Muse Communication - gender smart marketing

International Women's Day - a Western woman's luxury?

2011-03-07T20:05:00.000+01:00

I was born in a western country.My father is an engineer, my mother stayed at home to raise three kids.I ate three balanced meals a day, every day.I went to school.I learned to read and write.I wore braces.I went to high school and university.I failed, and tried again.I had boyfriends.I travelled, I got drunk, I took drugs.I straightened myself out and tried again.I got married and divorced.I

Will women at the top lead to better marketing campaigns? Maybe.

2010-12-04T13:52:00.001+01:00

Smart marketing to women isn't just about the way in which we relate brands to their female consumers, it's also about the corporate cultures in which the marketing decisions that affect female consumers are taken. Traditionally corporations were driven largely by men and male qualities, which no doubt accounts for many a failed marketing-to-women campaign. A lack of awareness and recognition

Wise words by wise women at the global Women's Forum

2010-10-19T10:57:00.000+02:00

Great shoes. That’s what surprised me most at the Global Women’s Forum in Deauville, France last week: so many great shoes. Stilettos, pumps, and ballerinas in all colours of the rainbow. Walking between the 1300 prestigious participants I realised that I had never seen such an eclectic group of beautiful, feminine businesswomen together. The security guards, the waiters

Women finally "ready for a change".

2010-10-13T13:47:00.005+02:00

Good news, ladies! When it comes to vaginal health, our periods and 'all things down there', we are finally ready to face the truth! At least according to Kimberley Clarke, the company behind the "U by Kotex" campaign. Don't get me wrong: making vaginal health a discussable topic (or "taking the shame out of being a woman" as the Kotex brand guy puts it) is a great initiative and the campaign

Targeting the Chief Health Officer.

2010-10-05T17:13:00.000+02:00

Health. That deceptively short word occupies a very significant amount of a woman's mind. Whether they're thinking of loosing five kilos, buying a face-cream with sufficient sunblock or contemplating which yogurt contains less sugar and more active bifidus and is therefor healthier for the kids, not a day goes by in a woman's life without her considering someone's health - either her own or

Flirting at work - the last taboo?

2010-09-08T11:22:00.001+02:00

I didn't start it, I promise. It all came about after the article "Flirting your way to the corner office" in Forbes Woman. When Isabella Lenarduzzi of JUMP - an organization that focuses on empowering women in the workplace - asked me to write a guest column on the topic for her newsletter, of course I said yes! We're both strong believers in the joys of flirting and we wanted to put the taboo

Beer's untapped potential with women.

2010-08-31T14:32:00.002+02:00

There are numerous product categories in which the opportunity to target women is a playing field that lies wide open: automotive, wine and banking are but a few. Another category that presents enormous opportunities for marketeers: the beer market. Women have always had a love-hate relationship with beer. Even though women's beer consumption is impacted greatly by local customs and culture

A worthy example to all women!

2010-08-18T18:32:00.001+02:00

What a great, empowering video!

The underwear ad Belgium decided to ban.

2010-07-27T16:47:00.000+02:00

Western Europe isn't exactly known for its prudish attitudes toward sex, drugs and rock-'n-roll, and yet... Recently, Belgium's Jury for Ethical Practices decided to ban the Tour De France inspired billboard campaign of underwear manufacturer Sloggi. During the weeks of Tour De France hype, many billboards featured the 'Tour panties' as they quickly became known. "To capitalize on cycling-minded

A few good women.

2010-06-02T19:38:00.002+02:00

The automotive industry is one of the traditional male bastions in business. All men and (almost) no women. But the industry is changing...slowly. Here's a team of female engineers at Ford, making a case for why the industry needs a female touch. (...and what great PR for Ford, don't you think!)

Denim diapers and the storms they can create.

2010-05-31T18:41:00.001+02:00

Here's a perfect example of a great idea for a product and a bad execution on the communication: denim diapers from Huggies. The new Huggies campaign touts a denim-look diaper design available for a limited time this summer. The online version of the spot has a fashion-conscious toddler strolling pants-full in his jean diaper, with a voice over declaring, "I poo - in blue". Have a look at the

The future of marketing: give, get given.

2010-05-28T15:16:00.001+02:00

The future of effectively connecting with your consumers lies herein: if you want their attention, you have to give something first. No, we don't mean give free product samples, coupons or host competitions to win stuff. We mean give. Really give. Jump in boots and all. Take part. Put your money where your mouth is, so to speak. Talk the talk, walk the walk. SHOW US YOU CARE. REALLY. Think

Killing your campaign in 3 words.

2010-05-26T10:18:00.000+02:00

LONG-TERM, ORGANIC, PARNTERSHIP. These are the three words that explain why your campaign(s) are not delivering the results - over time - that you had hoped for. Reading the MobileYouth blog this morning, these wise words by Graham Brown really went straight to the heart of the problem: "Marketing’s biggest weakness is its own soil – it’s inorganic. Marketing seeks short term results and as

A soft approach to a harsh topic.

2010-05-18T18:46:00.004+02:00

There's been quite some talk about the video below. It deals with a harsh topic, in a very 'soft' manner. Right or wrong? Should it have been more provocative and shocking? Or does it drive home the message just as effectively exactly because it is in such sharp contrast to the gentle 'packaging' of the message? You decide...

Marketing to women: how to get it wrong twice - by HP.

2010-04-26T14:02:00.001+02:00

Seems there is still a lot of misunderstanding out there about women's behavior as consumers and how we come to make the purchase decision we do. A computer, for instance, can be an impulse buy, according to HP. Or a handbag, for that matter. (read our review of the HP that thinks its a handbag here) This article, titled "HP thinks it needs sell computers to women as if they were

Why YOU should attend the JUMP Forum on April 29th in Brussels!

2010-04-16T11:42:00.000+02:00

JUMP Forum 2010: The Extraordinary Impact of Women in the Economy!Join the fourth edition of the JUMP Forum that inspires hundreds of professional Women and Men across Europe, featuring the most successful Women and the most brilliant experts in gender diversity!For Women: why YOU should attend! The JUMP Forum is the biggest single day event dedicated to enhancing the professional lives of women

The Netherlands: not as liberal and emancipated as we think.

2010-03-29T12:45:00.000+02:00

Many countries look to the Netherlands as the example of liberated thinking. A country where "live and let live", tolerance and a willingness to discuss (and embrace) everything from recreational Cannabis use to televised pornography is part of the fibre of the nation's national identity. Everything, it seems, but opening the corporate Old Boys Club to include women. That, until today, seems

What she's not telling you.

2010-03-23T11:53:00.000+01:00

I've written before about the questionable validity of results obtained from focus groups (you know, those demographically aligned groups of strangers we put behind one-way mirrors to fiddle with and discuss our products or ideas). Then along comes the book "What she's not telling you" and confirms what we have always dreaded: our focus group research is worth Nada. Zero. Nil. Because the

Just for Fun: "Forehead Tittaes"

2010-03-11T10:06:00.001+01:00

Forehead Tittaes w/ Marion Cotillard from Marion Cotillard

Man Should Be Brave.

2010-02-23T16:47:00.004+01:00

I couldn't resist posting this ad from the French Connection campaign.I posted it on my Facebook account and immediately got tons of positive responses - from women. They love this ad! Why? Because it adheres to two the core values of smart marketing to women: be real and be brave.We all agreed: "Brave men" are men who dare to be silly, funny, poke fun at themselves and who don't take their male

Getting it wrong for Valentine: Back into the doghouse!

2010-02-16T09:18:00.004+01:00

Valentine's Day - the American way.Remember the JC Penny "In the Doghouse" campaign of last year? (We wrote about it here). The retailer has continued the successful campaign with an ad for Valentine's day called "Return to the Doghouse". Reading the adwomen blog this morning, I found out that the creative team behind the new ad, made by Saatchi and Saatchi NYC, contained no women. (The creative

To our moms we'll always be kids.

2010-02-15T15:07:00.003+01:00

I just discovered this new ad by P&G that ties in with the winter Olympics taking place right now.It's a great example of a very simple yet very effective ad that targets women - be they mothers or not.As you'll see in the video below, the ad centers on the concept of Olympic athletes always remaining kids to their moms.The ad works beautifully for a few reasons:1. We can all relate to always

Sexist Super Bowl ads.

2010-02-10T09:10:00.003+01:00

Oops they did it again! The ladies over at Momlogic.com give us a look at this year's misplaced Super Bowl ads.It's interesting to note that Dove - for years at the vanguard of gender equality and a beacon of light in the banishment of stereotypes - is on the list too! Dove recently launched Dove Men+Care a range of personal care products for men. With it, Dove again uses positioning based on

Let's talk about sex baby

2010-02-02T18:12:00.004+01:00

A new meta-study conducted throughout 87 countries puts it to rest for once and for all: when it comes to sex, men and women aren't as different as we think.The study, conducted by the University of Wisconsin-Madison, reports that "men and women are more similar than different in terms of sexuality". They start having sex at almost the same age, they overlap in the number of partners, the

Please meet the Real Mom.

2010-01-26T15:30:00.002+01:00

Advertising Age just published a very interesting white paper called "The New Female Consumer: the rise of the Real Mom". It's a great spotlight on the way society - and the roles of women in it - has changed over the past three generations.You can download the entire report here. Well worth a read!

To Facebook or Not To Facebook, that is the question.

2010-01-16T19:43:00.006+01:00

57 percent of Facebook users are women. For brands that market their products to women, social media is the proverbial goose that lay the golden egg of modern communication. Everybody wants a piece of the action.I am often encouraged by clients to "include social media, especially Facebook, in our communication strategy". Without much thought as to whether this is actually the right decision,

On selling marketing to women - to men.

2009-11-30T13:54:00.003+01:00

Often when I give presentations on marketing to women, I feel as if I'm preaching to the converted, so to speak.Mostly, the people that attend our workshops already believe in the purchasing power of the female consumer. And mostly, the people that attend these workshops are - you guessed it: women.Today I came across an article by Holly Buchanan titled "How to sell men on marketing to women".

The truth, the whole truth and nothing but the truth.

2009-11-25T12:42:00.003+01:00

Marketing measures much of its relevance and success by doing consumer research. From surveys and questionnaires to focus groups, we want (no we need) to know what our consumer is thinking. But what if the consumer we're asking isn't telling us the truth...? What if the method we're using to get information is no longer appropriate or effective. Chances are that we're then also producing data

Social media: the new matriarchy?

2009-11-12T14:51:00.004+01:00

An interesting report on social media usage trends throughout Europe.The bottom line?1. Internet usage is still largely task-based. News consumption, research & information gathering prior to purchase and staying in touch with friends are the most frequent activities.2. We research EVERYTHING - from snack foods to holidays - online.3. Comfortable strangers. The fabric of our social network is

How to appeal to Hot Chicks (101).

2009-11-05T13:56:00.005+01:00

I'm back from my Africa-adventure and ready to dive back into the wonderful world of marketing and marketing-to-women! What a better way to start off again than by reintroducing Sarah Haskins and her "Target Women" spoof project. Sarah has been in the news lately as "the girl that takes on ad men". Incase you don't know Sarah, she's the lady who puts all the silly, misguided advertising aimed

Gone Camping...in Africa.

2009-10-03T08:30:00.003+02:00

I am lucky enough to be able to realise one of my biggest dreams in the coming 3 weeks: to take part in a rally that goes from Belgium all the way to Gambia. Called the "Antwerp-Banjul Challenge", it's a rally of which the concept holds that you get your vehicle to Gambia in as good a state as possible and then auction it for a good cause of your choice. My team partner and I will be donating the

The female economy according to Harvard Business Review

2009-09-24T09:53:00.004+02:00

There's a very interesting article circulating amongst M2W experts out there. It was published by Harvard Business Review recently and it shares some shockingly concrete facts about women as a market."As a market, women represent a bigger opportunity than China and India combined. So why are companies doing such a poor job of serving them?"Read that again: a bigger opportunity than China (1.3

Goodyear offers free car maintenance workshop for women.

2009-09-22T09:48:00.003+02:00

GRATIS WORKSHOP AUTO-ONDERHOUD VOOR VROUWENGoodyear organiseert “Veilig en goed voorbereid op weg” – een gratis workshop auto-onderhoud voor (en door!) vrouwen Speciaal voor vrouwen uit Brussel en omgeving organiseert Goodyear in samenwerking met Vulco Kortenberg op donderdag 1 oktober 2009 een gratis workshop auto-onderhoud. De Ladies Training “Veilig & goed voorbereid op weg” vindt plaats op

The marshmellow test and what it teaches us

2009-09-18T11:58:00.003+02:00

Watch kids illustrate what happens when one pre-activates the "goal conflict mechanism" in relation to eating when an eating opportunity presents itself. Next time you can't resist that donut, you know why: goal conflict!Here you can find an interesting study conducted at the University of Leuven on " The Effect of Prior Food Temptation Actionability on Goal Activation and Consumption" Oh, The

Why you need to learn to quieten the Lizard Brain - by Seth Godin

2009-09-10T12:02:00.002+02:00

This video is not about marketing to women. It's about life, and reaching your full potential as human being. It's about why some people get stuck at just "thinking it" and others make it all the way to "doing it". Everyone should see this video.With our Sunshine Shooters project, Inge and I are "shipping". In 23 days - on time and within budget! (watch the video to make sense of that one!)

Designing the Stop Sign (aka: how not to work with an agency)

2009-09-08T17:39:00.004+02:00

Came across this funny video yesterday....!

Psssssst: whisper in my right ear!

2009-09-01T16:39:00.002+02:00

If you want to persuade someone, it is best do whisper in their right ear, as this article suggests.Both men and women (72%) prefer to use their right ear when listening to their conversation partner, and a majority of us also hold our mobile phones to our right ears.Why?What may at first seem rather strange begins to make sense on closer investigation:Language is processed by the left-hand side

The $5 Trillion Opportunity.

2009-08-14T16:02:00.003+02:00

The Boston Consulting Group recently surveyed more than 12,000 women in 22 countries about their needs, wants and expectations. For those still in doubt as to whether they should be taking women's expectations into account in their marketing strategies, the press release's sub-title may do the trick: "Emerging $5 Trillion Opportunity Exists for Companies that Systematically Understand and Respond

Friday Fun: 5 Gold Lions at Cannes

2009-08-07T11:28:00.003+02:00

I couldn't help but smile at this wonderful clip! Great tongue-in-cheek self promo from the Boondoggle team!

HELP! Get me out of here!

2009-08-03T16:31:00.007+02:00

The Summer sales season represents a true shopping nightmare to many.While some love the thrill-of-the-chase of a good bargain (as do I), the drawbacks of the shopping experience are just too great for others to even bother. Crowded stores, the frenzied tug-of-wars over flimsy summer tops, long cues at the fitting rooms and check-out counters....It is a nightmare many are quite willing to skip!I

The death of a blogger and other interesting topics.

2009-07-17T09:24:00.005+02:00

Starting tomorrow, I'm off to seek a little bit of sunshine and a lot of rest. To launch into the 2-week radio silence, I thought I'd leave you with some interesting things I discovered in cyberspace this week.Death of a Blogger.There's a PR stunt targeting some of America's top bloggers with a rather heart-stopping message: their own death announcement. This blogger received a mysterious "

Why we love our hairdresser: customer loyalty from a woman's perspective.

2009-07-07T09:27:00.006+02:00

There's a commonly held theory in marketing land that says women are more loyal as customers than men are. (It's one of the reasons many companies have discovered women as a lucrative target audience.) But here's the thing: it's not exactly true.A recent study by The Journal of Marketing points out that there are significant differences in the type of loyalty men and women display toward service

Stanley ensures DIY goes female-friendly in Belgium

2009-07-01T12:13:00.003+02:00

The Muse Communication team is proud to launch www.ik-doe-het-zelf.be for Stanley Works, one of the world's leading tool brands.With this project, Stanley brings together all the necessary information to complete DIY projects in and around the house in one clear, project-focused website. Supported by three real-life experts - an architect, an interior designer and a landscape architect, the site

Thunderstorms in marketing-to-women land

2009-06-25T15:35:00.006+02:00

We're not having an awfully good week in marketing-to-women land.First there was L'Oreal, which was this week found guilty of racial discrimination by a French court over its all-white recruitment policy for its shampoo sales teams. In 2000, the company briefed its recruitment agency to find "BBR" (an acronym for the colours of the French flag and widely known to signify a person of white, French

Muse newsletter: marketing technology to women.

2009-06-12T09:09:00.002+02:00

Marketing technology to women is one of my favorite topics!In this month's newsletter, we take a closer look at what works and what doesn't!Click here to read!

Why social media matters - so much!

2009-06-11T09:01:00.004+02:00

The control of products, services and advertising is increasingly shifting to the consumer. Gone are the days of creating an award-winning creative ad and placing it in all the right places. Gone are the days of you telling the consumer what they need. They are telling you. Just ask Motrin or Dell(a).According to a Forresters research report released recently, "The distinction between traditional

A woman's day in brands

2009-06-10T13:18:00.004+02:00

This is so great, I just had to take time out to post it!Also check out "A man's day in brands"

keychain with GPS. Sound silly? Think again...

2009-06-10T09:14:00.008+02:00

When I first read about the keychain with GPS early this morning, I thought "nope...".But that's because I thought about it as answer to the question "where did I park my car?", which made me feel rather stupid.But the more I thought about it, I realized that it could indeed be very, very handy little gadget.On a city trip to Prague, for example, as one wanders through unfamiliar streets and

"It's pretty ugly" - how gender drives our perception of design

2009-06-08T09:53:00.003+02:00

Working in marketing and communication for over 10 years now, I can confirm that design is indeed one of the most subjective elements of marketing. And exactly because it's so subjective, its also the most difficult element to discuss with a client, let alone defend rationally if they've decided they don't like it.How do you defend a design, unless you have facts to back it up?The lack of

Proud to be a woman!

2009-05-28T16:29:00.007+02:00

Please sit down before you read any further. See the curvy girl above? She was in the May issue of Harper's Bazaar. Her full size 12 (gasp!) figure on page after page for all to see. (Her name is Crystal Renn, by the way)Isn't she sexy? I can easily just refer you through to Harper's website, but I like the pics so much, I'll post them here too!Wouldn't it be great if we saw girls like her more

Much ado about what women want - online.

2009-05-25T15:13:00.003+02:00

There's much ado about marketing to women online at the moment. Articles on what women do (and don't do) online, what's lacking and who's being left out. It seems there is still quite a way to go before we agree we have it figured out.The article "Men are from Facebook, women are from Twitter", published on CNNMoney.com talks about the different ways in which men and women use the internet.

Forbidden images

2009-05-22T15:27:00.003+02:00

A friend just posted a movie called "Forbidden Images" on Facebook. Not quite knowing what to expect, I clicked "play" and watched closely as the seconds unfolded flickeringly across my screen. Over the next 4 minutes I saw image upon image celebrating women, their exuberant playfulness, their femininity and their sensuality. The images are so hauntingly beautiful it is hard to believe they were

Sex sells chocolate, right?

2009-05-20T15:39:00.005+02:00

This launch campaign for "Fling" the new chocolate bar from Mars is raising quite a storm in cyberspace right now.Everything about this product and it's launch is about sex. And sex sells, right?The products name: "Fling" (as in "I feel like having a fling with a chocolate bar")The description of the product: "chocolate fingers"A tagline that invites you to "Pleasure yourself"...And then there's

Marketing to women: getting it wrong.

2009-05-19T08:54:00.003+02:00

It is still amazing to see how many brands get it wrong in their effort to attract female consumers. I've blogged about Philip's USB-stick necklace before, and now Dell is creating a storm with the launch of their site aimed at women, called "Della". I'm not sure which consultancy helped Dell develop the strategy for this project (not to mention the look & feel or content of the site), but

Automotive marketing to women

2009-05-15T09:09:00.005+02:00

Here's an interesting statistic: it takes men an average of 13 weeks to buy a new car. It takes women on average 18,5 weeks. This longer decision-making cycle highlights the fact that women have a more complex decision-making process that has her gather more information and incorporates many more selection criteria than men do. USA research shows that women today influence more than 85% of all

Cards of Change

2009-05-12T14:32:00.005+02:00

I came across the initiative "Cards of Change" via Clo's blog. I simply LOVE the idea behind the Cards of Change concept ( Its mission is to collect as many business cards and stories of positive change of people who have recently been laid off and connect them with new opportunities from potential employers, business partners and people who make the effort to look on the bright side of life).I

The Girl Effect

2009-05-12T08:45:00.002+02:00

A friend of mine, who knows that I'm taking part in a rally through northern Africa to raise money for an organization that helps women to start their own businesses, sent me this video last night. It's by the Nike Foundation and is called "The Girl Effect".Nike has made a lot of mistakes and done a lot of wrong (like most companies)...What's important is that they are doing something about it.

In Brands We Trust (And the winners are....)

2009-05-11T14:08:00.008+02:00

I couldn't help smiling at the results of the Readers Digest "Trusted Brand 2009" results for Belgium when I saw them today.Have a look who's the leading in the "Banking/Building Society" category. Fortis. Admittedly, the field work for this survey was done in August 2008, so things have changed a tad since then. When it comes to marketing-to-women it is interesting to note that Nivea (and not

Co-creation: now that's a great idea!

2009-05-07T08:58:00.005+02:00

Co-creation - the process during which a company involves an external group of people in (a part of) the innovation process of a product or service - gets its first public event!Held on June 24th in The Netherlands, the first ever Co-creation event is under the auspice of RedesignMe - "the first platform where communities and companies collaborate on (new) products and services".As marketeers, we

Sins and Virtues at BGGD

2009-05-06T11:41:00.006+02:00

I attended another great edition of Brussels Geek Girl Dinner last night! Taking time out of our busy daily lives to meet up with friends & likeminded souls to talk, discuss and be inspired, BGGD should be a compulsary 'destress' moment for all modern girls!The theme of this edition was "Sin" (and therefore by association also "Virtues") - topics close to my heart as they often come to play in

Friday fun: Because I like to ride my bike in my bikini

2009-04-24T09:34:00.004+02:00

Just came across this great blog and a post I could resist taking over for the Muse blog.

Female consumers: the cure for recession blues?

2009-04-21T09:11:00.010+02:00

The past few months have been busy, to say the least. We're working on an exciting new project for a major international DIY brand, and we're in the midst of a PR campaign for Milner, not to mention other projects with which we're in full preparation. And between all the work, there are the presentations I'll be giving at VEPEC tomorrow night and JUMP on Thursday. I can confirm what this article

Special offer: Attend Forum JUMP for just 50€!

2009-04-15T09:23:00.003+02:00

The biggest event in Belgium dedicated to Women’s careers.JUMP offers a wide range of tools to reinforce Women’s empowerment and position in the economy by making best use of all skills that they have to offer. Join the event and a community of outstanding women and men, with whom you will live- out the potential you may not even have known you had. Learn how you can increase your organisation’s

Women win at money matters

2009-03-26T09:17:00.002+01:00

A recent survey confirms what many have always suspected: women are better at handling money than men are.The survey, conducted in December by Reuters, polled 4,500 women in 12 countries (Australia, Brazil, Bulgaria, Canada, France, Indonesia, Malaysia, Mexico, the Netherlands, South Africa, Britain, and the United States).Extensive surveys such as this can help brands understand women's

Segments, Shmegments

2009-03-18T08:38:00.002+01:00

Audience segmentation. It's one of the "Big Five" I often (ok, always) need to clarify when speaking of marketing-to-women.I always need to explain that traditional segmentation methods are very linear, not to mention based on very outdated stereotypes and definitions. Audience segments such as 28-35, A-B, 1-4 have become grossly outdated in their ability to correctly define an audience. And

Friday fun: How to put on a bra

2009-03-13T11:19:00.002+01:00

WomensLab - new creative collaboration platform launches

2009-03-08T12:24:00.003+01:00

It's a dream I've had for many years: to get women together to the benefit of the individual and the group and together make a difference to the world we live in. It's a dream many told me is not realistic, too 'grand', too time-intensive etc etc etc. A million and one reasons not to do it.And yet....almost 3 years later, it has become a reality! WomensLab is born!WomensLab is a collaboration

Learn from the Future

2009-03-04T10:42:00.006+01:00

Last night I attended a VEPEC event where some of Belgium's foremost business leaders from the publishing & media world and politicians discussed the current crisis and its effects on our industry: disastrous to say the least. Some publishers said that income generated by advertising was down by as much as 30% (at least that's what they'll admit to in public). The CEO of the Alfacam Group and

Welcome to the future of business: 100 companies that will change the world

2009-02-23T10:46:00.006+01:00

I've been saying it to anyone who will listen: the current economic crisis will change the way in which we do business - for ever.But I'm certainly not the first to notice the fundamental societal shifts that are currently shaking up our lives. The signs have been there for all to notice: our unbalanced lifestyles that have lead to countless broken families and stress-related afflictions, the

Marketing to Moms Must Read.

2009-02-17T11:25:00.005+01:00

Rasorfish and Cafemom recently issued a report called "Digital Mom".It contains a wealth of information about how technologies are affecting the behavior of moms - from how they parent, socialize and keep in touch, to how they shop.Reading the report really brings home the fact that the way in which moms communicate and whom they trust is changing fundamentally. As marketeers, it is imperative we

Survey: Help Us Better Meet Your Business Travel Needs

2009-02-09T15:56:00.003+01:00

Ad!dict Creative Lab is a global think-tank that brings together over 4,000 creatives from around the world on innovation and design challenges that need a broader perspective. They're currently doing a survey on business travel. More specifically: the likes and dislikes thereof with seasoned business travelers. Over the past few decades, women have also become frequent business travelers, and

The future of marketing to women = great marketing to everyone?

2009-01-26T20:23:00.003+01:00

How about that: an ad that uses humor and gets it right for both sexes! Well done Heineken!

HOT OFF THE PRESS: launch of WOMEN-omics.com website

2009-01-19T13:49:00.005+01:00

WOMEN-omics ( www.WOMEN-omics.com), provides exclusive global reporting on women's growing economic impact on companies and countries, and aggregates the best information, ideas, and insight in the field, updated daily. A one-stop portal, the site is designed for corporate leaders, top executives, policymakers, journalists, researchers, business schools, and women in the workplace. The site

A video you will never forget.

2009-01-16T15:50:00.003+01:00

It's Friday, and as some of my posts here sometimes do, this one has nothing to do with marketing-to-women and everything to do with life.It's a video I just found on the blog of author Tim Ferriss.It's a video about self-doubt, something we're all guilty of at some point. So this video is for all of us, no-one can say "this doesn't apply to me"... To put things back into perspective when we

The Undeniable importance of Denial

2009-01-10T11:14:00.002+01:00

(original english text of a column I wrote for De Morgen's weekend supplement "Wax" this week)The undeniable importance of denial.Oscar Wilde once said: “Illusion is the first of all pleasures”. Now it’s not that I want to bump chests with the larger-than-life Mr. Wilde, but I think he got it wrong on this one. Denial is the first of all pleasures. And having just turned 36 (ok, ok, damnit: 37)

Nothing will be the way it used to be.

2009-01-08T12:19:00.004+01:00

The way in which we do business has been changing steadily for a while now. The impact of the changing world in which we live keeps becoming clearer every day. It's a scary and uncertain time in which to do business, for the changes we are experiencing are fundamental and far-reaching. This clip, sent to me by my friend Caroline over at RollingTalks, is spot-on in its analysis of the forces that

December Newsletter Out Today!

2008-12-17T10:47:00.004+01:00

We've put together our best newsletter yet - a compilation of the best and the worst (and the funniest) in the world of marketing to women. Chock full of videos, insight and inspiration, we hope you enjoy this review of 2008. As always, we would love to hear your feedback. Agree? Disagree? Have a different campaign to suggest? Don't forget - to sign up, email us at newsletter@

Friday Fun: gender stereotyping

2008-12-05T15:26:00.002+01:00

Here's a fun ad for a friday afternoon! It's called "Beware of the doghouse" and forms part of J.C. Penny's end of year print & viral campaign (agency: Saatchi & Saatchi). We here at Muse really like the ad: it deals with gender stereotypes (and some very realistic situations we can all relate to) in a light-hearted, non-offensive way that still respects both sexes. And as we're 3 weeks away from

The end of wrap-rage as we know it.

2008-11-27T09:57:00.006+01:00

This phrase almost made me snort* my coffee all over my keyboard this morning: "Frustration-Free™ Packaging"When I mentioned the remote possibility of frustration-free packaging here in the office, everyone became very curious, because, lets face it: who hasn't cursed trying to open the hard-plastic packaging of a new toothbrush or waded through reams of wire-tie, styrofoam and bubble-wrap to get

Ah, Women!

2008-11-12T17:47:00.003+01:00

There's a great article on Time Magazine's website called "Women in Luxury" that showcases interviews with some of the most powerful women behind some of the world's most powerful brands.I read a few of the interviews, and what struck me is this: the women interviewed give such a wonderfully individual, quirky insight into the beautiful complexity of women as individuals...and perfectly

Money Matters

2008-10-30T15:06:00.002+01:00

Most people don’t pay attention to how much money has been spent on a brand before purchasing something. One might notice the changing ad campaigns at bus stops or billboards or comment on which companies choose to spend millions in a Superbowl football ad. At least, until recently.In today’s financial climate, we’re all more aware of how much a company spends – on anything from golden

Tales of passion

2008-10-25T13:34:00.002+02:00

I recently discovered the TED conference: an annual event that brings together some of the world's greatest thinkers and doers, and challenges them to "give the talk of their lives" — in only 18 minutes. I also discovered Isabel Allende, novelist and memoirist and author of the enormously successful "The House of Spirits". Allende gives a wonderfully funny, moving and very inspiring talk that

Marketing during the recession.

2008-10-10T10:26:00.009+02:00

I think we can call it official: the economy is a stumbling, faltering mess.The growing rumbling of the recessional snowball can be heard loud and clear on both sides of the Atlantic now, and there are no signs that it’s going to miraculously disappear any time soon. In fact, this may be one of the most fundamental marco-economical shifts in many decades, and I can’t help but think that the

My Financial Planner Should Be Famous

2008-10-06T12:07:00.006+02:00

A number of years ago, I turned to a financial planner when I was a waitress. With so much cash on hand, I knew I should do something with my money but was unsure what. With a degree in English and a passion for words, not numbers, I knew that I would never be able to understand or research a topic as thoroughly as my money deserved. I turned to someone who would be able to answer my questions

No Sex Please, We're Women.

2008-09-15T21:19:00.011+02:00

I was recently asked by De Morgen's weekend supplement WAX, to write an opinion piece on the use of gender stereotypes and nudity in advertising. I called the article "No sex please, we're women".No Sex please, we’re women.I’m a woman and I don’t like sex. I want everything around me to be nice, perfect and clean and I want it to be completely politically correct. And above all: no sex,

Fantastic Lingerie Marketing

2008-09-09T14:51:00.004+02:00

Have you seen the new Playtex campaign? What a wonderful example of marketing lingerie to women in an appropriate, fun way! Every woman can relate to this!

Humor in Advertising to Women isn't Funny

2008-09-02T11:24:00.006+02:00

Humor in advertising to women isn't funny because it doesn't seem to exist. Where are all the funny ads that appeal to women? Using humor to appeal to women is great idea but often falls flat upon execution. Here is a car ad that is trying to be funny, trying to appeal to women by spoofing on the overt sexual nature of these men washing the car. The ad plays on the idea that there are a lot of

I'm off!

2008-08-28T10:29:00.005+02:00

I'm away for the week and looking forward to a break from this ubiquitous grey weather. I hope to bring some sunshine back with me.

Do You Believe in the Power of One?

2008-08-21T12:33:00.015+02:00

I like to think one person CAN make a difference – in the real world, the virtual world – even the corporate world. One of my favorite books is The Power of One by Bryce Courtenay. It’s a tale of inner strength, making strong personal connections and being as real and authentic as possible. These same core beliefs; inner strength, real friendship and authenticity, don’t merely belong in fiction

Happy Birthday to the Queen of Pop

2008-08-16T18:36:00.004+02:00

Today's post comes to you compliments of guest blogger and fellow modern feminist, Jesse, over at FashionLimbo.I confess: I have been a Madonna fan since the age of five. I have all the albums, singles, calendars, posters and books. I troubled my parents and made my conservative aunts blush covering my walls with her Erotica pictures when I was only 10. I learnt about love, sex and life from her,

News, views and a breath-taking video

2008-08-08T21:56:00.007+02:00

The summer vacation is almost at an end and it's been a busy period for us, preparing for the months ahead.There's much happening that I want to share with you in the coming weeks, not least of all our upcoming talk "Why women own 19 pairs of shoes (and other secrets revealed)" at the Brussels Geek Girl Dinner on August 20th. I would also like to take this opportunity to introduce you to Courtney

Wanted: second-hand woman for sheer driving pleasure

2008-07-18T13:20:00.007+02:00

Every time I look at this ad for BMW's selection of "Premium Used Cars", I just can't believe my eyes. (hat tip to Copyranter, where I found the ad)HELLO? Is there anyone home at BMW Marketing...? The questions that keep popping up (please do excuse the pun in this case) in my mind are:WHO THE HELL SIGNED OFF ON THIS AT BMW?a) Is this guy really in marketing?b) How many of his brain cells were

What Rock Chicks can teach us

2008-07-07T20:05:00.008+02:00

I'm back from two days at Rock Werchter, one of Europe's biggest summer festivals. I came back with more than a sore back, blistered feet and the feeling that a russian second world war tank has just driven over my body. I also came back with two of the most valuable lessons about why women buy into brands.Lesson number one "BE REAL" came in the form of The Gossip - a US band lead by front singer

On motherhood (again)

2008-07-02T17:02:00.004+02:00

Although I'm not a Mom, I really appreciate this site "True Mom Confessions"It's a fantastic community building site for moms to visit, especially in frustrating moments, of which, no doubt there are many.Moms (and Moms-to-be) can anonymously share their worries, stresses and silly moments with like-minded women.From a marketing-to-women perspective, I really like it because:- I love the homepage

Sometimes it takes a man...

2008-06-24T18:41:00.002+02:00

...to show us one of the greatest examples of connecting with women I have seen to date.Words wouldn't do Dave's concept any justice. Just watch.Click here and once you're on the site click "reflect/respect" at bottom right.

My Monday Memo (on a tuesday)

2008-06-17T11:16:00.007+02:00

There's so much happening in the M2W arena at the moment, a quick between work update on some must-reads:The second edition of the Muse Newsletter is due out this thursday. Subscribe now if you want to receive it!Lady Geek - Discovered this a few weeks ago...a wonderful blog about women and technology! Short, quick, funny reads...Bookmark it!Less is MoreTalking of women and technology, check out

Yummy Mummies RULE!

2008-06-11T18:10:00.013+02:00

For the record: I don't have kids (yet) and I'm not pregnant.But I simply must do a plug for HOTmilk - the lingerie brand from way, way down under in New Zealand that has come up with the most stunning line of maternity and nursing lingerie.Classy, sexy, it empowers women and doesn't take itself too seriously! I love it! Kudoz to you ladies!YES! To giving pregnant women and nursing mums a choice

You are beautiful - just the way you are.

2008-06-02T20:32:00.008+02:00

I was gonna blog about women and technology today. BUT: Sex In The City goes into premiere in Belgium this week (oh God, I can't wait!!!), so the topic today will be the much asked question in the media lately (sigh...): "Can a woman be a Sex In the City fan AND a feminist?"Speaking to women around me and judging by the sighs it induces, this question must rate as one of the silliest questions

Don't pile on the puppies

2008-05-28T18:45:00.011+02:00

We've been talking about the whole 'fuzzy-warm' issue in marketing to women a lot at the office lately.There seems to be a widespread perception out there that if a brand wants to connect with female consumers, it's all and ONLY about being able to form an emotional bond with her. We call this the 'fuzzy-warm' syndrome and it makes our hair stand on end.What frustrates us (and no doubt many,

BE your audience.

2008-05-22T16:52:00.009+02:00

Yesterday, a journalist who will be interviewing me next week on the topic of marketing to women sent me some questions, one of which really got me thinking.This was it: "Do you think there need to be more female marketers?"My answer to this question (Yes!) is the easy part. The difficult part may be the "why?"... but let me explain:As women think, behave and consume differently than men do, so