Three big categories of magazines that target women - shelter, family and bridal - are not doing so well. According to a recent FAS-FAX circulation report from the Audit Bureau of Circulations, titles including Country Living, Metropolitan Home, Child, Parent and Modern Bride are among those with noticeable sales decreases.
(Read … Read on >
This just in: The Wall Street Journal’s Ronald Alsop, reports on the rankings of corporations as related to their perceived social responsibility. In "How Boss’s Deeds Buff A Firm’s Reputation," (reg. required) Alsop shares the eighth annual corporate responsibility research WSJ conducted with Harris Interactive.
For example the United … Read on >
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 … Read on >
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 … Read on >
Look closely. Who’s signing the paperwork and writing the deposit checks for $700K + condos in the big cities? Both single and married women, apparently.
As reported by Christine Haughney in the New York Times, "Women Unafraid of Condo Commitment" (reg. required), condominiums in just one Brooklyn building are reflecting … Read on >
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.
According to Comscore Media Metrix, and … Read on >
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 (reg. … Read on >
Just when you hope you’ve seen the last of the slapped on "for her" taglines, another one pops up. The magazine industry seems to struggle with this the most, as … Read on >
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: … Read on >
Has anyone else noticed the storyline of the recent "Bold Moves" campaign television spot for the Ford Freestyle? It starts with a mom and … 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."
