March 24, 2008

When I say "hugely successful investor," we pretty much all think "Warren Buffett," right? Would you be surprised to find out that his style of researching and being patient with his investments is more typically feminine than masculine? Now, does that make him a sissy?

February 7, 2008

Even though you are likely a marketing type -- and using that brain to read this post -- take a second and put on your consumer hat. How do you feel about being defined as any particular market: Boomer, single mom, soccer Dad? Do you feel misunderstood by the marketing campaigns that cross your path?

January 30, 2008

Yes. I'm one of the 40.5 million women (out of 90 million people) expected to watch this year's Super Bowl game. And, while I'm usually not a huge professional football fan (college ball is another thing - Go Blue), something changed my perspective this season. I'll tell you the specifics of my story a little later, but, the larger picture is what I'm really getting at...

January 3, 2008

As 2008 begins, learning to overcome the omni-present curse of knowledge is perhaps the best advice for marketers.

December 18, 2007

Congratulations! Now is the time to reap the benefits of your many years studying up on marketing to women. We are seeing bits and pieces of evidence that men are beginning to shop more like women.

November 5, 2007

Spa/salon party events and pink cellphones/electronics marketed to young women seem to get a lot of attention, but they aren't the only ones buying. Young men are starting to embrace shopping, as well.

October 25, 2007

Earlier this week, Mike Martin, a regular (and very good) commentator for the local public radio station, brought up an interesting point in a piece about how it just may have taken Al Gore's Nobel Prize to make an environmental stance manly.

October 24, 2007

It is a good day when the research starts to show what many of us have been intuiting for a while - that some consumers will pay more for goods with more socially or environmentally responsible approaches.

October 12, 2007

This is exactly how a recent Associated Press article on men selling Avon products began (and, please note: it is not Bobbi with an "i."): Meet Bobby McKinney. Your local Avon man.

October 1, 2007

What motivates people in terms of health issues, from diabetes to smoking, can be a fascinating topic - all the more so for anyone with marketing on the brain. So, I'm guessing a lot of us take note of any new approach or ad campaign that might inspire change for the broader populations dealing with such concerns.

September 27, 2007

The marketing of some children's books is getting increasingly gender-specific. In fact, some book marketers are forcing a gender stereotype that needn't be forced. The same can happen in marketing certain products to grown-up girls and boys. Don't let this happen to you!

September 20, 2007

Can we make assumptions about who feels most comfortable ordering or buying wine? At first glance, findings of a recent Harris Interactive/Robert Mondavi Private Selection study point to a generation and gender gap, but I say - look a bit deeper.

September 4, 2007

I am that not-so-rare creature: a woman who drinks beer. No need for a stereotypically feminine bottle or tap - I like it just as it is. When I do drink beer, it is usually in mixed company at one of the local brewpubs -so, while Heineken might not be available at such a place, the brand's latest attempt to reach the women's market still just gives me pain. I'd be embarrassed to ask for it, anywhere.

August 9, 2007

Part of the fun of my very occasional tequila drinking experience in college was joining the guys to really... shall we say, "celebrate," before I went back to my usual boring beer. Even though I get a headache just typing this post about tequila now, it was very interesting to ponder a recent move by In The Black Beverage Corp (ITBBC) as reported by Sarah Mahoney for MediaPost.

August 1, 2007

More men are buying female-targeted skincare, beauty products and treatments, according to Forbes and Brandweek. These guys are the brave ones.

July 18, 2007

Blackberry is doing a pretty major media blitz with their new campaign, "Ask Someone Why They Love Their Blackberry." I think I've seen it 18 times, in either a business magazine or online within the last hour (just kidding). It's a good campaign for a lot of reasons, not the least of which is that it gives me, "Miss Not-Living-In-Technology-land," some common ground with the brand, thanks to storytelling.

June 26, 2007

I recently presented to a conference audience of amazing people in the philanthropy "business" in Cambridge, MA. A number of them were women who had been young during prime feminism-emerging times in the 60s/70s, so the comments from the audience were all the more telling.

June 19, 2007

The financial services industry has been male-dominated and focused since the beginning of time (or, whenever it officially became an industry), and that is becoming a bit of an issue as the number of women with high net worth increases. They are not so easily sold with: "Let me take care of it," "I can handle it all for you," or, "Did I tell you how smart I am?"

June 18, 2007

As Colonel Nathan Jessep in "A Few Good Men," actor Jack Nicholson practically spits out the line: "You can't handle the truth." When I read John Schmeltzer's June 11th article in the Chicago Tribune about McDonald's newly launched public relations move toward "transparency" with moms, that's what I wondered: Can McDonald's really handle the truth?

June 7, 2007

Let's say you are searching for an appropriate cause that your brand can passionately and authentically support (i.e. it needs to be a fit with what you already stand for). The cause should also be one with which your women's market will identify. What is the first thing that comes to mind? Yep.. it is symbolized by a pink ribbon.

May 29, 2007

I know. You are all sick of hearing how wonderful Apple is, but bear with me. Randall Stross wrote a great piece in yesterday's New York Times and I want to emphasize a few of his points, especially from the marketing perspective.

May 25, 2007

Quick. If you had to come up with the way quote unquote singles were depicted in ad campaigns, would you say: singles are in their early 20s, city-livers, hip dressers, thin, concerned with their hair style/color and wearing the latest clothing styles, all the while working serious careers - but also hanging out at bars nightly and in the gym early mornings? As the saying goes: think again.

May 22, 2007

Below is a photo taken during my recent American Gem Society Conclave experience. As I suspected, my friends from Spotrunner and I look a bit bedraggled in comparison to the stunning, young model bedecked with jewels. Still, I thought you might get a kick out of it.

May 21, 2007

Though I am not big on televison today, I did take the time to post about a new show, Ugly Betty, last summer. Back then, my discussion (generated by an email exchange with Stephanie Weaver) focused on the cultural differences (Latin American/Hispanic humor) related to what seemed like an overly "mean" approach to one woman's life (the lead character is dumpy looking and runs into glass walls etc.).

May 17, 2007

If you've been monitoring what women look for in a brand, you've long since addressed their interest in your corporation's social responsibility. If you've been a bit slow on the draw, however, the word is now out. Today's college students are judging both possible future employers and the brands they buy based on such things.

May 11, 2007

Whether and how a brand supports a cause is becoming an increasingly relevant crossroad on a consumer's buying path. Still, this remains an oft-neglected consideration -- perhaps partially because it is difficult to measure immediate ROI and that, in turn, can make it a hard sell for executives focused on the bottom line.

May 4, 2007

An NPR story I heard just moments ago inspired me to write. In Tom Goldman's piece about Barbaro and what his passing might mean for Derby Week, we get a little snippet of the power of authenticity.

May 2, 2007

Socially and environmentally responsible living and business practices are becoming more and more of a priority - thanks to peer influence and consumer demand. From the gem industry to the furniture industry to the lawncare industry, our friends/neighbors; and, as marketers, our customers, are questioning where things come from and where they will eventually go.

April 27, 2007

New research by Cone shows that yes, consumers are paying attention to social and environmental responsibility to a much greater extent these days -- and that they appreciate learning about it via ad campaigns. In the recent MediaPost article on the findings, Sarah Mahoney wrote...

April 26, 2007

Two keys to transparent marketing (which is the main concept in my book, Don't Think Pink) are narrowing your focus and getting to know your customer community intimately. I tend to assume that this is a lot easier for smaller/closer-to-the-customer businesses to follow through on than it might be for larger companies.

April 23, 2007

One of the truths about how women buy involves the "inside scoop" factor. All things being equal (quality/price/customer experience), the smaller the perceived "club" of existing buyers, the hipper the brand will seem and the more those in-the-know will want to tell others.

April 20, 2007

I had to buy new tires for my Subaru last year, and one of the biggest things on my mind was: where will the old ones end up? And, here along the Vermont side of Lake Champlain, we recently had much to-do about a possible tire-burning plant just across from us in New York (public opinion against it won out).

April 19, 2007

I read Joe Sharkey's New York Times piece about American Airlines new women-specific web site yesterday, rolled my eyes at all of the obvious blunders on said site, and put it on my "to blog about" list. As a "female business traveler" myself, this is one topic that merits a little further discussion.

April 16, 2007

If, as good info-gathering marketers, we were to evaluate another brand's marketing efforts solely on their big-picture imagery in glossy magazines, we'd probably miss the point -- for luxury brands (and on down the line, I'd guess).

April 4, 2007

It would have been hard to miss all the media attention this past few weeks on Elizabeth Edwards' recurring cancer and her husband's plan to continue with his presidential campaign. While you may or may not have read all of the April 1st New York Times article by Jane Gross, I was struck by a few sentences near the very end.

March 29, 2007

"What do women want?" may seem like the eternal quandry, but it doesn't have to be -- especially with regard to consumer behavior. Sometimes it is the easiest answer that escapes our over-thinking brains. (Now, as far as what women want in relationships, there are gazillions of books to choose from... .)

March 28, 2007

This just in: As per MediaPost, Forbes is launching Forbes Life Executive Women in October. I am all for better serving the businesswoman reader, but am wondering if entire new magazines need to be created to do so.

March 23, 2007

Even after writing and speaking about marketing to women for all these years, I must admit I still have trouble confidently deciding which of these words to use: "female" vs. "woman" or "gender" vs. "sex." Of course, for some inexplicable reason, I have never taken the time to look it up myself.

March 21, 2007

Just as I put the final touches on my "Marketing Through Storytelling" webinar for MarketingProfs (tomorrow, Thursday, noon eastern time), I read Steve Miller's story in Brandweek on the how some 30-second ads are evolving into several minute videos. He points to two examples I will be using Thursday, as well - the Home Depot and the Hitachi "True Stories" efforts.

March 14, 2007

Anyone who has talked with me in the past few months knows that I am basically a walking evangelist for Michael Pollan's book, The Omnivore's Dilemma. So, stop right now and go buy it or get it from the library (but you will probably have to highlight a few sentences, so...). Here's why I like it so much.

March 8, 2007

Why is all the travel time, rich food, lack of exercise and not-your-own-bed annoyance of going to conferences worth the effort? For me, it is because the speakers usually bring life to information that, while interesting in its own right, might not otherwise strike me or inspire real change/forward-motion. Good speakers do this because they know they must use stories to quickly persuade us their ideas are worth our time and attention.

March 7, 2007

Last week I attended an incredible multi-disciplinary conference on the topic of "community" called The Vine. From the perspective of residential community developer John L. Knott, Jr. of the Noisette Company to that of fiction author/english tutoring nonprofit founder Dave Eggers...

February 23, 2007

Have you noticed the new Wall Street Journal ad campaign yet? "Every journey needs a Journal" uses celebrities from the spectrum of industries (Sheryl Crow and Jake Burton, to Alice Waters and Oscar De La Hoya), who are telling their histories -- with the relevant WSJ news tied in along the timeline.

February 22, 2007

I imagine a fair number of you read the cover story on Toyota's success (reg. required) in The New York Times Magazine this past Sunday. What I loved was that much of what was highlighted about the car manufacturer's success had to do with their management team's more whole-picture/holistic view.

February 15, 2007

I recently delivered a brief presentation on how women buy and what role storytelling -- or interpersonal narrative -- has in the process. In the course of becoming more aware of current examples of brands that are using this form, I noticed an ad on the in-flight television as I traveled to this event.

February 12, 2007

I was on my annual, too-short, snowboarding trip this past week, and came upon a great coffee shop in Breckenridge, CO (comfy couches and little nooks). While standing at the counter, I picked up a fancy brochure thing produced by American Express, entitled something like "the insider's guide to Breckenridge"....

February 2, 2007

It's exciting to watch as more and more brands take on this consumer-generated content/ad campaign concept -- and it has been especially noticeable in relation to the Super Bowl (whew.. I had forgotten how the media simply becomes the Super Bowl for a good month...) One thing that has been missing (and I mentioned it in my post on the demise of the Man Laws campaign) is the follow through or continuing story. Therein lies a lot of lost marketing potential....

February 1, 2007

Let's say I am your average skeptical technology consumer. What do you think might happen if I read media coverage about the launch of a new operating system that seems to gloss over whatever the system does and presume, no doubt, that my jaw will drop and I'll only be able to say "wow" when faced with its wonders....

January 31, 2007

The keys to transparent marketing include narrowing your focus and getting to know your customers intimately. Drive-through latte stands in the Seattle area are taking that to the bank. Says an AP contributed article on MSNBC, there are now several chains with female baristas serving up coffee in bikinis....

January 29, 2007

In this run up to the Super Bowl, there has been a lot of media discussion about the influence of female fans on the success of sporting events, in general. In a recent MediaLife article, Heidi Dawley, mentions a study by Initiative Sports Futures that finds that more and more women are watching the world's top sporting events....

January 26, 2007

This past November, I gave thanks for humor in marketing, one example of which was the Miller High Life "Man Laws" campaign (created by Crispin, Porter & Bogusky, Miami). I am now sorry to report that the effort, though apparently popular and engaging for customers, did not result in the increased sales the brand had hoped. It's been pulled (for now)....

January 23, 2007

In yesterday's New York Times Book Review, Joe Queenan wrote a hysterical essay about the glowing adjectives used to describe novels. The piece was called: "Astonish Me...."

January 18, 2007

Test your own brain with this "sex i.d. profile" (on the BBC site) to see where it tracks on the continuum between feminine and masculine....

January 12, 2007

If you come across it in your nightly viewing, pay attention to the new "Let It Out" ad campaign for Kleenex....

January 5, 2007

As we close out 2006, one thing I've noticed is that today's technology seems to help men embrace their supposed "feminine" brain traits for connecting without being considered "unmanly"....

January 3, 2007

We are entering the anticipation zone for 2007 Superbowl Ads, and I'm wondering how a brand can really do something that gets attention. Shall we turn our attention to consumer-generated ideas and new media buzz...?

December 27, 2006

There is an article in Monday's Los Angeles Times about getting women to try the new Nintendo Wii product....

December 19, 2006

During this season of consumeritis and its blur of endless, repeating television, radio and print ads, the occasional nod to social responsibility seems daring, and effective, in its simplicity....

December 15, 2006

Did anyone else pore over Sunday's New York Times Magazine? It's Sixth Annual Year of Ideas was fascinating, so pull it out of the recycle bin if you missed it....

December 13, 2006

When I was a kid, 35 seemed like just about the age when people should pre-pay for retirement homes and funerals. My how things have changed....

December 6, 2006

Why bother too much with your Web site if you are a packaged-goods marketer who doesn't sell much, if any, online? Ask Procter & Gamble and Unilever about how they connect with consumers willing and motivated to engage with their brands....

November 27, 2006

A tad sleepy and mind-aflutter with sensory input from a whole other world (quite literally), my recent trip to Dubai was a wonderful experience....

November 24, 2006

When you think about the best marketing efforts, they are often the ones with which you have been able to find some common ground. Whether that be in the fact that the television ad uses a model that looks like your sister, or you see a testimonial on a Web site from a person that lives in your hometown, or... you come across a sense of humor that matches your own....

November 21, 2006

It is no secret that, while the majority of women commit to at least the annual doctor's visit so that they'll more likely have some chance at screening for the most common health issues, men don't seem to have the same motivation....

November 10, 2006

Given all the press that marketing to women has been getting lately, I imagine we'll see a surge of new ideas, approaches and campaigns competing for the womens' market dollar....

November 9, 2006

I noticed, with great interest, a brief article on the Saturn brand's "second coming," in Sunday's NY Times....

October 31, 2006

Based on the number of emails I received in the past 24 hours from friends, family and colleagues, there should be no one in the free world (and beyond!) who hasn't seen the article in the Sunday New York Times, "What Do Women Want? Just Ask."

October 30, 2006

"Organic" is the hot label now. But just how much does a company have to change about their products to be allowed to use that distinction? Is it really all boiling down to marketing pitches with no substance...?

October 19, 2006

This just in, and it needs little comment from me - other than that Dove continues to raise the bar in marketing to women....

Katya Andresen, the author of Robin Hood Marketing, was just one of the "9 Minds On Marketing" I interviewed for my newly published ebook....

October 15, 2006

This past week women worldwide -- and the amazing things they can do with even the smallest amounts of capital -- were in the news. And how....

October 4, 2006

Sometimes there is a bizarre synergy in the randomness of my research and writing, and this week has been a good example....

October 2, 2006

If it didn't yet seem official enough for you, the findings of the US Census Bureau "2005 American Community Survey," make it so: Unmarried people lead 50.3 percent of U.S. households, while married couples lead 49.7 percent....

September 7, 2006

Whirlpool has just launched an effort to pull together single men and women, especially second-time singles (a new-to-me term, otherwise known as divorced) and singles over 30, around their brand....

August 22, 2006

The female brain. We can't understand it well enough in this business....

August 16, 2006

Customer experience expert Stephanie Weaver emailed me last week to see if I'd noticed the promo for a September-launching television show that goes by the title: "Ugly Betty" ....

August 11, 2006

I've been getting up a little earlier than usual these days, because it's the only time I can walk my dog without killing her in the humidity (and she is used to a longgg daily walk)....

August 8, 2006

Ghost writers can't write blogs for you....

June 26, 2006

Philanthropy lingers on my mind after a presentation I gave last week to alumni and development officers from New England schools/universities....

June 15, 2006

For a few brands that are turning up the sensory side of their customer experience, what you see isn't necessarily all you get....

June 6, 2006

The cover story for this week's Boston Globe Magazine says it all: "Single and Loving It"....

The cover story for this week's Boston Globe Magazine says it all: "Single and Loving It"....

May 23, 2006

Women are looking for common ground....

May 4, 2006

I've just started to do some research on women and philanthropy for an upcoming presentation...

April 24, 2006

I've been hearing about NASCAR's female fans and all the clever cross-promotional ideas and licensed products for a while now, but this recent Sports Illustrated article pulled it all together for me....

April 18, 2006

This past week or so, the topic of saleswomen vs. salesmen has come up a few times, and then a friend forwarded this Wall Street Journal piece to me yesterday...

April 5, 2006

Have you ever noticed when a store's online look and feel don't match it's offline experience, or vice versa?...

March 31, 2006

Adam Sternbergh wrote a fun and insightful piece for the April 3, 2006 issue of New York magazine, entitled "Up With Grups*." In it, he writes...