winning momentum jan 2013
DESCRIPTION
Not a presentation per se, but more like a PPT newsletter. Was developed for an internal audience of strategists to demonstrate point-in-time understanding of moms in key markets around the world. Not client, brand or even category-specific. If you use some or all of this, I'd love to know what, how and why.TRANSCRIPT
Greetings from the Global Mom HEC team!
Over the past year, we have steeped ourselves in Mom learning, combed through insights and listened to what
Moms are buzzing about. Moms are the queens of the household—as influencer, gatekeeper, shopper and key
decision maker. All activities and decisions start with her. For many brands, winning Mom is key to brand
momentum. In recognition of Mom’s centricity to all experiences relating to family and home, we wanted to kick off
this new year by sharing some fresh thinking and insights about what matters most to her.
Towards the end of 2012, we asked several Mom experts in key global markets to provide their perspective on local
Moms. The same three questions were sent out to network strategists in each market. By weaving in local market
threads with each market in its own voice, we hope to share a tapestry of global Moms. What follows is a rich
market-level view that, taken together, layers into a portrait of Moms around the world. In addition to strategist
perspectives, we tapped our global community of Moms to talk to us about what’s on their mind and pulled together
some key stats on why Mom’s voice is an important one for your brand and target.
Read on for a point-in-time view of Moms around the world.
MOMentum Winning
CONTENTS CONTENTS
Argentina 3-4
China 5-6
Colombia 7-8
France 9-10
India 11-12
Mexico 13-14
Russia 15-16
UK 17-18
US 19-20
ARGENTINA PERSPECTIVE
16 / 7 # of mobile apps /
# actually used2
57% Listen to music on
their phone2
24% Own a smartphone1
Making kids protagonists in their
communities and encouraging
environmental consciousness are
meaningful connection points with
Argentinean Moms.
Mondeléz International’s “Tang
Bicibus” campaign featured the
achievement of all the kids who
participated in the drink package
recycling program that was
developed by Tang and TerraCycle
in 2011.
This unique recycling program is
still running and has generated
around 1.700 “Brigadas Tang” –
self-organized teams of children,
family and school groups. Across
the country, these Brigadas Tang
collected 2.5000.000 packages
that will be recycled into new,
eco-friendly products.
Tang and TerraCycle committed to
donating 10 Centavos per package
to each ONG or public school that
the teams chose, resulting in
250.000 pesos for institutions
across Argentina to date.
Written by:
Maria Yahari
Franziska Matthay
3
1 RCR Wireless. May 2012; 2 Google’s Our Mobile Planet study, 2012
Watch the Tang Bicibus campaign: http://bit.ly/W1cLXy and check out Nannying.net: http://bit.ly/X8ZSJR
MOM-LOVED CAMPAIGNS In 2012, which brand campaign
resonated most with Moms?
GET MOMS TALKING Who or what got Moms buzzing
during 2012?
HEY, WATCH THIS! What’s an interesting mobile or
social app to watch with Moms?
YOU HEARD IT HERE FIRST How can mobile phones be
reimagined to make lives easier?
Features that would make the
shopping process easier, would
provide immediate improvement
for Argentinean Moms. Moms
are passionate about finding
offers, mobile payment options
and shopping list enhancement
solutions:
“…an app that would recognize the product by taking a picture of it and automatically put it onto my shopping list. I lose
a lot of time working out my hand-written or
manual lists”
Moms are also intrigued by
potential mobile phone usage
amplifications such as using the
device as a remote control for her
TV and all other household
appliances. In the future, she
could see herself controlling and
connecting to her car using her
mobile phone.
Preparing children for a more
successful economic future is getting
much focus by Argentinean Moms.
Argentina is currently undergoing a
critical economic situation. High
inflation has been and still is a huge
issue.
Moms see themselves affected daily
when planning and managing
budgets to sustain the family’s basic
needs. Lower spending power
increases Mom’s desire to guarantee
educational success for her kids. At
the same time, it lowers her ability
to do so.
Public school is perceived to be low
quality, but is more accessible for
many Argentinean families Private
education and the continual demand
for child development and
enrichment activities are costly.
With a rise in working parents, the
earlier childcare need is another
expensive investment. These have
become core topics and concerns
among Moms who seek to prepare
their kids for a more demanding
future against economic challenges.
In 2012, two Argentinean business
women launched their start up
project “Nannying.net”.
This new social network seeks to
connect working Moms with
nannies more professionally. This
concept already exists in countries
like the US, but it is still is an
untapped territory in South
America .
With a growing number of working
women and more needs for support
resources for working Moms, this
has been an under-estimated
opportunity until now.
The social community seeks
bringing effectiveness and
transparency into the emerging
childcare decisions in Argentina.
We are curious to see how this
will be adopted over the year.
MOMS TALK BACK
"El Raton
Perez"
Argentina’s version
of the tooth fairy5
91% of Argentina’s
online population
on Facebook4
4 Comscore, 2012; 5 countryreports.org, 2012; 6 SMG Moms MIC / Pulse Netnography
Image credit: Dan Heller’s Tumblr: http://bit.ly/13w7GL2
Family budgets are not plentiful,
nor does money stretch far in
Argentina.
Argentinean Moms would be
motivated to shop more online if
it was the most cost effective
channel. They will go where the
best deals are to be found.
“…in our country, our family’s budget must be more “productive,” our
money is very devalued”
SMG Mom Community
Local Mom maestro:
Franziska Matthay
Moms HEC, LatAm
4
WHAT’S THIS ABOUT? A direct pathway into Mom’s mind
As Mom detectives, we used
netnography and chatted up the
Moms in our proprietary online
community to give you some point-
in-time clues about the mysterious
inner workings of the motherhood.
You may think you know Mom, but
some common assumptions may be
red herrings…
THE FINAL WORD Random musings from the mouth
of Moms.6
SHOPPING MIGRATION Argentinean Moms look to shop
the most budget-effective way.6
Involved Parenting
There is a desire for resources
that help parents teach their
children ethics, social and
environmental consciousness.
Moms want to help identify their
children’s talents and provide
them with tools and resources
needed to foster and build those
talents.
Parents have increased need to
connect with their children to
build life skills that will enable
development of desired values,
work ethic and self-sufficiency.
On whether a tablet is worth the
investment:
“It does not replace a computer, but it does go
where the computer cannot. Sometimes I like to spend
the day outdoors. This allows me to relax. As long as I have mobile internet,
with a tablet it is possible to get work done from
anywhere.”
On Moms being friends with
teenage children:
“Moms have to set boundaries and limits are
part of that education. Sometimes
teenagers do not understand, but as
happened with us, the effort is appreciated with age.”
Given the country’s economic
uncertainty, Argentinean Moms feel
increasing pressure to do what they
can to make their child’s future more
secure.
There are opportunities to help and
support Mom’s efforts. To improve
her child’s future, she will take
action in three core areas:
Financial Management
Moms need to manage budgets
closely and find more ways to save
money. Additionally, there is a need
to protect and diversify family
income sources to guarantee funds
for good education.
Technology
Moms know that being tech savvy is
critical for future success. This
makes them more open to equipping
their children with emerging
technology and devices. It also
makes them more eager to learn
themselves.
FUTURES BEGIN TODAY Opportunities to support Mom’s
work to secure her child’s future. 6
CHINA PERSPECTIVE
19 / 8 # of apps on phone
/ # actually used2
33% smartphone
penetration in
China2
59% of the population
with internet
access1
A video that resonated greatly among
Chinese Moms was not a product
or brand campaign, but rather an
amateur-produced ‘public service
advertisement’ about family. It got
many views on Sohu, a Chinese
internet video platform similar to
Youtube. In China, PSAs videos
share a personal point of view about
themes valued by the Chinese.
The video was produced by a recent
college graduate as a way to publicly
recognize and honor his mother. In
the video, the young man tells about
how he came from a poor family.
His father passed away when he
was young, so his mother raised him
alone. He expressed gratitude for
his mother’s sacrifice to provide him
with an education that meant more
and better options for his life.
The video story demonstrated his
love and respect for his mother and
also how mothers sacrifice for their
families and children. Public shows
of emotion and acknowledgment are
rare in China, and Moms were deeply
touched by his story and his gratitude.
for yourself
Among Chinese Moms there is
ongoing debate about whether it is
better for a working mom to leave her
job to stay home with her baby or
leave the child with the grandparents.
Most Chinese women go back to
work after having a child, leaving
a void at home. As a result,
grandparents have stepped in and are
increasingly becoming primary
caretakers of their grandchildren.
Some middle class parents hire a full
time nanny to take care of the baby
while they work. However, there are
many parents who don’t have the
resources to do so or who are
unwillingly to hire a stranger to be
their child’s primary caregiver.
Grandparents may have not recently
practiced parenting skills or may have
a style the mother does not want for
her child. Different generational
parenting styles have led to clashes.
Moms are struggling with what to do.
Should they leave the child to their
parents or quit their job to take care
of their children themselves?
5
Written by:
Cherry Tan
Silver Duo
1 eMarketer, May 2012; 2 Google’s Our Mobile Planet study, 2012
Watch the Mom PSA: http://bit.ly/W4Yadi
Microblogging sites are successful
among the Chinese, including
Moms. Only four years old, there
are 400MM active Weibo accounts.
Weibo has fostered development of
online communities around shared
interests and facilitates self-
expression. This may not be unique
in the Western world, but it is a
gamechanger for China.
On Weibo, you’ll find Chinese moms
congregating and connecting.
Weibo has become the primary
source of real-time, local
‘uncensored’ thoughts, perspective
and news. Moms share interests,
advice and resources in an open
exchange in a way they could not
before. Popular recent topics have
included conversations about love
and romance, parenting strategies
and challenges, dealing with aging
parents, local government and more.
Over 22% of the online Chinese
population uses Weibo as their
primary connection platform. Usage
remains a huge opportunity area for
communication with brand fans and
prospects and will evolve over time.
MOM-LOVED CAMPAIGNS In 2012, which brand campaign
resonated most with Moms?
GET MOMS TALKING Who or what got Moms buzzing
during 2012?
HEY, WATCH THIS! What’s an interesting mobile or
social app to watch with Moms?
YOU HEARD IT HERE FIRST How can mobile phones be
reimagined to make lives easier?
Like their global counterparts, the
mobile phone has become an
essential and indispensable tool
for Chinese Moms. Recently,
Chinese Moms were asked to
reimagine mobile phones to be
even more convenient and useful
for everyday Mom use.
Many of their ideas for a mobile
phone designed with Mom in
mind included voice recognition
and artificial intelligence.
Sometimes, Mom don’t have a
free hand to use her phone. What
if the phone could recognize and
respond to Mom’s voice
commands?
What if Mom’s ‘smartphone’
actually had some artificial
intelligence?
As Mom used her phone, it would
‘learn’ her desires, understand her
needs and ‘predict’ how to meet
them. The phone could give her
personalized reminders and
suggestions transforming it from a
functional tool to a mind-reader.
MOMS TALK BACK
For Chinese Moms, online buying
would increase if there was lower
perceived risk. To shift more spend
online, Chinese Moms need more
guarantees.
Like Moms in other markets, Chinese
Moms are also concerned about price
competitiveness, payment security,
on-time delivery and return options.
However, unlike other markets,
Chinese Moms are particularly
sensitive to guarantees about product
quality and service commitments.
China struggles with counterfeits, so
Chinese moms need online
guarantees of product authenticity to
protect them from fakes and
unreliable goods or sellers. They
want to be reassured about merchant
dependability as well as post-sale
service commitment.
While the online market provides
access to more choices, it also
opens the door for shady sellers and
questionable goods. Guarantees
would help safeguard the online
shopping experience and provide
greater buyer reassurance for Moms.
When it comes to technology,
Chinese Moms embrace change and
innovation. In fact, they demand it.
When Moms think about how
technology will be enhancing their
lives in the future, they imagine
technology embedded into their
homes and home products.
To Chinese Moms, technology will
be so accessible that it will be
integrated into every facet of their
daily lives. Moms envision this as
the way of the future.
Chinese Moms dream of living with
technology such as 3D TVs. Remote
controlled cameras for setting up the
perfect shot and even smart robots
that will do household chores like
cleaning and laundry to Mom’s
exacting specifications.
Moms also envision shape-shifting
portable technology to meet
changing environmental needs. For
example, maybe there is a ‘laptab’
that at home takes the shape of a
laptop and when mobile changes
into a tablet.
6
3 Social Bakers China, 2012; 4 factsanddetails.com/china 5 SMG Mom Community / Pulse Netnography; 6 fluentu.com
< 1 % of Chinese on
Facebook3
KNITTING What ‘tweeting’ is
called on weibo
microblogs4
SMG Mom Community
Local Mom maestro:
Cherry Tan
Moms HEC, China
WHAT’S THIS ABOUT? A direct pathway into Mom’s mind
THE FINAL WORD Random musings from the
mouth of Moms.6
SHOPPING MIGRATION Chinese Moms want online
shopping to carry less risk.5
UNGATED CONTENT Chinese Moms value content
channels with fewer restrictions.5
As Mom detectives, we used
netnography and chatted up the
Moms in our proprietary online
community to give you some point-
in-time clues about the mysterious
inner workings of the motherhood.
You may think you know Mom, but
some common assumptions may
be red herrings…
THE WIRED HOME Chinese Moms envision tech-
enhanced living. 5
Video is an important media format
for Chinese Moms. For video, Moms
overwhelmingly prefer watching
online rather than on TVs.
For the Chinese who have struggled
with censorship and restricted access
to content, the online channel seems
a less restrictive option.
Online access is real-time, without
commercial interruptions and can be
shared via Weibo. There is much
more on-demand control and access
to a broader and less censored
content.
One of 2012’s hottest Weibo topics
was completing the prompt ‘My
Mom is always saying.’ This
received hundreds of responses
that showcased the perspective
and advice commonly given by
Chinese mothers.
Based on volumes of pasts, some
of the most ‘familiar’ sayings of
Chinese Moms include:
“Youth these days don’t know
how to “eat bitter.” If you enjoy life too much as a
youth, your older years will be harder. “
“Good fortune in life is not to meet the best person, but to meet the person who will be accompany you into old age.”
And of course, popular questions
asked by Moms around the world:
“Why haven’t you found work yet? You have no boyfriend!
When are you going to get married?”
COLOMBIA PERSPECTIVE
The detergent “Ace” has a relatively
low penetration rate in the
Colombian market. However, the
brand created attention this year by
launching a campaign that
challenged typical detergent
marketing.
The protagonist mom – a famous
Colombian actress and comedian –
finds a maltreated bra that once was
white, but is now gray in his young
adult son’s room. The mom
confronts her son’s girlfriend
without knowing that the bra is not
hers. It actually belongs to one of
her son’s five other lovers, one of
whom is a famous Colombian
model.
The spot is the trailer of a mystery
amplified throughout multiple media
vehicles including social.
Consumers are asked to figure out
the answer to “Whose maltreated,
gray bra is this?”
This humorous and non-
conventional detergent brand
campaign was very engaging to
Colombian Moms. It resonated due
to the well-chosen local celebrity
and the fresh portrayal of an
“irreverent” Mom hero.
It also connected meaningfully
through the authenticity of Moms
confronting their child’s
transformation from adolescence to
young adulthood in a market where
it’s very common for kids to live
more years in their parents’ home.
The Olympic Games touched
Colombian Moms this year
especially due to the achievements
of female Colombian cyclist
Mariana Pajón.
She won her first and the country’s
second gold medal in its entire
Olympic history.
The Colombian Government even
awarded her the “Orden de
Boyacá”, a highly honorific medal
for outstanding services to the
homeland.
It will be interesting to see how
Moms adopt and use Instagram.
We expect this app to become
increasingly popular among Moms
throughout the year.
With a growth of high-res, camera-
equipped smartphones and the
growing popularity of mobile
operating systems such as iOS and
Android, Instagram has become an
attractive mobile application.
Instagram is closely approaching the
country’s top 10 most downloaded
mobile applications.
Since ‘Mamarazzis’ are tremendously
keen on taking pictures of their
children and documented family
moments, we believe that this app
will revolutionize Moms’ ability to
photograph, document and share her
favorite experiences.
Written by:
Pilar Tinjaca
Franziska Matthay
7
$6,100 Average annual
income in US
dollars2
54% Of the population
has internet
access1
1 Internet World Stats, 2012; 2 World Bank, 2012; 3 La Razon, 2011; 4 SMG Moms MIC / Pulse Netnography
Watch the Ace campaign: http://bit.ly/ZQy6DR and also here: http://bit.ly/ZQy8vd
88% of Colombians have
a mobile phone3
MOM-LOVED CAMPAIGNS In 2012, which brand campaign
resonated most with Moms?
GET MOMS TALKING Who or what got Moms buzzing
during 2012?
HEY, WATCH THIS! What’s an interesting mobile or
social app to watch with Moms?
YOU HEARD IT HERE FIRST How can mobile phones be
reimagined to make lives easier?4
Colombian Moms have an interest
in voice recognition. This would
allow Mom to control her phone
while her hands are occupied.
Mom could speak to her phone and
have it respond to her to locate it at
the bottom of her handbag.
In addition to being convenient,
voice recognition could also
simplify device usage. Mom could
bypass lengthy or complicated
phone menus by saying aloud what
she wants the phone to do. Voice
recognition would even help avoid
fraud by recognizing and
authenticating her voice when
Mom accesses her phone.
Security is quite an issue in recent
years, especially in Bogotá, with
increasing cell phone robbery
cases. Comments by MIC Moms
reflect this current concern:
“Devices should look differently to be easier to camouflage the
phone and avoid robbery. It should also have an integrated alarm system to surprise and
frighten the thieves.”
MOMS TALK BACK
Significant distrust hinders Moms
from doing more shopping online.
Based on warnings about the safety
of online payments, Moms remain
cautious and hesitant.
Rampant data theft and payment
fraud is suspected. There is also a
predisposition towards vendor
mistrust with Moms questioning
whether they will actually receive
what has been sold to them.
“…I must be completely confident that the sites have
measures to avoid abuse”
Moms are increasingly faced with
challenges to balancing family and
work-life. As Colombian Moms
continue to become integrated into
the labour markets across the region,
they are faced with a shortage of
time and a growing number of
demands
To counter this, Moms plan to make
more time by reorganizing
themselves through work schedule
redefinitions, household assistant
contracting or home officing.
However, Moms are also thinking
about ways to engage differently
with their children. They are looking
for greater participation in their
children’s activities and interests.
Colombian Moms want to get more
involved in the their children’s world
and daily challenges, including their
education and career development.
SMG Mom Community
Local Mom maestro:
Franziska Matthay
Moms HEC, LatAm
8
89% of Colombia’s
online population
on Facebook5
5 Comscore, 2012; 6 SMG Moms MIC / Pulse Netnography
Image credits: YMCblog, babyzone.com
SHAKIRA is the reigning fan
favorite on
Facebook5
In spite of concerns about theft,
fraud and security, Moms still
highly desire technological
devices.
Like other areas of the world,
personal portable technology such
as tablets and smartphones are
desired by Colombian Moms also.
However, there is also a desire
for high tech family entertainment
at home. Next-generation TVs
are hot items for the Mom set.
WHAT’S THIS ABOUT? A direct pathway into Mom’s mind
THE FINAL WORD Random musings from the
mouth of Moms.6
SHOPPING MIGRATION Colombian Moms have concerns
about online shopping.6
FUTURES BEGIN TODAY Opportunities to support Mom’s
work to secure her child’s future.6
As Mom detectives, we used
netnography and chatted up the
Moms in our proprietary online
community to give you some point-
in-time clues about the mysterious
inner workings of the motherhood.
You may think you know Mom, but
some common assumptions may
be red herrings…
THE HOT LIST Security concerns aside, Moms
still want the latest and greatest.6
On what Mom won’t leave home
without:
“I do not go anywhere without my lipstick, a
small vial of perfume, a hair brush and my
sunglasses .”
On strategies for sticking to a
budget:
“Imagine being a single Mom. It’s a little difficult,
but I think the basis of success is organization. Nothing is impossible,
but I have to distinguish what are priorities.
I purchase for quality, not quantity so that I have fewer things, but better. Doing like this has been
what works for me.”
FRANCE PERSPECTIVE
1,153,157 Views of Nestle’s
campaign to date2
France offers the
WORLD’S
BEST maternity benefits1
In France the one that is our
favorite is the Nestle Guigoz
campaign “Let’s talk Baby”. It was
impactful among Moms and
gathered many positive reactions.
The strength of the campaign was
the focus on babies and what they
think when we talk to them. In a
very funny way, we were put in
the babies’ heads realizing what
they think when we address them
with words that have no real
meaning. This commercial
featured clever insight into how
people talk to babies. The
emotional appeal connected with
Moms.
The brand also developed a fully
integrated campaign with an OOH
plan inviting people to scan QR
codes and discover online what
babies were saying.
In reaction to the “Mommy Wars”
in the US, 2012 was full of press
articles focusing on the parenting
style controversy.
Maman in the City Is an
application winking at Carrie
Bradshaw and the Sex and the City
phenomenon.
This iPhone and iPad application is
dedicated to our urban and busy
Moms who want to remain aware
and on top.
The application allows Moms to
easily find a baby-sitter, a trendy
evening party or leisure ideas and
information. The biggest cities in
France are involved: Lyon,
Marseille, Paris, Lille, Nantes,
Strasbourg, Bordeaux, Toulouse
and Nice.
This application perfectly
resonates with our French
interests: how to combine a
mother and a woman’s life, how to
gain more time to do everything
they want and how to use
technology - especially
smartphones - to be always more
efficient.
Written by:
Julie Devinant
9
MOM-LOVED CAMPAIGNS In 2012, which brand campaign
resonated most with Moms?
1 TheBump.com; 2 YouTube
Watch Nestle Guigoz’s campaign: http://bit.ly/VGpH7G
*For a French perspective on the Mommy Wars, contact Julie and team.
GET MOMS TALKING Who or what got Moms buzzing
during 2012?
HEY, WATCH THIS! What’s an interesting mobile or
social app to watch with Moms?
YOU HEARD IT HERE FIRST What will Moms be doing more of
in social or mobile this year?
The 2012 book written by Pamela
Druckerman “Bringing Up Bebe: One American Mother Discovers the Wisdom of French Parenting» was a little bomb that triggered
even more articles and front pages.
Even if most of our Moms
remained spectators of this
controversy, it has been the biggest
Mommy noise in our French press.
The uproar led to our effort to
better understand what it is to be a
French Mom in 2012. We
conducted an investigation which
led us to develop a unique French
perspective on the Mommy Wars*
A quantitative study recently
conducted by the French Moms
team on Moms and mobile usage
found that French Moms use their
mobile phones and tablets
differently.
Mobile phones are used much
more practically for in-the-moment
communication and immediate
information access. Nearly 60% of
French Moms use their mobile
phones primarily to call peers.
Popular mobile apps supported the
use of the mobile for immediacy
and expedient information access.
GPS/maps, locator, banking and
news apps continue to be most
popular.
In contrast, Mom’s tablet usage is
much more around passion points
and deep-dive information hunting
when time is less of an issue.
There is great opportunity for
Mom-interest apps for tablet
users. Use of social features is
more of an emphasis for tablets as
French Moms love to share tips
and discoveries with the French
mommysphere.
MOMS TALK BACK
2 out of 3 French children of
working parents are
cared for a nanny3
60% of mothers with
young children
return to work3
3 Insee, 2011; 4 SMG Moms MIC / Pulse Netnography
French Moms see online shopping
as offering greater convenience,
but not their preferred way to
shop.
Over half of French Moms prefer to
shop in-store.
Online shopping offers high tech
for routinized purchases. But, for
high touch purchases, the sensory
pleasures of the Parisian shopping
experience that a store provides is
impossible to replicate through
technology.
French children are entranced by
things that engage their imagination,
their senses and enable them to
express themselves.
Xoomy, a toddler tablet was a
popular holiday request. Other
popular toys include board games
such as Mastermind and Monopoly,
and Playmobil sets.
Art supplies that facilitate creativity
are also desired. While girls remain
drawn to makeup palettes, boys are
drawn to the pleasure of sweets
and chocolates.
SMG Mom Community
Local Mom maestro:
Julie Devinant
Moms HEC, France
10
2013 RESOLUTIONS French Moms look to self-
improvement with benefits.4
Though it may vary from the
perspective of native French Moms,
experience the inimitable magic
of the Parisian experience through
the eyes of an ex-pat:
“Paris is one of the few major metropolitan centers that provides a much needed respite from the “race.”
It’s a place to catch one’s breath long enough to properly look outward (and inward), interpret and express.
In a world where doing and achieving seem to have overtaken all else, Paris remains a city devoted to ideas, discussion and the pleasures linked to the senses, rather than to material things.
“Philosopher” is still a recognized and accepted job description here.”
- HIPPARIS Mom blog
WHAT’S THIS ABOUT? A direct pathway into Mom’s mind
As Mom detectives, we used
netnography and chatted up the
Moms in our proprietary online
community to give you some point-
in-time clues about the mysterious
inner workings of the motherhood.
You may think you know Mom, but
some common assumptions may be
red herrings…
SHOPPING PREFERENCES Online may be easier, but strolling
the stores remains preferred.4
THE FINAL WORD Random musings from the
mouth of Moms.4
THE HOT LIST Tactile, self-expressive items are
popular among French children. 4
French Moms are family-focused when
it comes to personal goals for 2013.
They are looking for ways to improve
the emotional and economic health of
their families. Summing up the 2013
resolution theme of Moms:
“I will get a new job and be a better wife and Mum.”
On how the French pregnancy
experience compares to other
European countries:
“They treat expectant Mums like
treasures here.”
On favorite foods:
“I am French so for me it is the general pastry or
the gratins.”
On where French Moms love
to vacation:
“The Mauritius Islands - simply amazing. The
landscape, the food, the people...everything was
wonderful !”
“I love London, best shopping experience
ever.”
INDIA PERSPECTIVE
In India, a brand that definitely has
left a mark on moms of multiple
generations is ‘Woodward’s Gripe
Water.’ When a baby is upset,
everyone around is unhappy. Gripe
Water is a product developed to
relieve gas and soothe crying babies.
It has been an integral part of mothers’
lives for over 100 years.
Brand messaging features the product
rescuing upset mothers who cannot
stop their baby’s crying from irritating
all those around. Soothing the baby
soothes everyone. In 2012, advertising
played on a heritage of success, but has
shifted to present the product as the
solution for children having any trouble.
Nearly all Indian Moms have an
emotional connection with the product.
Product use has been passed down
over generations. Recently, my sister
had a baby. My mother and my sister’s
in-laws separately flew from India to
the US to help her with the baby.
Both carried a fair supply of
Woodward’s Gripe Water for my niece
as it was used on my sister when
she was a baby. The brand continues
to be ingrained with Indian mothers.
Written by:
Aarti Bharadwaj
Gautham Ram Pingali
Sujata Dwibedy
Sulina Menon
11
SAMSUNG Is the top-selling
mobile brand in
India2
37% of the Indian
population owns a
smartphone1
1 eMarketer, May 2012; 2 India Times, 2012
Watch the Woodward’s Gripe Water spots: http://bit.ly/X94obr and also http://bit.ly/VbJaMy
Image credit: SMG Moms MIC
MOM-LOVED CAMPAIGNS In 2012, which brand campaign
resonated most with Moms?
GET MOMS TALKING Who or what got Moms buzzing
during 2012?
HEY, WATCH THIS! What’s an interesting mobile or
social app to watch with Moms?
YOU HEARD IT HERE FIRST What will Moms be doing more of
in social or mobile this year?
The Olympics fueled many
conversations among and about
Moms this summer. Given exposure
and visibility through P&G’s
Olympics TV campaign, Moms were
both involved in and the subject of
conversations this year.
One inspiring Mom who generated
much discussion and inspiration
was Mary Kom. Mary Kom is a
female Indian boxer. She is a five-
time World Boxing Champion. The
only Indian woman boxer to have
qualified for the Olympics, she won
the bronze.
The fact that she has succeeded in a
physically-demanding and
traditionally male sport while a
mother of two is an inspiring
example for many Indian mothers.
Not only does it illustrate that girls
and women can succeed on a
different playing field, but it inspires
working Indian women who are
often forced to chose between
career and kids. This summer,
Mary Kom gave Indian Moms a lot
to talk about.
The NDTV Cooks mobile application
will become increasingly popular
among working Indian Moms with
the need to manage household meal
planning and preparation.
For Moms who would love to churn
up food that the family would love,
without having to waste time
finding a recipe, this app is apt. It
catalogs hundreds of recipes from
leading Indian chefs with detail
about how to prepare them at home.
For working Moms who do not have
time to cook, the app also enables
searching for restaurants by cuisine,
location, special offers or reviews.
Moms can even place restaurant
orders from within the application,
selecting individual menu items and
scheduling pick-up or home delivery.
Currently, the application provides
coverage in four major Indian cities,
but due to popularity is expanding to
eight more within this year.
We expect there may some
mobile apps developed to help
mothers to better keep in touch
with their children during the
school day without being too
intrusive.
Between the two cases in
Norway which have been flashed
across media and the US school
shooting in Connecticut, Indian
parents are rethinking how and to
what extent they communicate
with and monitor their children.
Another growing concern among
Indian Moms is the safety of
children while commuting to and
from school, as well as during the
school day itself. Keeping
children safe and protected and
teaching them to protect
themselves is a growing concern.
MOMS TALK BACK
SMG Mom Community
12 3 Social Bakers India, 2012; 4 ComScore, 2010; 5 SMG Moms MIC / Pulse Netnography
1 in 3
Indian internet
users are women4
5% of the Indian
population is on
Facebook3
WHAT’S THIS ABOUT? A direct pathway into Mom’s mind
THE FINAL WORD Random musings from the
mouth of Moms.5
THE HOT LIST Portable personal technology is
popular among Moms.5
As Mom detectives, we used
netnography and chatted up the
Moms in our proprietary online
community to give you some point-
in-time clues about the mysterious
inner workings of the motherhood.
You may think you know Mom, but
some common assumptions may be
red herrings…
MOBILE REIMAGINED Increasing phone dependency may
conflict with focused family time.5
2013 RESOLUTIONS Indian Moms seek inner
tranquility.5
Indian Moms find themselves
conflicted about the deepening
integration of their mobile phones
into daily life.
Moms view their phones as
essential and enjoy them, yet there
is a nagging suspicion that the
technology can diminish focused
family time.
“The phone helps things to be done much faster. But it puts
pressure all the time to do even more. Sometimes, I feel I have
to steal time for my family.”
Indian Moms occasionally feel
overwhelmed by the constant din
and growing demands of
technology, family, work and
household pressures,
They seek feel more centered, to
seek a respite from the whirl of
pressures around them. See below
for how some Indian Moms intend
to reclaim tranquility this year.
More importantly, what can your
brand do or stop doing to help
them achieve it?
“…meditate more, talk less, lead a
more peaceful life.”
“…be less angry.”
“…spend more time with my daughter.”
“…spend more time with my daughter.”
Though they may come at a price,
Indian Moms remain entranced by
mobile devices. Increasingly they
are interested in technology that
facilitates experiences that mother
and child can enjoy together.
In India and like much of the rest
of the world, the technology
most-wanted by Moms and their
kids include:
• Tablets
• iPads and iPad Minis
• iPhones
• Nintendo Wii and Wii U
On how technology has impacted
childhood:
“Technology has made children lethargic. We
would walk 1-3 km without fuss. If my kids go to a
friend’s place they will not go walking. They will take a rikshaw or invite them to
chat on Face Book. “
On how it feels like today’s world is
less safe for children:
“Sometime I feel today there is no one whom I can
trust. I remember when I was a kid, I sometimes
played at my neighbour's home, when my mom was
out for some important work or just for a change. Today, I don't think I can leave my kids like that.”
Speaking of hot technology,
according to a 2012 study
conducted by Cartoon Network,
1 in 10 Indian kids have regular
access to a mobile phone.
MEXICO PERSPECTIVE
For Mexican Moms, Coca-Cola’s
fruit juice brand “Jugos del Valle”
campaign stood out. Designed to
strengthen the brand’s “the secret is
love” positioning, the campaign
charmed moms by taking an
unexpected approach.
Inspired by the positive effects of
showing love to somebody, the
brand featured a romantic ballad of
love sung by “Chayanne” – a
famous Puerto Rican male singer
well-known among and highly
appealing to Latin American
women. Instead of singing a song
of affection and gratitude to adoring
women viewers, Chayanne instead
sang to the orange trees that
produce the Jugos del Valle that he
loves.
The fresh approach, sweet idea and
the association of Chayanne with
love songs, helped Moms
emotionally connect to the
campaign. The song used was
already familiar to Mexican Moms
as it is part of one of the country’s
highest-rated telenovelas.
Rallying together against breast
cancer is an emotional cause for
many Mexican Moms. Men,
women and children unite in a
stand “against breast cancer.”
Breast cancer is highly relevant to
Moms who join together to spread
the movement.
Every year in October, many brands
sponsor highly visible and
publicized events and activities
that bring people together in support
of women’s health. This year the
initiative expanded to involve the
Mexican Soccer League. Teams
and referees committed to dress in
pink to increase awareness levels
and give visibility to the cause.
Two different social apps seem to
be capturing the interest and
attention of Mexican Moms.
Increasingly, more Moms are
attracted to social gaming.
Especially Zynga’s Farmville has
caught Moms’ attention. As
many Mexican Moms are already
actively connecting through
Facebook, embedded games such
as FarmVille enable them to play
games with their network of
friends in a social forum Moms
are already using.
The other app to watch this year
with Mexican Moms is Pinterest,
It has been a phenomenon in the
US and is moving to Latin
America. Mexico is one of the
leading adopting countries, with
Moms leading the way. Moms
already love connecting and
sharing – particularly with food,
friends and family. We are
excited to see how Moms use
Pinterest and are sure this will be
a fascinating platform for Moms
to experiment with in 2013.
Written by:
Andrea Lopez-Bancalari
Lourdes Hernandez
Franziska Matthay
13
18 / 8 # of apps on phone /
# actually used2
81% of smartphone
owners watch
online videos2
20% Own a smartphone1
1 RCR Wireless, May 2012; 2 Google’s Our Mobile Planet study, 2012
Enjoy some juicy action: http://bit.ly/VGqN3m
MOM-LOVED CAMPAIGNS In 2012, which brand campaign
resonated most with Moms?
GET MOMS TALKING Who or what got Moms buzzing
during 2012?
HEY, WATCH THIS! What’s an interesting mobile or
social app to watch with Moms?
YOU HEARD IT HERE FIRST How can mobile phones be
reimagined to make lives easier?
Mobile-enabled child safety
connection is of great interest to
Moms in Mexico. For many
Moms, “hyper-parenting” phone
features that would allow them
to better keep track of their kids
are an appealing area with
significant opportunity.
Adding age-appropriate controls
and features that improve Mom’s
ability to actively monitor her
child’s safety gives Mom a sense
of relief and reassurance.
“Ah! I would be to be able to connect my phone to our home surveillance
camera so that I could always see my children
when I am not with them and keep watch over them
from wherever I am. That would be great!”
MOMS TALK BACK
Mexican Moms are selective about
assortment. When shopping, they
want variety and relevance.
Currently, online shopping doesn’t
seem to make selection of relevant
products easier for Moms. Moms
would shop online more often if
there was both selection variety and
filters to easily identify relevant
brands and products.
“…more product variety and better product descriptions.”
Everybody talks about and dreams
of tablets and this also resonates
among our Moms.
The tablet is the most aspirational
technology device. However,
Moms also strongly desire to
keep up with the latest mobile
phone technology. Both the
iPhone 5 and Android-operated
smartphones are popular wants.
The Mexican “ama de casa” may
soon be an artifact of the past.
Regionally, Mexico is still facing a
predominantly traditional of Moms as
housewife. But there is a noticeable
evolution underway to shift to a
more progressive view of Moms.
Mexican Moms themselves are
actually signaling a changing
self-perception that brands should
be taking note of.
In Mexico, Moms are transforming
into the role of modern professional
women. Increasingly, modern Moms
do not want to be seen as a
dependent caretaker and homemaker.
Instead, they are evolving towards a
more independent definition of what
it means to be a mother. Moms are
becoming more engaged, creative,
self-expressive and technology savvy.
The desire to move beyond Mexico’s
more culturally traditional perception
of ‘Mom’ will have a profound
impact on her motivations, shopping
behaviours and lifestyle expressions.
14
SMG Mom Community
Local Mom maestro:
Franziska Matthay
Moms HEC, LatAm
MANA
Is the reigning fan
favorite on
Facebook4
90% of Mexico’s online
population on
Facebook4
4 Comscore, 2012; 5 SMG Moms MIC / Pulse Netnography
Image credit: @kathieg
WHAT’S THIS ABOUT? A direct pathway into Mom’s mind
THE FINAL WORD Random musings from the
mouth of Moms.5
SHOPPING MIGRATION A relevant product assortment is
key for Mexican Moms.5
FUTURES BEGIN TODAY The traditional view of Mom as
housewife is becoming history. 5
As Mom detectives, we used
netnography and chatted up the
Moms in our proprietary online
community to give you some point-
in-time clues about the mysterious
inner workings of the motherhood.
You may think you know Mom, but
some common assumptions may
be red herrings…
THE HOT LIST Among Mexican Moms, the tablet
reigns supreme.5
On the responsibility of parenting
a teenager:
“Both the future and the present of our teenagers is our responsibility and
we must always clear and direct them to advise
people that are good for them, their families and
wider community.”
On personal financial philosophy:
“Make the most of every penny . To multiply (what
you have), share with those who have less.”
On forgiving and forgetting:
“I forgive, but if the offense is great I would not wish anything bad but would say that our
friendship was ended. “
RUSSIA PERSPECTIVE
365,000 Rubles paid by
government to
mothers having more
than one child. 1
1 RBTH.ru, 2011.
Watch the Fruto Nyanya campaign: http://bit.ly/W4czFS.
Currently, most popular applications
used among Moms are functional, but
apps used for pleasure and social
connection are growing in popularity.
Russian Moms regularly use a whole
range of functional applications such
as Maps and Traffic Jam
applications. This year, we expect
banking service applications will
become an increasingly popular type
of utility app among Mom’s when
managing budgets.
However, the fastest growing mobile
app for Mom’s personal pleasure and
use is Instagram. Moms are using
Instagram to publish pictures of their
home decorations, foods ands dishes,
and of course, their kids. As it grows,
it will be interesting to see what else
Moms store and share on Instagram.
Written by:
Batyr Ainabekov
Stephanie Gauttier
15
The campaign that most
emotionally impacted Moms was a
TV ad for Russian baby food brand
Fruto Nyanya (Fruit nurse).
Although the product target is
Moms, the execution featured
fathers singing lullabies to their
babies to express how much they
cared about them. This was the
first time in the Russian market
that such a tender theme of
motherhood was portrayed in
brand communication by men.
Because it was so unexpected, it
deeply touched Russian mothers
who responded very positively.
Additionally, it was well received
and meaningful because it is so
reflective of unique Russian
culture.
*Want to grow in free country!
SEPT 12 ‘Day of Conception’
encourages couples
to stay home from
work to procreate. 1
MOM-LOVED CAMPAIGNS In 2012, which brand campaign
resonated most with Moms?
GET MOMS TALKING Who or what got Moms buzzing
during 2012?
HEY, WATCH THIS! What’s an interesting mobile or
social app to watch with Moms?
YOU HEARD IT HERE FIRST What will Moms be doing more of
in social or mobile this year?
2012 was the year of political and
social activity increase in Russia.
Discontent of society and protest
movements was the result of
presidential and parliament
elections, increase of corruption
and authoritarian displays of power.
Russian society demonstrated a
wish to take active part in the state
life and social development. Protest
participation took place on political
and local levels. Local demands
were about improving daily life
through development of city
infrastructure, education and the
social security system to provide for
upcoming and future generations.
Mothers took part in this society
movement from the side of children
and family wellbeing. They were
standing for conscientious work of
social services and government, for
more active involvements of politics
in the improvement of the daily life.
Russian Moms were more
demanding this year and thoughtful
about changes in their lives.
Mobile will increasingly
become social.
One of the most popular blogs
in Russia BabyBlog is going to
launch an mobile app for
mothers.
BabyBlog is already a very
popular blog hub connecting
first-time and experienced
Moms around Russia. Given its
high readership among Moms,
we expect their mobile app to be
widely used.
By going mobile, BabyBlog can
connect Russian Moms in similar
circumstances. Russian Moms
will be able to use a content
source they already know and
trust to find and share
information on all things related
to motherhood in real-time.
MOMS TALK BACK
38,000,000 # of Russians who
are active online
gamers.4
ZERO # of Russia’s most
popular brands
actually created in
Russia.3
12% of Russian mobile
phone users have
smartphones2
2 GfK, 2011; 3 OMI, 2012: 4 The Moscow News, 2012; 5 SMG Moms MIC / Pulse Netnography
Mobile phone features or design is
not something Russian Moms are
thinking or concerned about. In fact,
for them, that’s the wrong focus.
More important and impactful to
their everyday lives would be an
improvements to mobile internet
service quality and security of
phone ownership. This depends on
the service providers, not the phone
itself. Also, Russian Moms would
feel more secure if the phone was
impossible to steal.
SMG Mom Community
Local Mom maestro:
Stephanie Gauttier
Moms HEC, Russia
16
Russian Moms remain nervous
about online shopping. Lower
prices, free shipping and
particularly greater reassurances
are the conditions to encourage
them to buy more online.
Russian Moms are risk averse.
They see online shopping as higher
risk. There have been quite a few
well-publicized scandals about
banking cards and hacking, which
have led Russian Moms to seek
guarantees of secure payment
solutions.
Also, Moms want to avoid the risk
that items won’t suit needs and
will be wasted money or costly to
return.
WHAT’S THIS ABOUT? A direct pathway into Mom’s mind
THE FINAL WORD Random musings from the
mouth of Moms.5
THE HOT LIST Portable personal technology is
popular among Moms.5
As Mom detectives, we used
netnography and chatted up the
Moms in our proprietary online
community to give you some point-
in-time clues about the mysterious
inner workings of the motherhood.
You may think you know Mom, but
some common assumptions may be
red herrings…
MOBILE REIMAGINED It’s the service quality – not the
phone – that needs improvement.5
When it comes to mobile
applications, Russian Moms have
a very utilitarian view of their
phones. However, they would like
to have greater access to Siri or
similar applications featuring
virtual content ‘experts’ that could
answer question any time.
SHOPPING MIGRATION Reassurances would encourage
Moms to buy more online.5
In spite of not always having the
fastest or most reliable wireless
service quality, personal and
portable technology remains
highly desired among Russian
Moms.
Moms would particularly love to
have tablets, netbooks,
iPhones and e-readers. These
are status devices enable Moms
to be connected and access
entertainment from anywhere.
As adoption of these devices
increases by parents and are
used at home by families,
children may increasingly look to
have their own versions of these
popular devices.
On physical improvements
hoped for in 2013:
“…to cure my hair, to get rid of
nasolabial* folds…”
On when online shopping is
preferred to a trip to a store:
“I have little time to go shopping and with two
children all running faster all the time. But online, you can calmly choose.”
On whether it’s better to be
diplomatic or straightforward:
“I love when they say in the face instead of whispering
behind the back. But it can also be said either gently and tactfully or rude and insulting. I always try to speak gently and tactfully,
so as not to offend .”
* You might know these as ‘laugh lines.’
UK PERSPECTIVE
2/3 of UK Mums have a
smartphone1
4 in 10 UK Mums are in
complete control of
the family finances1
35% of Mums are the
family
breadwinners1
1 Mintel, 2012; 2 TGI, 2012; 3 IAB, 2011
Watch the P&G Thank You Mom campaign: http://bit.ly/RUcEP8
Check out the Asda debate: http://bit.ly/TWeS0j
P&G’s Thank You Mum was a
powerful 2012 Olympics advert that
celebrated Mums in a sentimental,
but unpatronising way. One of the
biggest Olympic moments was the
Judo silver medallist who looked to
the sky and said "I love you Mum".
In the UK, millions watched the
Olympics. The humbleness shown
by athletes overwhelmed by
national support, struck an unusual
tone in the typically cynical Brit
audience. Banter and mockery were
for once put to one side (until the
closing ceremony) and there was
sincerity in the support for the
Olympics which surprised many.
The P&G story, which shows the
hard work that goes on behind the
scenes was mirrored in athletes
who were hardworking normal
people that we could relate to- they
were not like football superstars.
Humbleness and hard work (as
opposed to luck) were universally
celebrated in the UK this summer.
Written by:
Heather Dansie
Donna Booth
MOM-LOVED CAMPAIGNS In 2012, which brand campaign
resonated most with Moms?
17
The Asda* ad with the tagline
“Behind Every Christmas there is a
Mum” generated a lot of discussion
in the press and among parents- very
little of it positive for the brand.
The ad received many complaints for
being sexist, for portraying Mums as
selfless heroes who do EVERYTHING
for an unhelpful family and Dads as
bumbling fools, unable to help in the
run up to Christmas.
Pro and Anti Asda battle lines were
drawn. The ‘pro’ side argued that
the ad shows a reality for many
women. Those Antis’ said that the
message is an outdated stereotype
from the 50s which is unhelpful to
both men and women, uncreative
and unoriginal.
Some women take great pride in
motherhood as an identity marker.
Others want to be spoken to as a
woman rather than associated with
“Mum” stereotypes. The Asda
campaign highlights that poor
targeting can upset potential
shoppers and damage the reputation
of a brand.
GET MOMS TALKING Who or what got Moms buzzing
during 2012?
Interest in mobile apps is strong
with Mums. However currently
popular apps are largely functional.
Apps popular among Mums include:
VoucherCloud, which provides of-
the-moment local and national
discount access
Jamie’s Recipes, featuring UK
celebrity chef Jamie Oliver and
AroundMe which locates things to
do based on where you are.
However, there is a lot of interest in
Mum-friendly app functionality even
if current usage is low. Six functions
that most interest parents include:
- Help children browse safely
- Educational value
- Occupy / entertain small children
- Mobile usage / location tracking - Tracking child milestones
Mums are putting more of their lives
into their phones in a way that they
haven’t done with their computers.
Games that give Mum something to
do with her children as opposed to
mere babysitting are also really
helpful for building conversation and
discussion.
HEY, WATCH THIS! What’s an interesting mobile or
social app to watch with Moms?
YOU HEARD IT HERE FIRST What will Moms be doing more of
in social or mobile this year?
19% of UK households own a
tablet.2 We expect that percentage
to grow over this year. Tablets are
truly the first portable tech device
in homes and Mum’s tablet habits
will change the way media is
consumed in-home. Even within
the house the tablet is the most
mobile device.3
So, as tablet usage continues to
rise, it will be used all around the
house, not just in the living room.
The ease and convenience of its
portability appeals to everyone.
Kids can use smartphones and
tablets before they can play with
many other toys. Mums prefer
reading books or magazines on the
tablet as they have a free hand to
hold a baby.
Whether families will wish to have
a tablet each for a more personal
experience; or, if they are happy to
share the device like the sound
system or the TV, we will have to
see. However, the tablet will be
used for all areas of family life, by
all members of the family, in every
room.
*Asda is the UK’s second largest chain
retailer and a subsidiary of Walmart.
MOMS TALK BACK
MUMSNET
an oniine parenting
community is one of
the most influential
forums in the UK
With a reputation for keeping a stiff
upper lip, it might be assumed that
brands have the opportunity to help
Mums stick to their yearly goals.
However, few UK Mums are
bothering with New Year’s
resolutions this year.
Most share stories of making them
in prior years only to abandon them
by the third day of the new year.
Their new strategy?
“Set very small goals and
continually revise them.”
18
4 Mintel, 2012; 5 SMG Mums MIC / Pulse Netnography
Image credits: Furby.com, thenextweb.com
“Furbies are back at double the price.”
SMG Mom Community
2.1MM
UK Mums feel
pressure to “have
it all.”4
WHAT’S THIS ABOUT? A direct pathway into Mom’s mind
As Mom detectives, we used
netnography and chatted up the
Moms in our proprietary online
community to give you some point-
in-time clues about the mysterious
inner workings of the motherhood.
You may think you know Mom, but
some common assumptions may be
red herrings…
ANTI-RESOLUTION British resolve means refusing to
make promises you won’t keep.5
THE HOT LIST What are all the self-respecting
UK kids clamouring for?5
THE FINAL WORD Random musings from the
mouth of Moms.5
Lamenting the declining art of
communication:
“It is conflicting, that the more technologically
advanced products we make, the less we are
actually really communicating with each
other. After all, true communication is the act
of exchanging information and having
the ability to ask questions.”
In the UK, the hottest toys involve
technology, but at different ends of
the spectrum. Both were must-
haves for Christmas 2012.
Tot tech – Wii U, toddler laptops and
kid tablets – are highly coveted
among the junior set. Kids are early
technology adopters and they want
their own version of the toys they
see their parents using.
Riding a nostalgia wave among Gen
Y parents is the Furby. Although it
looks the same, it has newer
technology inside. Today’s Furby’s
come at today’s prices--revisiting
one’s childhood is costly
On when online shopping is
better:
“I tend to buy things online that I don’t need
to physically touch to see how good the quality is. I can’t be bothered with
returns policy.”
On getting to know one’s
neighbours:
“I say hello, but that’s about it. I find it hard to speak to people I don’t know. I find it easier to
make friends with people who are of the same age or the same situation as me. Being neighbours,
the only thing we have in common is our location and I worry about what
to talk about.”
On current government climate:
“ I wish the government would stop with the
"nanny state" policies They are considering enforcing rules as to
what companies can put into their food products
ie salt/sugar. How about they leave it up to me what I eat and drink!”
US PERSPECTIVE
91% of Moms feel
marketers don’t get
them3
Women make or
influence
85% of all purchases2
$2.4 trillion Mom’s purchasing
power1
1 Nielsen, March 2012; 2 She-conomy, 2012; 3 Forbes, 2009; 4 Babycenter’s 21st Century Mobile Mom report, 2011; 5 Time Magazine, June 2012
Image credits: Dear Sophie, Google; Time Magazine, May 2012
Our vote is for Google’s campaign –
especially the “Dear Sophie”
execution.
With Google’s transformation into a
verb came a need for growth beyond
search-related ad revenue with
products such as Google+, Maps and
Chrome.
Rather than talking about features,
functions and benefits, Google used
emotional vignettes to show the
timeless bonds between parent and
child facilitated by technology. The
campaign was highly impactful
across demos, but struck a particular
chord with Moms. They’re still
talking about it.
MOM-LOVED CAMPAIGNS In 2012, which brand campaign
resonated most with Moms?
Watch Dear Sophie for yourself:
http://bit.ly/X3YjfF
In 2012, the ‘Mommy Wars’ blew up
across multiple media channels and
fueled discussions on and offline.
A Time Magazine cover story
unapologetically celebrated
attachment parenting at its most
literal, leading to skirmishes over
whether prolonged attachments
make better mothers.
Blogger-fueled debates raged about
parenting styles, schooling choices,
childhood obesity and more.
But before the dust settled on 2012,
there was another skirmish during
the US presidential election over
whether being a stay-at-home
mother is equivalent to a full-time
job.
GET MOMS TALKING Who or what got Moms buzzing
during 2012?
Keep an eye on Evernote, a
productivity app designed for note
taking and list-making. However,
clever users have repurposed it
beyond the original design
intentions.
Using Evernote, Moms are forming
communities around shared interests
such as knitting, cooking and
household organization. This has
resulted in organic growth of shared,
crowd-sourced content.
For foodie Moms, Evernote is now a
mobile recipe book, pantry stock and
shopping list. For crafty Moms it’s a
repository of patterns, and real-time
inventory of craft supplies and tools.
By shifting to connect users around
passion points, Evernote enables the
forming of ad-hoc Mom social
networks. There have already been
knit-alongs, fashion previews and
Thanksgiving potlucks and the
communal possibilities are endless.
Stay tuned for whether an app like
Evernote (or Pinterest) will become
the next generation of Facebook.
Written by:
Angie Stahl
Adam Kruse
Jenny Vandehey
HEY, WATCH THIS! What’s an interesting mobile or
social app to watch with Moms?
19
YOU HEARD IT HERE FIRST What will Moms be doing more of
in social or mobile this year?
Look for retail finds and shares to be
gamified and incentivized for Moms
by retailers and manufacturers.
Moms are masters of sniffing out
deals and discovering new products.
But they don’t hoard their score—
92% of Moms actively document
and share their finds with their mom
network.4
This real-time access to and
distribution of sharing has increased
retail transparency and had
tremendous impact to offline retail
through showrooming.
Showrooming is going to a store to
find, touch and ‘test-drive’ a product,
but buying online to get a deal.5 It’s
been a dealmaker for Amazon, but a
dealbreaker for retailers highly
invested in physical store locations.
Expect Walmart and retailers to
reward Mom in their stores for
behavior she’s already doing. Look
for innovative uses of dynamic
pricing, real-time product locators,
social media and other mobile
functionality as the showrooming
showdown continues.
MOMS TALK BACK
1 in 3 Bloggers are
Moms7
6 Experian Hitwise; 7 ComScore, 2011; 8 SMG Moms MIC/Pulse Netnography, 2012
WHAT’S THIS ABOUT? A direct pathway into Mom’s mind
MOMS ARE TECHIES Among US Moms, tablets are hot
stuff and highly desired.8
NOW HEAR THIS How are Moms listening to music
most often?8
3 BIGGEST Online Hangouts for
Moms6
(27.9M moms)
(9.3M moms)
(6.4M moms)
SMG Mom Community
Local Mom maestro:
Angie Stahl
Global Moms HEC
20
TTC = trying to conceive
FTM = first time mother
WFD = what’s for dinner
As Mom detectives, we used
netnography and chatted up the
Moms in our proprietary online
community to give you some point-
in-time clues about the mysterious
inner workings of the motherhood.
You may think you know Mom, but
some common assumptions may be
red herrings…
It’s often assumed that Moms aren’t
all that into technology. Or maybe
that she uses it just to keep up with
the kids. But Mom is no luddite.
Her house is filled with technology.
Our Moms are avid mobile users, but
what’s really hot and desirable
among Moms is the tablet.
Whether it’s Android (Nexus or
Galaxy), an Apple iPad or Mini, a
Kindle or a Nook, it’s an
infotainment device Mom can’t wait
to get her hands on. She’d be happy
with “a tablet…any tablet.”
IT’S MOMGLISH TO ME Moms talk to each other with a
shorthand language all their own.8
Moms talk to each other in a
shorthand that only fellow Moms are
privy to. It’s alphabet soup that isn’t
baby talk.
Knowing Mom code gives you a
window into how Moms really talk
to each other online and helps to get
to know her better.
Pepper some of these babies into
your vocabulary and give word to
your mother.
GTD = getting things done
Having children does not mean that
Mom gives up her personal
entertainment favorites. She may
actually consume them more
voraciously than ever, just to have
something of her own.
Portability and streaming are
definitely where it’s at when Mom
turns on the ear candy. Few Moms
are buying or listening to CDs now.
If she’s literally on the move, she’s
got her iPod or her car radio. A
growing number of Moms are into
satellite radio such as Sirius or XM
that work at home and in the car.
If she’s at the computer, she’s
listening to Pandora, although
iheartradio and Spotify are also
gaining traction among Moms.
And don’t forget her mobile phone.
Her favorite mobile apps are ready
to stream whatever she wants,
wherever she is. Music may be an
overlooked element of Mom-
targeted communication, but is a
language that engages, motivates
and inspires her.
THE FINAL WORD Random musings from the
mouth of Moms.8
On the most significant life
event in 2012:
“My mother, who I had been estranged from
became ill. It was time to heal this relationship.
We made our peace and forgave each other. In
the months that followed we began to rediscover
each other. For once in a very long time, I felt
complete.”
On school security:
“We have armed guards in banks to protect our
money. We have armed guards to protect our politicians. Yet our
children, our most valuable and irreplaceable asset,
are left as vulnerable targets.”
Next up from Team Mom: A US View of How Mom’s use mobile to GTD*
Moms share some key things—they are practiced lie detectors, they are constantly shifting
between many different hats and their most valuable influencers are fellow moms. Still, in the
US, 91% of Moms agree that marketers just don’t get them.
If your brand or client wants to gain MOMentum, we should be talking. We listen to what
Moms are talking about in real-time and our proprietary Mom community enables us to interact
and dig deeper. Want to know more about what Moms are thinking, doing, feeling,
experiencing? Need to know about whether your messaging gets it right? Get inside Mom’s
head for your clients and brands.
Call us maybe?
The Global Mom HEC Team : Adam Kruse, Angie Stahl, Jenny Vandehey
* In Mom-speak,
GTD is Getting
Things Done