1) Bella DePaulo, author of Singled Out: How Singles Are Stereotyped, Stigmatized, and Ignored, and Still Live Happily Ever After wrote a great piece for HuffingtonPost that busts the marketing myths of single boomers. My favorite one: Peddling Insecurities. As Depaulo puts it: Insecurities … Read on >
1) Though I report on both the ups and downs of the brand, I am, at the core, a Lululemon lover. That’s why it was interesting to read that the yoga apparel retailer’s new CEO is a woman with a Starbucks background. Margaret Brennan’s CNBC interview with … 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 >
There exists a distinct "WAF," or Wife Acceptance Factor, in the consumer electronics realm, according to a new (female) friend in that industry. It could be condescending or empowering, as she says, depending on how you slice it.
Perhaps not so surprisingly, the same factor appears to influence home purchases … Read on >
With a recent story by Clifford Krauss(reg. required) in the New York Times, the motorcycle manufacturer has certainly gotten its due recognition for serving its own women’s market very well - but what can you learn from the folks at Harley-Davidson? Especially if you are in a male-dominated industry, … Read on >
How to market a product that people buy furtively, at best? 1) use humor, and 2) reflect your core market’s reality. Trojan’s new ad campaign, "Evolve," is doing that, and doing it well, to inspire sexually active young men and women toward more responsible behavior. Some networks don’t approve … Read on >
A recent poll of 2,500 American women by Woman’s Day/AOL Food, found that nearly 80% were not concerned with their children’s weight. As reported in MediaPost, the poll results also revealed this contradiction:
"80% believe eating healthier would be easier
if cost weren’t an issue; yet 85% said their … Read on >
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 … Read on >
Solo women are in the news. As noted in a New York Times article (reg. required) today:
“In 2005, 51 percent of women said they were living without a spouse, up from 35 percent in 1950 and 49 percent in 2000.
Coupled with the fact that in 2005 married couples … 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 >
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."
