Your client asks you to develop a program that targets women in their 30s. What type of woman fits this profile? Is she married or single? Is she career-oriented or a housewife? Is she a single mom with a job, or married with no kids and unemployed? What is her economic status?
In an era in which women defy stereotypes, she seems to be all of the above...and more. As a result, it can be quite challenging for communications professionals to create a single program that reaches and interests most women.
The good news is that there are some commonalities that transcend demographic "woman-types." In fact, in the seemingly disparate female population, women actually are more alike than they are different. And so are men, the other members of the species known as "human." The key to a successful program is identifying and appealing to these similarities while respecting women's differences.
Identify the Similarities
Whether your program is about breast cancer, hypoallergenic make-up, or baby food, it's important to first identify the common attributes that most women share. Doing so will enable you to create universal communications strategies that can be applied effectively to any "woman-type." So before you launch a new drug that treats osteoporosis or publicize data on a migraine medication for young women, keep these facts in mind:
- When women talk, they tend to trade "secrets" and advice. For instance, more women than men like to recommend brands to their friends.
- Women tend to prefer deeper, more emotive relationships. This is why a woman will engage her physician in dialogue and stay with a product she trusts.
- Women have been found to probe more, about everything. From family health to the ethical standards of companies from which they buy, women are not afraid to ask questions.
- Women have remained the primary decision-makers when it comes to household purchases.
Understanding the psyche of women is essential to develop programs for them. But it also is important to identify common lifestyle interests. For instance, in today's hustle-and-bustle society, most women still find time to focus on health and fitness.
We recognized this fact several years ago, when we seized the opportunity to make our client Advilr the title sponsor of an established New York event - exclusively for women - The Advil Mini-Marathon. Sponsoring this woman-targeted event showed that the brand recognized women's needs and supported their athletic and fitness endeavors.
The groundbreaking healthcare program also provided women with valuable services, such as running clinics and expert counsel on pain management. But most importantly, the program captured a broad audience, appealing to a wide variety of women - from strollers to joggers to Olympic-level runners.
Women: Born Advocates
Women also develop strong brand preferences, and many astute marketers have recognized that these loyalties begin at a very young age. Let's stick with women's fitness. An example that straddles the healthcare and consumer marketing worlds is in the field of women's sports.
A pioneer in reaching out to the women of tomorrow (and their parents) is Nike, whose award-winning "If You Let Me Play" ad drove home the importance that sports participation could make in girls' lives. Similarly, we worked with Girl Scouts of the USA to develop their ambitious "GirlSports" program.
The goal of "GirlSports" was to increase young girls' participation in sports (their "brand loyalty" to a sports activity) and to sustain it through their teenage years, when it traditionally had fallen off sharply.
This national initiative crystallized the Girl Scouts' disparate sports programs into a unified campaign, leveraging relationships with influential sports organizations, such as the U.S. Golf Association and the United States Tennis Association.
Respect the Differences
No doubt it's important to identify and appeal to the similarities among women, but it is equally important to recognize and respect their differences. One of our healthcare clients wanted to reach women age 55 and over, and develop programs to generate awareness about a disease that most commonly strikes them at this age. By reaching out to this age-group, we knew that key messages could also reach younger women, such as daughters or friends of the target audience, who need to be educated about the disease as well. We created a campaign for universal application, based largely on data-driven initiatives; however, we also recognized the lifestyle, financial, and social diversity among this 55 and over age-group.
Targeting Women
When targeting women, an audience that contains many different lifestyle types, it may be necessary to tailor certain parts of your program. Remember these important rules:
- Preserve the uniqueness of one group without shunning another.
- Whenever possible, strengthen the bonds among the various groups.
Nancy Turett is president of the healthcare and consumer divisions of Edelman Public Relations Worldwide. She can be reached at 212/704-8195.