Maybe it’s the political season rubbing off, but the word and concept of “polarization” has been on my mind lately. Whether its male vs. female, democrat vs. republican, black vs. white or vegetarian vs. omnivore - it can all seem a little extreme. On an average daily basis, … Read on >
In my years of monitoring and analyzing marketing’s latest, one thing is for sure: pretty much every market segment is misunderstood and there has, without a doubt, been a study done on it. If you lined them up next to one another, whether men/women, Boomer/Gen Y, mom/single dad, wouldn’t all … Read on >
Do you remember when you started to notice people drinking water in bottles? Since those of us who are Baby Boomers or Gen Xers grew up with soft drinks (or "pop" as we used to say in my Midwestern neck of the woods) all around us, that changeover was extremely … Read on >
Count me as one of the 40.5 million women (out of 90 million people) expected to watch the Super Bowl on February 3rd. Where usually I am not … Read on >
yWhen it comes to form and function, the huge industries behind cars and computers perhaps struggle most to keep the delicate balance for today’s consumers. Both realms have long been run in very traditional ways, with product development and marketing decisions based mainly on linear thinking. But, any brand that … 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 >
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 >
We live in interesting times. Marketing to women is hitting its stride, and this is definitely progress, but in some cases reaching women seems to be attached to bashing men. Hmmm. Is that truly relevant to the majority of female consumers?
Television ad campaigns, and even full-on sitcoms, … Read on >
Turns out, both men and women have empathy (who knew?), but feel free to give in to it under different circumstances. Ian Austen writes in a New York Times article (reg. required) that men will more likely show empathy, i.e. cry, if a sad thing happens in a movie … 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."
