Observing the ‘She’ Factor

They constitute more than half of the total world population and according to a report by She-conomy, account for 85% of all consumer purchases including everything from automobiles to health care and spend about $5 trillion annually and yet, very few companies market exclusively to them. Yes, we are talking about the fairer sex and how important it is to reel them in, if you need to have any shot at success. According to the afore mentioned report, 91% of women say that advertisers don’t understand them. Where are we going wrong and how badly is it affecting us? Most ads stereotype women, make assumptions and portray them as a necessary accessory to the man of power. Others create unrealistic portraits of women themselves. Who are these impossibly altered, photoshopped pictures fooling? If anything, they just make women more resentful and inferior. According to Women’s Marketing Inc, 46% of women will first check their smartphones when they wake up in the morning while Harris Interactive states that 63% of women don’t go an hour without looking at their phones. So who do you think will observe your social media activities first? Also, if you were to send offers by SMS, be assured that 92% of women will pass on the information to their friends and family (Mindshare/Ogilvy & Mather). Given these statistics, appealing to the sentiments of women is a sound marketing initiative. Studies on campaigns by brands like Nivea for Men, have also shown that women’s opinions have a definite influence on their partners’ choices. Now how do you appeal to women? For starters, show understanding and shun superficiality. Recognize women for the empowered, smart, decision-makers they are of today. Portray real women in your ads instead of painted, sculptured dolls no one can relate to. Be open, creative and gender-neutral with colors and designs. Don’t work with assumptions, talk to real women and observe how different their thought processes are from men. Given their influence in matters of choice, it is high time marketing made sure to cater to the sensibilities of women exclusively.