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marketingtowomen marketingtowomen Why there is no ‘women’s market’… It’s a mistake for marketers to segment purely on gender, as they’re unlikely to tap into the most important drivers of behaviour and decision making. Instead, it is ‘smart marketing’ that will win the day, says Nicky Steel. T here is no doubt that women are a serious force within the economy. In 2009 the highly respected Harvard Business Review went so far as to say that “women drive the global economy” and there are reams of statistics and facts to back this up. One frequently cited statistic is that women are responsible for 85% of 24 strategicmarketing Issue 2 2012 all purchasing decisions in the USA. For marketers and brand owners this is clearly a rather appealing market and the most obvious question to ask is how do we get a piece of this action for ourselves? How do we successfully market to women? Well, there are plenty of people with views on this topic. One only needs to search Amazon.com for books on the topic of ‘marketing to women’ and you get 11 498 results! One of these authors is a legend in our industry, Faith Popcorn, with her book Evolution: The Eight Truths of Marketing to Women. I perused with interest some of the customer reviews and, while there were many who did rate it highly, there were a significant number of customers who found it “offensive” PHOTO: GETTY IMAGES/ISTOCK Very few females buy products just because they are for women and “insulting”, and these were not just men who didn’t have the sense of humour to deal with the claimed ‘malebashing’. So one has to ask: Is there really a case for marketing purely to women? And if so, how? Over the past years I have been involved in the development of many market segmentation studies – from premium alcohol brands to health products, from credit solutions to leisure and entertainment – all of which have been based on primary research conducted with consumers in the respective categories. As most readers will know, when developing a segmentation model one seeks to identify the greatest driver of homogeneity in consumer behaviour – which in turn influences what consumers buy – and to group people accordingly. In not one of over 20 markets that we have developed segmentation models for, has gender been the basis for segmentation, at a total market level. There have always been other more powerful segmentation factors, for example life stages, mindsets, needs, interests and passion points. I’d therefore like to suggest that it is a mistake for marketers to segment purely on gender, as you’re unlikely to tap into the most important driver of behaviour and decision making. Very few women buy products just because they are for women. And besides, how does one make a ‘women’s product’? By pinking and shrinking it? I don’t think so … Male and female differences However, we all know that differences between men and women do exist. If we use our Amazon.com -ometer as evidence again, a search for books While Volvo did not create products specifically for women, it has enhanced them with features that women value It is a mistake for marketers to segment purely on gender on the ‘differences between men and women’ produces 22 908 titles on the subject! And these books suggest that these differences exist in so many facets of our lives … how we listen, our approach to friendships, relationships and sex, whether we can read maps and whether we ask for directions. So then, if successful marketing is about establishing connections with consumers by being relevant, meeting their needs and engaging with them on an emotional as well as a rational level, can understanding these differences not be an important enabler? They absolutely can. And there are sufficient examples of businesses that have created opportunities for themselves by doing so. What I would like to suggest, however, is that gender is a micro-segmentation tool and not a strategy in itself. What do I mean by that? Well, if we find that a total market is segmented most significantly by life stage, we could then further segment by gender and focus in on the nuances of women and men in a particular segment. This enables us to present or package our product in the most relevant way. As an example, we could discover that the choice of a motor car is based on life stage and that parents with families shared common needs when choosing a car. If we look at the Volvo brand as an example, it could appeal to the family segment (fathers and mothers) with its reputation for safety and dependability. Volvo understood the role that women play in household purchases, and so spent time understanding what it was that would really add value to women when it comes to a car for their family. As a result, the To page 26 Issue 2 2012 strategicmarketing 25 marketingtowomen Marketing to women is simply about a smart marketing strategy load, the rear seats easier to fold, and colour-coded the caps of the various important parts under the bonnet. In this instance, Volvo has not created a brand that is different for women, it hasn’t made it feminine, nor even changed the brand positioning. It has, however, enhanced it with features that women, and in fact many men, value. McDonald’s big mistake By contrast, an example of a brand that made the mistake of not first making a distinction between the different life stages of its customers – and assumed a ‘female market’ – was McDonald’s. In the early 2000s it was talking to all women as mothers and as a conduit to 26 their kids. Not only did this not appeal to those who weren’t mothers, it was condescending to those who were; i.e. they were only good for bringing their children in as customers. So these women were taking their purses elsewhere. McDonald’s then went on a quest to ‘find the woman inside the mom’ and saw sales increase as the brand understood what women wanted for themselves (premium salads) and for their families (healthier meals and revamped play areas). 1st for Women is an often-cited example of a local brand that is getting marketing to women right. At face value, it might appear that it just dressed up a short-term insurance product with a pretty pink logo and gave it a feminine name. But management started by understanding the mindsets of different consumers in the overall category. There are definitely segments of consumers who are very traditional and will go for an insurance provider that promises to be the safe choice, while for others price is the greatest driver. Then there is a segment of women who are forward thinking, independent, confident and sure of their ability to look after themselves. Within this segment 1st for Women identified an opportunity to focus on the emancipated female. It then built its brand and offering on these insights. (Editor’s note: for more discussion on 1st for Women, see our article on pg 20). So, what I am saying is that marketing to women is simply about a smart marketing strategy. And to quote Tami Anderson and Elizabeth Howland (co-founders of andHow Marketing, a US company which specialises in connecting to women consumers): “There is no ‘women’s market’. There’s your women’s market.” The good old principles of marketing, namely truly understanding your target market, being relevant and engaging on all levels, still apply. Nicky Steel is the chief operating officer of Yellowwood brand strategy consultants. She holds an honours degree in Business Science (Marketing) from UCT and heads up the company’s Cape Town office. She has spent many years in traditional brand marketing. strategicmarketing Issue 2 2012 Advertise in the next issue of Strategic Marketing • STRATEGIC MARKETING brings the latest in marketing industry thinking, trends and debates. • Reach senior and mid-level marketers in businesses across all industries, including media and advertising, marketing students in higher learning – alumni, postgraduate and undergraduate students of the IMM Graduate School of Marketing, and loyal subscribers and readers, by advertising in Strategic Marketing, newly published by Mikateko Media. 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