Womentum

Dishing on Dyson

You know you're officially an adult when you get excited about a vacuum cleaner. Here's a true story from my long holiday weekend about the power of word of mouth.

Our neighbor, Amanda, bought a  Dyson vacuum cleaner last week and has been telling us about how great it is. She's owned several before this one and swears by them. So, when she offered, we put it to the test in our house. Now, Amanda has one dog and one eight-year-old. We have two dogs, one cat, and one messy adult (yes, it's me).

Since I'm a sucker for pet pictures, this is Chase.

Anyway, we powered up the Dyson and watched in disgusted awe as it sucked more dog hair than we thought we had dogs. I actually got a little excited about vacuuming.

Then, just yesterday, we met a new neighbor with two dogs. We were comparing doggy notes when he turned to the subject of keeping up with the dog hair. "I've got a Dyson," he said. "Ever heard of them?" We smiled, laughed and started swapping Dyson stories over the fence. Turns out that when he was shopping, he was eyeballing the cheapest vacuum on the shelf. The salesperson asked him if he had dogs, and he answered yes. The, unprompted, another customer offered advice. "If you have dogs, you must have the Dyson," she said. "You won't regret spending the extra money." The next day, new neighbor guy's wife went to check out the Dyson and had a similar experience. A complete stranger saw her looking at the Dyson and offered her own bit of advice.

So now they own a Dyson. They are brand evangelists. Along with my other neighbor, Amanda, who, by the way, is Welsh. Turns out in Wales, they don't call it "vacuuming." They call it "Dysoning."

Is your product or brand inspiring stories? Is it worthy of owning an entire activity? Why not? If a vacuum cleaner can do it, why not you?

Collected Bits

Think of today’s post as random musings. They’re all connected, but in an obtuse way. These little collected bits intrigued me, so I’ve decided to share.

• Women-only trains in Tokyo. Sadly, this has come at the request of many Japanese women who were getting groped by strange men on the trains. Almost two-thirds of women aged 20 to 40 said they had been groped in a survey last year. A city official had an interesting take on the situation. “On one hand it could be that the number of men engaging in such acts is increasing, but it could also be that women who once felt they had to suffer in silence now have the courage to speak out and complain.” Let’s hope it’s the latter.

• Girls who identify with the main female characters in classic fairy tales like Cinderella are more likely to become victims of a violent relationship as an adult. At least that’s the conclusion of a graduate student in England. Her study found that girls who grew up reading these fairy tales were more submissive adults, and that adult victims of abuse identified with the “dominated” women characters.

• Over Mother’s Day weekend, women gathered in cities across the country to participate in Women Build, a partnership between Habitat for Humanity and Lowe’s. So far, female crews have built 650 homes. Well done. Wonder if they used tools designed for women. But more on that next week.

Load of Crap, Vol. Two

Boom! Yep, we’re still talking about Boomers today. Frankly, we could devote every single day of the next month to them, but don’t worry, we’re not going to do that. I just wanted to get this thought out there into the blogosphere.

Here’s an irony. In the next several years, all the Boomers will be at least 50 years old. They’re the largest population bubble, the most affluent demographic, and have grown accustomed to being catered to. Yet here they are, at age 50, and the media is pitching them youth-oriented shows like “Fear Factor” and “The OC”.

See, TV goes for the coveted 18-49 year olds, the same demographic that used to be the Boomers. Heck, they invented that demographic for the Boomers as TV became a household staple during the Boomers childhoods. Now, they’re on the outside.

Why would television, already suffering from declining viewership numbers to the delight of the internet, abandon this group of people with money and the inclination to spend it? Well, it seems that TV executives are operating under another mistaken stereotype about people of a certain age. Older consumers, they theorize, are less likely to try new brands than younger consumers.

That’s a load of crap.

Several studies have concluded that people over age 50 were just as likely as younger consumers to try a new bank, airline, computer and numerous other categories. And, in fact, Boomers were more likely to try a new brand of cell phone, home electronics and athletic shoes.

As one marketing expert noted, “If Baby Boomers were brand loyal, they would still be buying Thom McAn shoes and shopping in Woolworth stores.” Instead you have Boomers who buy the same clothes as their college-aged children, swap cellphones every six months and trade in cars like cards in a poker game.

Your homework today is to think about this: Are you putting products out there that are missing the prime target? Are you keeping up with the times? Are you helping your customers do the same? How can you encourage people of all ages to discover your brand?

Load of Crap, Vol. One

Within five years, about a third of the population will be at least 50 years old. That’s thanks in large part to the 76 million Baby Boomers who are leaving their 40s behind for good.

Traditionally, marketers have broadly categorized consumers by their ages. If you’re a certain age, they postulated, then you must be acting a certain way.

That’s a load of crap, and today’s consumers are rebelling against this type of stereotyping. They’ve (we’ve) already adopted slogans like “You’re only as old as you feel.” Instead of falling into neat little categories defined by arbitrary ages, consumers want to feel younger, act younger. We want to be talked to in a way the reflects our interests, and where we are in our lives (Are we married, single, divorced? Taking care of children? Taking care of aging parents? Starting a second family?).

Today, smart marketers are typing their consumers not only by gender, but by lifestage, affluence, health, demographics and values. Age isn’t the only measuring stick any more. Here’s a real life example. I had coffee this morning with a 30-year-old colleague who confided that she felt a little uncomfortable that she and her boss (mid-40ish) both liked the same clothing store. Yeah, I said, that’s cool. You have to look at your boss’s personality and attitude, not just her age. Boomers don’t want to be told they’re aging or treated like they’re irrelevant or out of the loop. And my friend’s boss is definitely in the loop and she’s not afraid to act like it.

So, today’s questions for you: Are you basing assumptions on antiquated expectations? On artificial descriptors or boundaries? What are you doing to speak to your consumers in ways that they can relate with, no matter what their age?

The Flip Side

There’s that law of physics (If I don’t get this exactly right, cut me some slack – I’m an English major) that says that for every action there’s an equal and opposite reaction. So, as we discussed in our Friday post, when more women are graduating college than men, there’s sure to be a backlash.

And a couple of days ago on NPR (love them!), there it was. In a story about how women are earning more bachelor’s degrees. Tom Mortensen of the Pell Institute for the Study of Opportunity and Higher Education presented the male perspective.

Men are under pressure on multiple fronts, he said. “Traditional male jobs” in manufacturing are down to a little over 10 percent of the nation’s economy while jobs in the service sector, where many women have made their career homes, are growing. Men don’t seem to be getting the message that education will help them succeed in the kinds of jobs available.

(A brief aside here. I found his use of “traditional male jobs” intriguing. Just as women once had the choice of mother, nurse or teacher, men are now experiencing the flip side of losing choice in their career paths. Irony, yes?)

Evidence of the plight of men? High incarceration rates, fewer males in the labor force, decreasing numbers of male voters, and an increase in absentee fathers. “We seem to know how to encourage and motivate and prepare young women but there’s really no conversation going on about what we ought to do to prepare our boys for the kinds of jobs that are going to be out there when they become adults,” Mortensen said.

The lesson for us as marketers here is this: yes, this new focus on marketing to women is exciting, but there has to be room for everyone at the table. Including men. And maybe, just maybe, there’s room in the conversation about how to prepare today’s boys for companies, brands, and individuals who have learned how to speak with today’s girls and women.

Women Drivers

If you pay any attention to the stock market, you surely know the blue chip stalwart General Motors is hemorrhaging money. Last quarter, the company reported a loss of $1.1 billion. Yep, that’s a B.

There’s been lots of discussion about what the company needs to do to regain a leadership position (some of the best I’ve seen was on Michelle Miller’s blog). http://michelemiller.blogs.com/marketing_to_women/

One of the things GM is trying is a more overt marketing to women strategy. The automaker just launched its Women in the Driver’s Seat (gm.com/women) web site and a new advertising campaign featuring female executives.

The new web site is rich with information, from buying a vehicle to safety and maintenance tips. Visitors can preview new models, enter a sweepstakes or request a printed brochure. Little things remind you that it’s geared for women, like the phrase “Get to know the LaCrosse” in the new model section. The site is successful in not patronizing women – the checklists and advice could just as easily be for a man – and it doesn’t come across as being “Autos 101 Lite.”

New TV ads that broke the week after Mother’s Day highlight five GM executives who handle everything from global purchasing to sales promotions and their children and grandchildren. The concept is that these women trust their families’ safety and comfort to GM cars, so you should, too. (I’m so tired of this as an advertising concept, but that’s a whole different thought)

Who do you think is doing a good job of marketing to women? A bad job? Send us your thoughts by clicking on the Comments link below.

Pomp & Circumstance

Today, I’m marking a personal milestone. It’s been 15 years since I walked across the stage and accepted my college diploma from Hollins University. (www.hollins.edu)

This month, colleges and universities across the country will be handing out 200,000 more diplomas to women than to men. It’s the continuation of a trend that started back in the 1980s. Let’s take a quick look back: In the 1960s, Harvard admitted one woman for every four men. In 2004, Harvard admitted more women than men for the first time.

Here’s the big picture for women’s educational achievements:
• 57 percent of all bachelor degrees
• 58 percent of all masters degrees (mine’s in Journalism and Public Affairs from American University)
• 50 percent of all law degrees
• 40 percent of all business master’s degrees
• 46 percent of all medical degrees (and in 2004, women applicants to med school outnumbered men for the first time)

For you as a savvy marketer, this means several things. One, more education means more money. And that means that women now have more of their own income to spend. Two, women expect more intelligent communications. Three, there’s a backlash. But we’ll talk about that in our next post.

You Go, Girl!

What’s the hottest trend in travel? You got it, girl! It’s girlfriend travel.

More and more women are booking trips and leaving their jobs, husbands and kids at home. They’re off to get pampered at the spa, go llama trekking, max out their credit cards at high end boutiques, and whitewater rafting.

In fact, the new adventure traveler is no longer a 28-year-old male. It’s a 40-something woman in a size 12 pair of hiking pants!

Here’s a sampling of women-only travel experiences
• Women and Wine: a new company leading tours through wine regions both here and abroad
• Sacred Journeys for Women: visit landmarks mentioned in The Da Vinci Code throughout Europe and discover the “feminine divine in all of us.”
• Chicago’s Four Seasons Hotel: The Martini Man will visit rooms with his cocktail cart, enjoy a Neiman-Marcus makeover and indulge in decadent desserts.
• Desperate Housewives weekends: Book your room at Manhattan’s Muse Hotel and check out the package including lingerie shopping, an eye candy field trip to a male strip club, and martini after martini. In Boston, female guests are showered with champagne and chocolate, an in-room massage, limo service and a sleep balm.

As a veteran of girl getaways, I can testify to their rejuvenating effects. I come home a better person than when I left.

Are there ways you can partner with other companies to provide a women-only experience? Are you feeding her adventurous spirit? Giving her a place to be herself without the demands of home or work?

Tilting at Sony's Windmill

Usually, we talk about companies that are marketing to women the right way. But today I have a beef with Sony. I know, I know. Why would a skinny little woman like me take on an electronics giant? Because they’re flying pink banners, that’s why!!!

Geez.

In its effort to attract more women to its technology stores, (commendable, since 89 percent of all consumer electronics purchases involve women) Sony has started refurbishing interiors (good), started showing more women in their advertising materials (good), and redesigning products with women in mind (also good).

So why am I up on my soapbox? Because despite their best intentions, they’re falling down when it comes to certain executions. They’re relying on old stereotypes. I meant it when I said they’re flying pink banners. They’re flying pink banners encouraging women to experience “a technology makeover.” There’s a Girls Only night where customers receive chocolates and scented body lotion in addition to tech tips.

Okay, look, I applaud the intention. I really do. Smart. But making it pink doesn’t make it right. Making it smell pretty doesn’t make it right. Making sure that women have the information they need, have a great in-store experience and feel respected? That’ll make it right.

What do you think?

I'll Pay More For Ethics

(Author's note: sorry for no post on Monday - technical problem.)

In Boston, customers are paying $15 for a simple, white, cotton t-shirt. Sure, they could go to Wal-Mart and buy three t-shirts for less, but these shirts are sweatshop-free.

Last week, here in Winston-Salem, the local BMW dealership hosted Drive for the Cure. The public was invited to test drive new BMWs (including the really hot new convertible! I didn’t get to drive that one. But I’m not complaining about taking a 5 series for a spin) and BMW donated a dollar for every mile driven to the Susan G. Komen Breast Cancer Foundation.

These are just two examples of values-based marketing. See, women take a look at all aspects of how you’re doing business. They care about if your company is a good place to work, if you support charitable causes, if you’re a responsible corporate citizen. In fact, studies show that about 75 percent of women will switch brands (if all other variables are equal) if they support a cause she does.

Just a brief aside. I just heard yesterday that values are formed by 3rd grade and that over the course of a lifetime, they don’t change dramatically.

In the case of the $15 t-shirts, a commodity product is building success on the company’s values to add value to the customer. If you can’t strongly differentiate your product, you can still differentiate what your company stands for.

Whether you’re selling a commodity product or not, women are looking at your company and your business practices. Are you ready for the microscope? Have you clearly articulated your company’s values? Are you living them? Women want to know.