Do you know the age you should be targetting ? Marketing to Mothers
As marketers, we often define our female consumer
target with the usual demographics: her age, her career orientation, household
income.
But
what if, instead of characterizing a female consumer by her own age, we
considered the age of her children?
Statistics prove that motherhood in North America
is not a one-age-fits-all milestone. Specifically, the age of mom when this
life-changing event takes place differs by geography and is rising over time.
Did you know:
- The mean age for a mother to birth her first
child differs between the U.S. (25) and Canada (28)
- The percent of births to mothers over 30 years
old varies substantially across Canada, from 36% in Saskatchewan to 56% in
Ontario.
- The rate of births to mothers over 30 years old has risen
about 250% since the ’70s.
And as mom’s age at childbirth varies across women,
so too does the age of her children; and it should be no surprise that the age
of her children has a substantial influence on her values, priorities,
behaviours and brand loyalty drivers. In our latest
research, Harbinger identified three specific consumer life stages, which
reflect how the things a woman cares about evolve as her children pass
milestones of their own: birth, starting school and fleeing “the nest.”
Some values, behaviours and loyalty drivers emerged
consistently important across women; examples include the high priority of
relationships and family, and the influence of value and efficacy on brand
loyalty. But there are some significant differences.
Meet the “Pre-school Mom,” the “School Mom” and the
“Zoomer Mom”:
Pre-school Mom
This life stage begins when a woman has her first
child, and she remains here until all of her children have started full-time
school (up to five years). Pre-School Moms in our study average 32 years old.
The Pre-school Mom life is overwhelmingly consumed by her children, and
personal priorities such as her career, health and fitness and her friends fall
dramatically.
More than other moms, she seeks brands that make
her life easier and make her feel good about herself; Pampers and LG are brands
that only this mom group named among their top 25.
School Mom
This life stage starts once all of mom’s children
reach school age (five years) and lasts until each has reached adulthood or independence
(21 years). School Moms in our study average 42 years old.
When a woman transitions to School Mom, her time
and attention shift away from her kids and spouse back toward herself and
friends. This trend persists as her children mature, and though still
important, raising children becomes an increasingly lower priority.
Her brand influencers are more likely to include
alignment to her personal values and nostalgia, with Jif, Dawn, Lysol, Heinz
and Clorox ranking higher among this mom group’s favourites.
Zoomer Mom
A mom becomes a Zoomer when her children reach
adulthood and independence (21 years); she is also likely contemplating
retirement. In our study, she averages 62 years old.
By the time she reaches this life stage, her
priorities have shifted dramatically from growing her children and advancing
her career to pursuing leisure and wellness.
An experienced consumer, she is least likely to be
influenced by emotional drivers, such as feeling good about herself when
purchasing or using a brand, or by recommendations. Olay, HP and Samsung are a
few favourite brands that ranked higher with these moms.
So what does this mean to marketers?
Mom’s preferences, purchase behaviours and loyalty
drivers vary by life stage – not her age alone.
By failing to consider family composition,
marketers run the risk of generic programs and failing to build meaningful
connections with distinct groups of moms.
If marketers broaden their target consumer definition
to include life stage, brand decision-makers and agency partners will be much
better positioned to design a compelling brand purpose and focused programs,
which leverage the similarities and differences among moms.
So, the next time you ask her age, don’t forget to
ask how old her kids are, too.
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