some of the smaller, more intimate conferences can provide you a better platform to truly ENGAGE with the moms in attendance. It's not about being a logo on a brochure, but rather truly engaging with the moms who are at the conference. There are conferences for Christian Moms, Frugal Moms, Video Moms and many others. Look for the conference that fits your brand and message.
6) On Her iPad: “There's an app for that” and moms on average have 31 of them on her iPad. One third of the apps on her ipad are there at the request of her children. Make sure you are among the solution-oriented apps that she downloads to her wireless device in 2012.
7) On iTunes: More and more moms are listening to podcasts. It's easy and inexpensive to create a podcast for your brand. Consider what solutions you can offer mom and pull up a microphone. For example, if you are a car company, create product podcasts on travel ideas or destinations for families. If you are a food brand, consider a cooking podcast. If you can't find a radio guru in your hallways, think about contracting with a mom podcaster to host your show for you.
I wish everyone a successful 2012. Remember, it's about engaging instead of connecting, relevance instead of inundating, relationships instead of quick hits. With these strategies, you'll find 2012 as your best year ever in the mom market.
Wednesday, November 3, 2010
Dusting Off the Crystal Ball for 2011
Every January, I make predictions as to trends within the mom market and how companies might better connect with mothers in the coming year. However, what I've come to realize is that most marketing professionals are actually putting their finishing touches on their 2011 Mom Marketing plans now, making predictions for next year more timely and relevant. So why wait? Halloween is over, Christmas ads are fattening our Sunday papers already and moms are already exhibiting the behaviors I believe will drive the smartest marketing tactics for 2011.
1. Moms will hit the big screen, well the computer screen at least. Online mom broadcasting will become as popular and common as blogging. You see it with the emergence of The Pulse Network, the continued growth of MomTV and the expansion of most mom bloggers into " their blog name + tv.com". More and more moms are discovering the ease of connecting with their peers face to face via video chat, webisodes and online digital content. This means that companies will quickly follow in their desire to be a part of these digital communities. Marketers should begin to recognize that online video doesn't have to be professionally produced to be effective in capturing the attention of mothers and that enlisting moms to step in front of the camera to talk about your brand can be a great buzz builder.
2. Local will become the new global. Many of the most popular global and national mom bloggers are beginning to realize that they influence as many local moms as they do moms across the US. At the same time, they are also getting requests from local businesses to help them tap the mom market and localize social media. Moms are reacting by creating local sites that are scalable yet focus on an individual city or region. Two examples include Sarah Pinnix who gained popularity with her blog, RealLifeBlog.net and now with her local site, NC Blog Buzz Network and Andrea Deckard whose first blog, MommySnacks.net attracted brands like Pepsi and Disney and has since launched The Savings Lifestyle featuring Cincinatti.com, a local blog network. Both of these secondary sites contain local advertisement and attract moms in the local community.
3. There's a Mom-App for that. Moms love applications. Why? Because most of the apps they are downloading help them save time or money. Marketers need to recognize an application as another way to deliver relevant content to a mother and a means to continue a valuable dialogue. Remember the application doesn't necessarily need to be pushing content out but can be a branded tool that makes sense for you to sponsor.
4. Four-square for product, pricing and availability. Technology will finally catch up with moms who already tweet when they find a great price on bread at Wal-Mart or find a scarce toy on the shelf at Target during the holidays. In 2011, we will see moms covering each other's backs by sharing best price and product availability news all in one place. Currently this information is available, but scattered among niche topic blogs or Silicon Valley start-ups trying to race to market with the hottest new tool for moms. The problem with the latter lies with middle age or college men trying to imitate word of mom with databases and testosterone (no offense to anyone).
5. Companies will finally recognize Moms as business owners, inventors and professionals. I actually predicted this trend in 2010, 2009 and 2008. I actually have had it on my list since 1999. I think it's me, throwing it out there each year hoping it will be the year it finally happens. For the companies who do connect with moms as business owners, the payoff is great. This year, Kimberly Clark (through the Huggies brand) launched HuggiesMomInspired.com, a program that awards grants to worthy mom inventors. They awarded their first round of grants last month to 15 moms who have produced millions of online impressions via Facebook, Twitter, Websites and Blogs. Additionally, Kimberly Clark has won several industry awards for this innovative program. Supporting moms as business owners is a wide-open opportunity (but not for long) and allows brands to demonstrate their support of mompreneurs on a whole new platform.
It's my hope that I am sharing these insights with you soon enough to impact your 2011 marketing plans. Take a look at the programs and campaigns you conducted in 2010. Are the technologies and tactics outdated or have they passed the test of time? If it's time to try something new, you have five great ways to tap the mom market in 2011.
Wednesday, June 10, 2009
Marketing Muscle of Mom Bloggers
In over a decade of formally studying moms, I’ve never seen as much of a frenzy surrounding one type of marketing initiative as I’ve witnessed with mom bloggers. Blogging has taken everyone by storm including the moms themselves. Much to their own surprise, Mom Bloggers are accidental business women. They are mothers who simply started a blog to chronicle their journey as a mother or to find like-minded women with children and are suddenly receiving hundreds of product samples, special event invitations and free merchandise in their inbox every day.
With as much attention as the mom blogosphere receives, it still only represents about one-third of the general population of mothers. Today, according to BlogHer research, more than 45 million women participate in the blogosphere weekly. It is estimated that about half are women with children, bringing the total to about 23 million of the 83 million moms in the US. This is why I often warn marketers who are targeting mothers not to view blogs as a silver bullet. The majority of mom bloggers are Generation X and Millennial mothers who post about their experiences as moms. More than 40% of women consider blogs a reliable source of advice and information and over 50% admit that blogs influence their buying decisions. (1) Most mom bloggers have only been in the blogosphere for less than twenty four months.
Blogging is the perfect tool for the Generation Y and Generation X mothers. Its functionality aligns very closely with the character traits of these two cohorts. First, blogging provides immediate gratification. Second, blogging fits nicely with their desire for customized motherhood. Blogging allows moms to connect with like-minded moms. If you are a Christian mom, you might follow Lori Seaborg’s blog, Just Pure Lovely, and if you are a New York mom you may follow the posts on Mommypoppins.com, where Anna Fader celebrates her New York upbringing by sharing the fun of raising a baby in Manhattan. Blogging also gives moms a platform for cause marketing and philanthropic support. Many moms use their blogs to connect with moms who share the same priorities or values. Finally, blogging as a tool allows moms to retain more of their own individualism. Yes, many of these moms blog on motherhood, but many use their blogs as a sounding board on life. Whether it’s not being satisfied in the bedroom or resenting housekeeping, moms have an outlet for their concerns or frustrations to be heard.
The use of mom blogs allows marketers to maximize the influence of mom mavens. This group, as we know, has long shared information about products, retailers and services with other mothers. Today with the help of the Internet, they can tell thousands, and in some cases millions, of other mothers. I hear more and more from moms that they have added mom blogs to their list of resources when researching a new product, travel destination or retailer. Marketers have quickly come to realize the power of mommy bloggers. Two great marketing initiatives rolled into one- viral online marketing and word of mouth influencers. However, it’s the “how to use mom bloggers” question that has created so much debate in the blogosphere and even more discussion in corporate America. The undefined rules of engagement with bloggers combined with the tidal wave of influence- both positive and negative- that can be generated by bloggers has forced many companies to make mistakes along the way.
Take the example of an egg company who sent out invitations to mom bloggers to distribute their Easter ideas to other moms. A great idea that, you’ll see, was spoiled by poor execution. The mistake that these eager marketers made was to send the Easter pitch to Jewish mom bloggers who were insulted that the marketer didn’t take the time to get to know them. The egg company received a great deal of negative reaction throughout the blogosphere. In traditional outreach, I’m sure that the egg company would not send the Easter ideas to the sports editor at the Washington Post but the appropriate features writer. The same rule applies with mom bloggers. Marketers and public relations professionals must take the time to get to know their target audience. Here are a few rules to remember in engaging Mom Bloggers:
There are many ways to leverage your relationships with mom bloggers beyond basic product sampling. Some of the most effective programs include exclusive interviews with celebrity spokespeople, Twitter events, vlogging tours and meal planning kits. Recently, my team sent dinner kits to mom bloggers intended for their husbands. The dinner kits had everything the spouse needed to cook dinner and give mom the night off. As you can imagine, moms loved having dinner planned for them and expressed their appreciation through photos posted to Twitterpics, blog posts, videos posted to www.momtv.com, Facebook mentions and of course lots and lots of tweets. The idea is to get creative and establish a meaningful dialogue with these influential moms.
One final word on engaging mom bloggers: don’t stop at blogging when trying to connect your brand to social media mom influencers. Technology is changing quickly and moms are changing with it. Today’s mothers are quickly introducing video into their blogs and onto their Facebook profiles. Sites such as MomTV.com now have over 50 mom-produced live shows that draw hundreds of mothers every day to videos and vlogs. Newbaby.com boasts over 500 mom vloggers who are reviewing product and chronicling motherhood with their webcam. Moms are moving at the speed of technology and in order to truly engage them in a dialogue with your brand that allows them to share with their peers, you must communicate in a way that stays up with their multi-tasking, multi-media lives.
(1) -Wright, Susan. “BlogHer Statistics,” US National Census Data Projections, June 2007, www.compasspartners-llc.com.
Maria Bailey is CEO of BSM Media, a marketing and media firm that engages moms with brands. She is the author of “Marketing to Moms”, “Trillion Dollar Moms” and “Mom 3.0: Marketing with Today’s Mothers by Leveraging New Media and Technology”. She blogs at www.bluesuitmom.com and is the co-founder of MomTV.com, Newbaby.com and MomSelect.com. Marketers can watch her on www.marketingtomomsTV.com or follow her on Twitter (MomTalkRadio).
With as much attention as the mom blogosphere receives, it still only represents about one-third of the general population of mothers. Today, according to BlogHer research, more than 45 million women participate in the blogosphere weekly. It is estimated that about half are women with children, bringing the total to about 23 million of the 83 million moms in the US. This is why I often warn marketers who are targeting mothers not to view blogs as a silver bullet. The majority of mom bloggers are Generation X and Millennial mothers who post about their experiences as moms. More than 40% of women consider blogs a reliable source of advice and information and over 50% admit that blogs influence their buying decisions. (1) Most mom bloggers have only been in the blogosphere for less than twenty four months.
Blogging is the perfect tool for the Generation Y and Generation X mothers. Its functionality aligns very closely with the character traits of these two cohorts. First, blogging provides immediate gratification. Second, blogging fits nicely with their desire for customized motherhood. Blogging allows moms to connect with like-minded moms. If you are a Christian mom, you might follow Lori Seaborg’s blog, Just Pure Lovely, and if you are a New York mom you may follow the posts on Mommypoppins.com, where Anna Fader celebrates her New York upbringing by sharing the fun of raising a baby in Manhattan. Blogging also gives moms a platform for cause marketing and philanthropic support. Many moms use their blogs to connect with moms who share the same priorities or values. Finally, blogging as a tool allows moms to retain more of their own individualism. Yes, many of these moms blog on motherhood, but many use their blogs as a sounding board on life. Whether it’s not being satisfied in the bedroom or resenting housekeeping, moms have an outlet for their concerns or frustrations to be heard.
The use of mom blogs allows marketers to maximize the influence of mom mavens. This group, as we know, has long shared information about products, retailers and services with other mothers. Today with the help of the Internet, they can tell thousands, and in some cases millions, of other mothers. I hear more and more from moms that they have added mom blogs to their list of resources when researching a new product, travel destination or retailer. Marketers have quickly come to realize the power of mommy bloggers. Two great marketing initiatives rolled into one- viral online marketing and word of mouth influencers. However, it’s the “how to use mom bloggers” question that has created so much debate in the blogosphere and even more discussion in corporate America. The undefined rules of engagement with bloggers combined with the tidal wave of influence- both positive and negative- that can be generated by bloggers has forced many companies to make mistakes along the way.
Take the example of an egg company who sent out invitations to mom bloggers to distribute their Easter ideas to other moms. A great idea that, you’ll see, was spoiled by poor execution. The mistake that these eager marketers made was to send the Easter pitch to Jewish mom bloggers who were insulted that the marketer didn’t take the time to get to know them. The egg company received a great deal of negative reaction throughout the blogosphere. In traditional outreach, I’m sure that the egg company would not send the Easter ideas to the sports editor at the Washington Post but the appropriate features writer. The same rule applies with mom bloggers. Marketers and public relations professionals must take the time to get to know their target audience. Here are a few rules to remember in engaging Mom Bloggers:
1) Take the time to get to know the mom before contacting her.
I suggest reading the blog for a few days or follow the mom on Twitter;
2) Make sure the bloggers you are contacting are people you want representing your brand. Not all mom bloggers are created equal. If you have a problem with the “F” word being used in the same paragraph as your product’s name, it is in your best interest to identify the style of the mommy blogger;
3) Remember they are trying to build their brand just as you are trying to build yours. Create programs that allow the mom blogger to build her traffic via giveaways, sweepstakes, coupon codes and product exclusives;
4) The relationship should be a two way street. Don’t send a blogger a generic press kit with a lot of information about YOU and nothing in it for her. It’s not enough to say, “We think your audience will find this interesting. She doesn’t need your marketing messages, she’s got plenty others in her email inbox;
5) Personalize your communication to her;
6) When all else fails, just ask the mom for help.
Moms love to nurture relationships- not only with her children but also with brands. If you aren’t sure how to work with her, simply express your desire to collaborate and ask her for suggestions. Moms are innovative and creative and happy to help.
There are many ways to leverage your relationships with mom bloggers beyond basic product sampling. Some of the most effective programs include exclusive interviews with celebrity spokespeople, Twitter events, vlogging tours and meal planning kits. Recently, my team sent dinner kits to mom bloggers intended for their husbands. The dinner kits had everything the spouse needed to cook dinner and give mom the night off. As you can imagine, moms loved having dinner planned for them and expressed their appreciation through photos posted to Twitterpics, blog posts, videos posted to www.momtv.com, Facebook mentions and of course lots and lots of tweets. The idea is to get creative and establish a meaningful dialogue with these influential moms.
One final word on engaging mom bloggers: don’t stop at blogging when trying to connect your brand to social media mom influencers. Technology is changing quickly and moms are changing with it. Today’s mothers are quickly introducing video into their blogs and onto their Facebook profiles. Sites such as MomTV.com now have over 50 mom-produced live shows that draw hundreds of mothers every day to videos and vlogs. Newbaby.com boasts over 500 mom vloggers who are reviewing product and chronicling motherhood with their webcam. Moms are moving at the speed of technology and in order to truly engage them in a dialogue with your brand that allows them to share with their peers, you must communicate in a way that stays up with their multi-tasking, multi-media lives.
(1) -Wright, Susan. “BlogHer Statistics,” US National Census Data Projections, June 2007, www.compasspartners-llc.com.
Maria Bailey is CEO of BSM Media, a marketing and media firm that engages moms with brands. She is the author of “Marketing to Moms”, “Trillion Dollar Moms” and “Mom 3.0: Marketing with Today’s Mothers by Leveraging New Media and Technology”. She blogs at www.bluesuitmom.com and is the co-founder of MomTV.com, Newbaby.com and MomSelect.com. Marketers can watch her on www.marketingtomomsTV.com or follow her on Twitter (MomTalkRadio).
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