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Working Moms - The key to economic recovery

Photo/Darren Hester

As an old Media Maven, I regularly read articles and watch for resources that show what working Moms are doing to make their lives easier. It's an interesting lesson in underestimation when looking at raw data that Moms in general have the bulk of power over income and how it is spent. Many media vehicles provide solid proof that we Moms pack a punch when it comes to consumer spending.

 

M2Moms recently published statistics that show 60% of Moms feel that marketers are ignoring their needs. They also say over 70% of Moms don't think advertisers "get" what it's like to be a Mom. As a former Media planner, I can tell you why this is true. 90% of the people who are making marketing decisions don't have kids.  The average Media Planner is probably under 30 and I would guess 1/2 are not even married. So, how can these people think like a Mom, when they are clearly not in the same mind set?  It is not impossible to accomplish this task, but unusual.  The Marketing to Moms Coalition say that Moms control 85% of household spending and are worth more than $2 trillion to U.S. brands. That is a powerful statement. The Men seem to be making the money, but look who is spending it. Look who is deciding where to spend it. Yet, marketers can’t grab Mom’s and send us messages that speak to the issues we face every day.

 

US Department of labor statistics say over 78% of Moms with children are employed. Do the math, marketers need to reach this highly underestimated demographic.

 

The problem is that marketers just don't "get" what Mom’s need. They don't see that the underlying problem is the need for direct messaging from companies that save us time and help us get things done. We need to be offered incentives to purchase. Give us coupons; give us a reason to buy your product. Prove to us that you understand our reality. Hire people over the age 25 to develop your media messaging and you may find that you capture a marketplace of willing and able purchasers.

 

All Moms out there, especially "experienced" Moms, are proven to be using every available media technology to keep it together. As the CEOs of the household, we must be connected.  Even the primary adult at home with babies need to feel connected. Moms are watching the TV when they aren't working; it's their water cooler.  Mom's who are working and juggling kids have Blackberrys as lifelines.   Mom's keep those schedules close at hand  with PDAs and  use the access we can achieve with them as our ability to function when we can't get to our computers. The commonality of all Moms is that we are using all forms of media to keep up and we are spending the household income. Powerful? You bet!

 

Nielsen research (January through March 2009) had a fascinating look at Mom's top 10 online habits. Take a peak at this...

 

Top 10 Activities of Moms Online

 

Checking/Sending email

 85%

 

Paying bills/Online banking

 64%

 

Reading news

 57%

 

Checking weather

 56%

 

Researching products/prices

 49%

 

Playing games

 46%

 

Shopping for children

 45%

 

Shopping for self

 44%

 

Planning travel

 39%

 

Researching healthcare info

 38%

 

Source: Marketing to Moms Coalition survey, 2008

 

According to a separate study, Moms Annual Media Survey, Nielsen reported daily media habits of Moms. Findings show Moms use television and email most but also cell phones/PDA and internet websites. My opinion is that the later is on the rise and will be essential to the basic function of every parent in the next decade. Full-time working Moms use technology at the highest rates. These Working full time Moms who not only bring in the bacon, but also spend it, are really the Holy Grail for marketers.  It’s simple, get these women and you get the money.

 

Everyday Media Habits of Moms

 

Age Range

 

Medium

 18-24

 25-44

 45+

 

Television

 74%

 84%

 75%

 

Radio

 35

 57

 46

 

Newspaper

 13

 23

 36

 

Magazine

 13

 10

 12

 

Cell Phone/PDA

 62

 69

 63

 

Internet websites

 67

 64

 52

 

Internet chat rooms/message boards

 17

 9

 9

 

Internet blogs

 17

 8

 4

 

Email

 73

 87

 79

 

Source: Nielsen Moms Annual Media Survey, 2008 Report

 

It's interesting to look at the Media Habits of Moms. There is no question, Mom's are important to this economy and also to its recovery.  It's simple, without Mom's ability to believe she can spend money, not much is going to get better for anyone in this economy.

 

Is it too bold to say the economic recovery is, to a large degree, in every Mom's hands? Is it too simplistic to say that unless Moms start spending our economy won’t turn around? It's strange to think about such a massive problem in such basic terms and yet it is certainly worth considering the possibility of it being the truth.