An amazingly insightful “White Paper” by AdAge discusses some interesting trends in today’s changing consumer base. Entitled “The Reality of the Working Woman: Her Impact on the Female Target Beyond Consumption,” it examines- as you’ve probably guessed- the increasing number of working women in American society, and their impact on brands, shopping habits, and interestingly enough, our preconceived notions of what constitutes “domesticity.”
It’s an understatement to say that this paper is worth reading. Though marketers have long been aware of the clout that females hold in the marketplace (for specific numbers, see the report), they haven’t realized as yet that their female customers are, more likely than not, employed in some manner outside the home. Yes, they may have kids, and the article cites this as the working woman’s constant struggle between a work-home balance, but marketers insist on placing women in ads featuring domestic products, in domestic settings, doing domestic things. In some ways, during commercial breaks it’s like the feminine revolution never happened, though shows such as “30 Rock,” “House,” and “24″ feature women in positions of authority quite often. The refusal/denial of marketers of their changing female demographic is what will (and sometimes already has) lead to the downfall of many, and mixed opinions rage over ads for products such as Swiffer, in which a woman in generic “sensible” clothing is always featured. The study itself suggests that men now do just as many household chores as women; however, the failure of marketers to quell this stereotype only serves to propagate it, to the shaking heads of women everywhere.
I myself not an avid feminist by any means, although my career, as you may have noticed, is extremely important to me. But I do have to admit that I’m always a fan of commercials that feature independent, professional women, and I can’t help feeling an intense revulsion to commercials that imply the fact that I should be making someone a sandwich.
How can marketers integrate these changing perceptions into their campaigns? I think it will take a lot of re-analysis, and probably an entire re-evaluation of their carefully-established market demographics. It’s no longer a question of should they do this, but when they will- because products that originally catered to the concept of the 1960s stay-at-home mom just plain won’t work anymore.
Below is a short film by JC Penny that aired during the holiday season in 2008. It doesn’t feature the concept of “working women” as discussed above, but it does show the reigning power over men that our kind maintains, and in a smart, very funny manner.
Marketers, you know you love us. Now all you have to do is bow down. Or else.
