On this eve of 2008, perhaps the best advice for marketers is to learn to overcome the omni-present curse of knowledge.
Isn’t it always true that just when you think you know everything about your brand, your industry, or your customer, you get blindsided? Rather, let us learn from the … Read on >
My response to a piece by Virginia Heffernan in the December 9, 2007 issue of The New York Times Magazine on gendered spaces (in this case - "man caves") was published today in the Letters section:
"In his book ‘Where Men Hide,’ James B. Twitchell … Read on >
With all the year end lists and predictions, I thought this spoof question from the New York Times Q&A with Stuart Elliott was worth sharing (If I could find a URL that links directly to this q&a online, I would). As we head into 2008, let’s be careful not … Read on >
You know all those hard years you’ve put into learning more about marketing to women (or at least the long, hard years you’ve put into reading what I have to say)? Now is the time to reap the benefits! There is evidence that men are beginning to shop more like … Read on >
I’ve written about storytelling a fair amount in this blog, and I gave a MarketingProfs webinar on it earlier this year, so most of you know how important I think it is. My favorite author on the topic is Annette Simmons, who wrote in her book,The … Read on >
"We don’t target women first." That was one of Lauren Zalaznick’s (President of Bravo Media at NBC Universal) responses in an interview for TV Week magazine… and it caught my eye.
Here’s the specific question posed, with more of her answer (which I only used part of, and which … Read on >
I prefer to steer clear of politics as much as possible, but, Robin Toner’s article (reg. required) in the December 2nd New York Times pointed out a marketing angle that also applies to the consumer realm. That is, that "feminine values of caregiving" and the perhaps more feminine negotiation … Read on >
1) Morning television is all about women, as we’ve all long known, but there does come a point of no return in the fluffy factor. In “Morning TV Veers from News to Frills,” (December 4th, reg. required) New York Times writer Alessandra Stanley wonders how/if viewers will … Read on >
This week I launch my contributing editorship with eBrandMarketing.com [ed. note: as of 11.08, that blog became ReachingWomenDaily], with a post on my mission to make “marketing to women” obsolete. The non-gendered end goal = marketing to the highest customer standard, whoever that customer may be … Read on >
Leadership and the Sexes: Using Gender Science to Create Success in Business
by Barbara Annis
"The future of corporate success (especially with women occupying 50 percent of the workplace) lies in women and men both becoming gender intelligent in negotiations." This book is HR/leadership-focused, but there are significant implications for marketing team effectiveness and the understanding of today's consumers.
Guyland: The Perilous World Where Boys Become Men
by Michael Kimmel
Kimmel offers incredible insights on how young men view their own masculinity (and why). The way men think, in general, will be key to the broader gender trend conversation of the 21st century - with some major marketing implications (if you ask me).
The She Spot: Why Women Are the Market for Changing the World -- And How to Reach Them (BK Business)
by Lisa Witter and Lisa Chen
Social change driven by women - how much more hopeful about our world could you get? This book is well-written, and its nonprofit advice also applies, for the most part, to corporate marketing.
Peak: How Great Companies Get Their Mojo from Maslow
by Chip Conley
I'm a big psychology buff, so this application of Maslow's hierarchy of needs to the business realm fascinated (and resonated) with me. As Conley mentions, psychology in business has long been about "fixing it," but that won't necessarily "offer the opportunity for transformation to a more optimal state of being or productivity." Everyone can learn from this discussion.
The Sexual Paradox: Men, Women and the Real Gender Gap
by Susan Pinker
A fascinating examination of how sex differences play out over the life span. One interesting quote: "For most women it's less a question of who's able to win. It's whether competing feels good and is worth the cost."
