Marketers Off the Mark When Targeting Moms: Study
Marketers that are targeting mothers are missing the mark, according to a survey conducted by Draft Chicago. Moms who were polled said they are much more than “just moms” and they want to be recognized as such by advertisers.
More than a third (34%) of respondents said they are offended by the way advertisers portrayed them, and more than 68% said they want to be targeted beyond their parental role, according to the survey conducted by Draft Chicago, a marketing services agency. The survey results were released yesterday at the Marketing-to-Women conference at the Chicago Cultural Center.
“Mothers for too long have been talked to as just moms, and it seems they are now starting to resent it,” Nancy Leibig, EVP and a leader of Draft’s Ms. & Mom Marketing Group, said in a statement. “The target of ‘moms’ is really outdated. Today’s mother is no longer just a mom. She is a woman with children—and it’s essential for marketers to reach out to the many ’embedded women’ inside her.”
The survey also found that more than half (55%) of mothers said they would react more favorably if marketers spoke to them as a “multi-dimensional woman,” not just as a mom. Survey respondents said they felt a loss of self, saying they have little time to enjoy personal interests. Some 61% of women surveyed said they don’t have enough time for themselves, whereas 58% said they feel guilty when they do something for themselves, the survey found.
Mothers have said they have trouble striking a balance when it comes to motherhood. One in 10 women described herself as “balanced” in her role as mother and individual, the survey found.
Draft’s Chicago office surveyed more than 200 women aged 25 to 54 (16 women in focus groups settings in February and 200 via online surveys in April).
