Is Your Ad Agency Missing the Mark?

A quick Google search will flood your screen with seminars, new business models, web sites, articles and blogs dedicated to the recently discovered art of marketing to women. The foundation being that 85% of all brand purchases (that’s nearly $2 trillion annually—more than half of the GNP) are made by women. And yet more and more conclusive research is revealing women are not swayed or influenced by the traditional branding messages. In fact, more often than not, women are turned-off by the very brands seeking to target them. The modern woman has become numb and indifferent to ads that speak to her husband, or even worse, her great aunt.

This is not at all surprising considering a measly 3% of advertising creative directors—the people in charge of communicating to purchasers—are women. Even the advertising industry award shows can’t argue the point. Less than 15% of the top honors are awarded to ads targeting women. It’s like some very valuable logic was lost somewhere in the last 50 years.

Change is on the Horizon
It’s been a very slow realization, but it’s finally happening. Established traditional agencies are seeking out the female creatives, new female-focused agencies are cropping up all over the U.S. and Europe, and even the huge, super-star ad agencies are adding entire departments dedicated to tapping into this gold mine of a market.

More Numbers Making News
Research tells us that 71% of women feel that brands only consider them for beauty products and cleaning products. Which is astounding considering additional statistics state the following:

• 94% the wealth acquired in the next four years, will be acquired by women
• 69% of household health decisions are made by women
• 74% of all NBA & NFL apparel is purchased by women
• 91% of new home decisions are made by women
• 81% of grocery decisions are made by women
• 60% of the online population are women
• 62% of all workers are women

Does this Mean Excluding Men? Absolutely not.
Improving your marketing doesn’t mean making it “for her eyes only.” That would be short-sighted to say the least. In fact, making your product more desirable to women will more than likely make it more appealing to everyone. Quite simply, if you connect with the intelligence and sensibilities of a woman, chances are good you’re message is effective across the sexes. Business owners, both male and female, should consider the fact this information is immensely valuable to every person wanting to thrive or, and in some cases, survive in today’s tenuous market place. Particularly in a fragile economy, advertisers should focus on trying to understand how women think and feel in order to expand their audience.

In other words, if you want your company to shoot for the stars, you may want to aim more in the direction of Venus.


Stephanie Holland, Holland + Holland CEO/Creative Director, is a serious marketing guru with an extremely thorough methodology and ever-present sense of humor to balance it all out. She has headed up Holland + Holland Advertising for 25 years.

In Her Shoes - How Should Marketers Speak to a Female Buying Audience?

It’s no longer a secret that women are ultimately responsible for the vast majority of consumer purchases—about $2 trillion each year to be approximate. So it’s no surprise brands across the board are vigorously targeting this valuable market. As we know from heaps of research, traditional advertising has been speaking directly to a male audience and ignoring (if not offending) women for decades. This is obviously a dilemma ad agencies are scrambling to solve. Thousands of talented creatives are now having to learn a new language of sorts, via seminars, books and a host of other methods developed to help them hone their tone.

Here are a few things to remember when vying for the attention of the female buyer:

• Relying on old research and typecasts is the fastest way to get a woman to ignore your message. Women have become numb to traditional advertising.
• Minor changes to copy and creative won’t work. Study how the modern woman thinks.
• Connect. Women seek out personal connections. They are interested in what brands stand for and how products may affect them day-to-day.
• Presentation must be pertinent, applicable and in context with their lives.
• Keep it real. Women have developed a kind of radar that instantly detects and rejects superficial selling techniques.

Women are indeed making the buying decisions, and have been for years. Not just for themselves, but for the entire family. Most marketers recognize the importance of getting this market’s attention. The smart ones are figuring out exactly how to do it right.


Stephanie Holland, Holland + Holland CEO/Creative Director, is a serious marketing guru with an extremely thorough methodology and ever-present sense of humor to balance it all out. She has headed up Holland + Holland Advertising for 25 years.

Best Buy Marketing to Women

Best Buy reviewed its customer database in 2004 and found that women -- mostly suburban moms with kids aged 6 to 12 - bought over 40% of its products.

To cater to their female consumers, their stores now have personal shopping assistants who don't talk in geekspeak. Best Buy is adding softer lighting and multiple hues to its basic blue and yellow colors. In their home-theater station, customers get a feel for the system in a nonthreatening environment where a sales associate can explain all the features from hardware to content.


Stephanie Holland is President and Creative Director for Holland + Holland Advertising. Working in an industry that is mostly dominated by men, she is one of only 3% of the female creative directors in the country. Stephanie works mostly with male advertisers helping them successfully market to women.

Harley-Davidson Spotlights Female Shoppers

Women aren't a niche, they are the market. These are just a few of the companies that have awakened to the power of women consumers and their purchasing power:

Harley-Davidson (HDI ). In November, it added a section on its Web site for female bikers, with tips on appropriate gear and how to ride safely. Harley says it was responding to the growing popularity of motorbikes among women: Sales to women grew to 10%, or 23,000, of all bikes sold in 2003 vs. just 2% in 1985.

Additional companies now focusing attention on women consumers:

• Banks and financial-service companies, including Citibank (C ), Merrill Lynch (MER ), and Charles Schwab (SCH ), have created entire departments that market investment products exclusively to women. Indeed, it would be a mistake to ignore this fast-growing segment of wealthy individuals. The Employment Policy Foundation says the number of women earning $100,000 or more has tripled in the last 10 years.
• Best Buy (BBY ) is retraining its floor sales staff to talk to women in practical terms, not in jargon.
• Contractor Barbara Kavovit, CEO of Barbara K Enterprises, launched a line of tools ergonomically designed to suit a woman's smaller hand.
• iPod mini is any indication, such optimism is well-founded. Women are lapping up a majority of the multicolored minis, contributing significantly to Apple's dramatic 74% sales increase in its fiscal first quarter that ended Dec. 25.

Companies that pay attention to the female consumer could hit the mother lode.


Stephanie Holland is PresPublish Postident and Creative Director for Holland + Holland Advertising. Working in an industry that is mostly dominated by men, she is one of only 3% of the female creative directors in the country. Stephanie works mostly with male advertisers helping them successfully market to women.

Women are changing the way everything is marketed

Women are powering up today's retailers and changing the way everything is marketed.

Who are these women?

• These are the 55 million working women, many of whom, especially those under 50, have a child or two.
  
• Almost all of them work full time, an average of 40 hours a week, in stressful jobs with unpredictable hours.
  
• They're also responsible for all the household chores.
  
• They do a predominant amount of the laundry, help their kids with homework, and are the chauffeur service for the kids' soccer or music classes. They have relatively little time for themselves, usually an hour or so after their kids have gone to sleep.
• They are extremely brand-conscious and does a lot of research before buying.
  

Why are women so important?

• About 25% of them make more money than their husbands or boyfriends.
  
• They are the chief purchasing agent of the family.
  
• They decide when the family needs a vacation and where they should go. Women are the dominant influence in a two-person household.

Stephanie Holland is President and Creative Director for Holland + Holland Advertising. Working in an industry that is mostly dominated by men, she is one of only 3% of the female creative directors in the country. Stephanie works mostly with male advertisers helping them successfully market to women.

Hate to break it to you guys, but you aren’t the market.

But the good news is, just knowing that fact can make (or save) you loads of money.

Most advertising is focused on the wrong target. Many advertisers are just now figuring out that they have been talking to the wrong gender for years. When they do realize that women are the market they tend to paint everything pink and lace. This only turns off female consumers.

Many ad agencies are trying to re-learn how to advertise. They are commissioning behavioral physiologists, marketing experts, and are hiring more females. Advertising is a male dominated industry. 97% of advertising creative directors are men. But women are the primary purchasing agent for the family and make 85% of the purchasing decisions in almost every consumer category.

One of the many things they are discovering is that women are demanding recognition as individuals. They do not want to be treated as a general gender mass and communicated with through a hot-pink bullhorn.

Approaching women as a "niche" is a big waste of marketing dollars.

All the findings agree that approaching women as a "niche" is a big waste of marketing dollars as is gender neutral marketing. And, if marketers continue to do things old school, they should do so at their own peril.

The most successful current ad campaigns are those distinguishing women as the customer base. And, as Michelle Miller, author of The Natural Advantages of Women, puts it, “What elevates those same strategies to the greatest profitability is how well businesses understand the different types of individuals with whom they're trying to connect.”

Relate to women through your advertising and you win. Sounds perhaps easier than it actually is, but, awareness is one of first steps toward targeting this jackpot of a market.


Stephanie Holland, Holland + Holland CEO/Creative Director, is a serious marketing guru with an extremely thorough methodology and ever-present sense of humor to balance it all out. She has headed up Holland + Holland Advertising for 25 years

Home Depot Pursues Women

Did you know that women decide on 80% of home improvement projects?

Home Depot (HD ) marketed its power tools and drywall to men, but it's now aggressively pursuing women with classes that teach them how to do home repairs. It's also pursuing entertainment partnerships with home improvement shows like Trading Spaces, which are widely watched by women.

The Do-It-Herself Workshops, geared toward women and provide the support and education women need to fix things themselves without being condescending. If they have little ones, Home Depot also provides Kids Workshops, geared to 5-12 year olds and gives them some safety tips while also teaching them a few skills that foster a sense of accomplishment.

Research shows the female do-it-yourself market place for home improvement is rapidly growing:

• 67% of women describe themselves as a “Do-It-Yourselfer”
• 57% of all women homeowners would rather work on their homes than on improving their careers
• 9 out of 10 single women recently surveyed by Lowe’s feel comfortable using a power tool and 77% surveyed own one
• 29% of female DIYs are more confident in their ability to do home improvement work “better and cheaper” than a professional
• Nearly 50% of women seek assistance at a local home center or hardware store or watch TV cable home improvement programs before starting a home improvement project
• 17 million single women own homes today, and this will increase to over 30 million in the United States alone by 2010!
• More than half of America’s women have undertaken a home improvement job in the past two years.
  

Home Depot reports that half of the purchases made within their stores are in fact made by women! They are not alone, Lowe's and Sears reports are similar and are also taping into this long overlooked and lucrative market segment.


Stephanie Holland is President and Creative Director for Holland + Holland Advertising. Working in an industry that is mostly dominated by men, she is one of only 3% of the female creative directors in the country. Stephanie works mostly with male advertisers helping them successfully market to women.

What Women Want

There is plenty of news articles talking about the importance of marketing to women, but few discuss that fact that women shop differently than men. Marketing to women is different than marketing to men. Marilyn Moore covers this topic in her piece in this week's AdWeek, What Women Want: The New Terms of Engagement.

Don't miss this article, which talks about tmarketing to women and what companies are doing to effectively connect with female consumers.Publish Post



Stephanie Holland is President and Creative Director for Holland + Holland Advertising. Working in an industry that is mostly dominated by men, she is one of only 3% of the female creative directors in the country. Stephanie works mostly with male advertisers helping them successfully market to women.

Marketing to Women - Not a Niche

Women are not a niche group. They control 80-90% of every consumer purchase decision being made right now. If your advertising focus is on men or is gender neutral you could be missing your target altogether.

Women control seven trillion dollars in spending - roughly equal to the entire Japanese economy. Economists cite women as the single most powerful force in the global economy.





Trends by Tom Peters







In TRENDS, his book on marketing to women, Tom Peters, says that women are also making the big ticket item purchases:

• Vacation decisions – 89%
• Personal computers - 66%
• Electronics - 60%
• Home furnishings - 94%
• Kitchen appliances - 88%
• Healthcare purchases - 80%
• New cars - 60%
• New home sales - 91%

Market to Women and get TWO for the price of ONE

There is an added bonus to targeting women. When you make an impression on women with your marketing, research shows the husband comes with her. What makes a brand more appealing to women usually makes it more appealing to everyone. You get TWO for the price of ONE. Now that is a bargain.


Stephanie Holland, Holland + Holland CEO/Creative Director, is a serious marketing guru with an extremely thorough methodology and ever-present sense of humor to balance it all out. She has headed up Holland + Holland Advertising for 25 years.

iPods Draw Women

You don't have to tell iPod what women want. iPod knows that roughly half the U.S. population, women represent more than $55 billion worth of sales to the consumer electronics industry and influence roughly 75% of all purchases in the category.

The iPod Mini digital music player comes in several colors and has drawn more women buyers than the standard white models. At the same time, accessories for iPod market have exploded, attracting even top-end fashion houses like Burberry to make carry cases.


Stephanie Holland is President and Creative Director for Holland + Holland Advertising. Working in an industry that is mostly dominated by men, she is one of only 3% of the female creative directors in the country. Stephanie works mostly with male advertisers helping them successfully market to women.

The Internet. An Affluent Working Woman's Best Friend.

This high-powered female buying group is growing everyday. And research is proving the best way to reach them is online. As an individual’s income level rises, so do the responsibility and expectations of the job. So women in these positions are finding they have far less time to physically shop around for the things they need. So it makes more sense for them to spend 30 minutes of their lunch hour and get a day’s worth of shopping completed online.

The number of women earning $100,000 or more has tripled in the last 10 years

According to The Media Audit, affluent working women with family incomes of $75,000 or more are growing in number, and The Employment Policy Foundation says the number of women earning $100,000 or more has tripled in the last 10 years. An impressive 94.3 percent of these women are using the Internet during an average month. About half are now considered heavy Internet users, while use of radio, television, newspapers and direct mail has declined within this group.

94.3 percent of these women are using the Internet during an average month

So if you’re looking to target this crucial segment of the marketplace (and who isn’t, really), get started on some great online advertising, a killer web site and a message that connects—and you’re in business.


Stephanie Holland, Holland + Holland CEO/Creative Director, is a serious marketing guru with an extremely thorough methodology and ever-present sense of humor to balance it all out. She has headed up Holland + Holland Advertising for 25 years

Single Women Are Moving Up and Moving In

Women are no longer waiting for a ring before purchasing a starter home. According to the National Association of Realtors, single women make up one-fifth of home buyers and one-third of all condominium purchases.

Single women make up 1/5th of home buyers and 1/3rd of condo purchases

A study conducted by Mathew Greenwald & Associates for Sears Roebuck proved that owning a home gives women a huge emotional boost. Close to 57 percent say they take more pride in their homes than in their careers. And 61 percent of these female homeowners say they enjoy repairing and maintaining their home. This study also asked these women if they rather get an hour’s worth of free advice from home repair authority, Bob Vila, or relationship expert Dr. Phil. More than twice as many women chose Vila. I love it!

More women are postponing the search for Mr. Right and taking the plunge into homeownerville.

More women are postponing the search for Mr. Right and taking the plunge into homeownerville. A good man may be hard to find, but a 3/2 with an updated kitchen, and plenty of closet space is a rare snag as well.

Source: CNN Money


Stephanie Holland, Holland + Holland CEO/Creative Director, is a serious marketing guru with an extremely thorough methodology and ever-present sense of humor to balance it all out. She has headed up Holland + Holland Advertising for 25 years

MYTH #4: The only reason to market to women is to diversify and remain politically correct. But staying focused on business should be the top goal.

MYTH: The only reason to market to women is to diversify and remain politically correct. But staying focused on business should be the top goal.

TRUTH: Women aren’t a minority you need to address them to keep everyone “happy.” Women are the majority of your market.

Women are making 85 to 95 percent of household spending decisions.

When a segment of the U.S. market is making 85 to 90 percent of the household spending decisions—including cars, boats, home remodeling, auto repairs, wealth management—if you don’t get their attention, and their business, someone else will.

Followers of this Myth may also want to consider this:

• Women control more than half of private wealth in the U.S.
• Women-owned businesses in the U.S. employ more than Fortune 500 companies do worldwide.
• Women bring in more than half of the income in U.S. households.

Stephanie Holland, Holland + Holland CEO/Creative Director, is a serious marketing guru with an extremely thorough methodology and ever-present sense of humor to balance it all out. She has headed up Holland + Holland Advertising for 25 years.

MYTH #3: Women only buy “women-things.”

MYTH: Women only buy “women-things.”

TRUTH: Yes, if you consider electronics, NFL swag, tools and automobiles “women-things.”

There’s nothing “girly” about these stats:

• The Consumer Electronics Association says women accounted for $55 billion of the $96 billion spent on electronics gear. And, that women are involved in almost 75 percent of all electronics purchases.
• Par Excellence Magazine states 74 percent of NBA and NFL purchases are made by women.
• According to Road & Travel Magazine, today’s women make up more than 50 percent of the automotive market, spending an estimated $80 billion a year on new-car sales, a number industry analysts expect to see rise to 60 percent in just a few short years.

Stephanie Holland, Holland + Holland CEO/Creative Director, is a serious marketing guru with an extremely thorough methodology and ever-present sense of humor to balance it all out. She has headed up Holland + Holland Advertising for 25 years.

MYTH #2: Gender-specific advertising is a waste of marketing dollars.

MYTH: Gender-specific advertising is a waste of marketing dollars.

TRUTH: Bad Gender-Specific advertising is a waste of marketing dollars.

There is a Clear-Blue Easy TV spot running right now that blows my mind. It features the test-stick in mid-air, slowly spinning against a black screen. The first time I saw it, I had to do a double take, I thought it was some high-tech men’s razor. Not really the look that screams sensitivity. But wait, maybe the copy will save it. Nope. A booming movie-trailer guy comes on to say, “It has arrived. The next generation in pregnancy tests. It’s design breathtakingly simple, it’s circuitry incredibly precise. Without a doubt it is the most sophisticated piece of equipment you’ll ever, pee on.” Just as a stream of “pee” shoots from off-screen in super-slow-mo landing on the test’s tip.



Need I say more?

Stephanie Holland, Holland + Holland CEO/Creative Director, is a serious marketing guru with an extremely thorough methodology and ever-present sense of humor to balance it all out. She has headed up Holland + Holland Advertising for 25 years.