Friday, April 25, 2008

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.

Monday, April 21, 2008

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

Sunday, April 20, 2008

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

Saturday, April 19, 2008

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.

Friday, April 18, 2008

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.

Wednesday, April 16, 2008

One Harsh Critic of the Dove Campaign.

I came across a Dove magazine ad yesterday, and an amusing story came to mind. Last year my copywriter, Wendy, published a humor book about dating with two other writers. New York was on their promotional tour and they were asked to be guests of the Corvino and Rich show on Sirius’ MAXIM Radio. Not being a huge fan of the magazine, Wendy decided to try and desensitize herself, at least for a little while, and listen to MAXIM Radio. She tuned into one particular show with a female host. She was taking calls on how advertising negatively affects women. One guy called in and said,
“I think those Dove commercials send the wrong message to women. They’re telling women it’s okay to look like that. And I think that is wrong.”
I laugh every time I think about that story. I laugh mostly because if that was a prank call, I have to give him props. But if it wasn’t, I still snicker because what does Dove care what this guy thinks? Because even if he too would like soft skin and shiny hair—and who wound’t, really—he’s not who they are talking to. Or is he in a secondary-market kind of way? While I commend Dove for working to change perceptions across the board, their first goal is to sell products. And that’s what they are doing. Their brand is selling because women seek honest advertising; they want to respect a company they are buying from; and they desire to connect with a brand.

I will say they do have their work cut out for them on the perceptions front. They have decades of media saturation to ring out. A daunting task, but hopefully not impossible. I wish them all the best and pray reinforcements will charge in soon.



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



Sunday, April 13, 2008

The Family's Chief Purchasing Officer


Women make over 85% of the buying decisions in U.S. households today. They've become nearly every family's chief purchasing officer.

It's no longer just the men who decide whether the house needs a plasma TV, more shelves, a new bath, or even a remodeled kitchen. Women are buying a majority of all consumer-electronics and home-improvement goods today, besides the weekly groceries. In the process women are dramatically changing how products are designed and marketed in America.

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.

Friday, April 11, 2008

Tooling for Women


This year, 80% of women plan on doing some home-improvement project, and 75% of them will do it themselves. Barbara K's 30-piece tool kit will help them. It's sold in a variety of stores from Bloomingdale's to Target.

These tools are not only better looking but are also made for a woman's size and strength. They weigh a little less than regular tools, and the grips are sized to better fit a woman's hand.



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.

Women are the Market

Don't just take my word for it ...

Dr. Patrick Dixon - Women Consumers Rule

Dr Patrick Dixon has been ranked as one of the 20 most influential business thinkers alive today (Thinkers 50 2005), and is often described in the media as a Futurist. Chairman of Global Change Ltd, author of twelve books, Patrick Dixon has spoken to audiences in 43 countries. His multimedia vision of the future is experienced by up to 3,000 people a time, in up to five countries a week. His main website (www.globalchange.com) has had 10 million different visitors.





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.

Wednesday, April 9, 2008

MYTH #1: Why target women? Afterall, men average a higher income than women.


MYTH: Why target women if men average a higher income than women?

TRUTH: Whether or not this is true, women are the ones making the purchases.

Studies continue to vary somewhat on who makes more. And averages tend to throw things off since income is not always an indicator of total wealth.

But none of that matters really, because even if a woman does not work, studies consistently show that she is making the buying decisions for herself and her family. So ignoring her is short-sighted to say the very least.

  • 85% of all brand purchases are made by women
  • 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
  • 71% of women feel that brands only consider them for beauty products and cleaning products

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.


Tuesday, April 8, 2008

What do women trust?


Research is starting to show that women trust editorial content more than ads. As a response, Dell marketing representatives in January met with the editors of Good Housekeeping, Real Simple, CosmoGirl, Essence, In Style, O, Parents, and Working Mother, among others.

Before the holidays, Dell pitched its products to the Oprah show. It's Pocket DJ and 30-inch LCD TV made it to Oprah's Favorite Things 2004 Shopping List. Turns out, 70% of Dell's plasma sets were sold in the weeks after the list appeared on an Oprah show in November.


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.