Marketing to women discussion - Tuesday 1pm

[carriemumsnet]

Hi all

We've been asked by a new specialist female marketing company www.prettylittlehead.co.uk to find out what women think of marketing that's targeted at women. By marketing they mean anything from radio/TV/ newspaper/magazine ads to direct marketing that comes through the door. We're not talking about marketing to children (that's a whole other subject) but more what brands you like and which you don't and why? What irritates you about the way companies market to you and which brands or products should be more aimed at women which currently seem completely focused on men. Do you think advertisers try and make you feel good or bad about yourself in order to flog their products to you? Who or what do you trust for advice on products ? (need we ask? ) There is of course no compulsion to take part in the debate/discussion, and as usual with online chats you can post your thoughts in advance, but anyone who joins in between 1pm Tues and 1pm Weds (to give all the night shift a chance) will be entered into this week's competition.

Hope to see you there

the reality for many of us is not floating around looking serene, but having to work really hard to raise a family, run a home, have some semblance of a life, and work out of the home too....life is often an intensive juggling act, and it would be nice to have the time to waft around in a floaty shift dress , looking harmonious with the universe!

and the presumption that because it is is just for women, it is better for us is not always right...diamond car insurance gave me a quote that was more expensive than my current insurers!

Think the unobtainable look/lifestyle would possibly mean something if you are younger but most (generally speaking) women grow into themselves and realise it is a load of nonsense and unacheivable. Rubbing on a £65.00 cream just is not going to get rid of 5inches of cellulite - fact! (Sadly )

I didn't think the Dove adverts portrayed particularly 'real' women - OK, they weren't skinny models but they didn't have cellulite or stretch marks and they all had perfect skin!

Now Sheila's Wheels quite obviously is a spoof (it's part of Esure), so it doesn't annoy me much. At least the tune is catchy.

It is a matter of extremes - either the idyllic picture of family life , ethereal woman dressed in white floating around perfect home with unruffled kids or the absolute scum covered tip that needs Cillit Bang-ing. tbh find the whole set up quite patronising and offputting as it misses the concept of a woman having discerning intelligence.

quite

Def agree that the adverts that use real women are much more appealing i.e Fern Britton ryvita and dove a classic example. Cannot stand the typically sexist ads i.e the woman always slapping her arse at Asda really annoying would much rather see a fit young mans tight buttocks

it is good to see real women being used for the Dove ads....they are more representative than a size 0 waif, for sure....but i wonder if their sales have gone up? and if so by how much ?

i think women and, the population in general, are a lot more media savvy now, and it will take more than a nice ad and a pretty picture to make us switch brand allegiance....

thank god it is not just me then ! i am never normally so prickly ! am usually quite serene and wafty

i guess this has been irking me for longer than i thought!!

Agree with those who have complained about pinkness.

Cosmetics and haircare products are to my mind the most irritatingly marketed class of product in the way they construct women as thinking the way they look is the most important thing in their lives.... which is quite similar to what Mrs Badger says about cleaning products.

Am interested to know if other mums welcome marketing bumpf about good stuff purely for themselves (emails about films, or books, or nice clothes) as opposed to stuff for their babies or their roles as mums or something boring but necessary like washing powder?

Sometimes I relish the fact that the email or whatever it is brings me up to date with a new movie, but its a big turn off if the tone of voice is too pushy. Or that they claim to know exactly what you like and get it completely wrong (Amazon big culprit here).

Sorry can't keep quiet (ask the dh) Sheila's wheels is annoying/catchy but has it worked? We've all heard of them now and we're women and we know what they offer - insurance to women. Would you actively not get insurance from them because the ad is irritating, or would you try them next time, because you've heard of them and if cheapest you'd go for it, irritating jingle or no?

I quite like the new lilettes adverts. Well the sentiment not the size 8 mums!

ooh, the Asda arse-patting makes me think of the most irritating woman-targeted strapline of all time

'That's why mums go to Iceland'

there are not words to convey just how wrong this is.

I don't like the way they prey on women in those low cost loans ads that are on during daytime tv.
"I'm so busy finding Josh's socks and my husband's shoes I can barely find time to consolidate my debts."

one thing that really saddens me is the narrowness of focus of marketing for women. that in 2007 women are shown as being interested mainly or wholly in domestic issues is pretty depressing. Women being portrayed as domestic angels/martyrs and slaves to their families and husbands - these are my real flash points.
on the upside, I like to see women portrayed as sexual, even if it often in quite a trivial way (e.g. diet coke advert is the one that springs to mind). the media so often portrays women as objects that any portrayal of female sexuality as a force is cheering.

I also like to see older and larger women, though beware of tokenism of course.

FWIW I think marketing to men is even more depressing - the underlying misogyny os very close to the surface.

ah but LilyLoo - in advertising world do men go to supermarkets - or do they just go to DIY stores?!
Flash have an interesting angle having the man doing the cleaning - but it always makes it seem that he is doing a favour for the wife.

Mmmm I quite like the Sheila's Wheels ads too.

I think as a woman I don't necessarily like the ones that are aimed at women - I respond better to a well-made ad aimed at men than to one that tries to target women and gets it wrong.

carrie- i shop around for my insurance, and use a search engine, and find the cheapest quote..which is for a firm with a stooopid ad.... so despite loathing the ad, i bought the insurance but only because the quote was the cheapest

would not pick something based purely on a good ad, cathcy tune or that it was aimed at women, would have to be good value too

value for money will win out !!

I loathe the wrinkle cream/hair dye adverts. Now that I've reached the 30 threshold I'm made to feel that it's going to go all downhill now, wrinkles and grey hair and the such. Why can't women be allowed to embrace their bodies. There is so much pressure to keep young, and it seems to be starting at an earlier age.

I find wrinkles to be a very attractive feature, they show laughter lines and life.. what's wrong with that.

It actually makes me either change channel or turn off the telly. I know these companies want to sell their products.. but it almost seems like they are using some sort of abuse/bullying tactics... ie don't look old, if you do you're a failure. I don't have any suggestions as to how they can change their approach. Maybe focus more on health of skin than concentrating on 'anti aging'.

the wrinkle cream ads that use a twentysomething to advertise cream for a fourtysomething -ahhhhhh

loreal use jane fonda, dale hadden (sp? ) and andie macdowell, who are certainly of wrinkle cream age.......

Prob not Zubb it's only us that shop obviously. Agree with the Iceland one def completely elimenates the man doesn't it! Yeah the diet coke one is good, not really sure if any of these impacts on our actual purchases, where we shop though! TBH i would probably be more interested if i got discount vouchers to try a product !

I like ads that make me smile - eg the Boddington's ads Melanie Sykes was in. I absolutely hate those which prey on women's insecurities about everything from their bodies to the smell of their loos (that air freshener one where people come round to see her newborn and all she can think about is whether her loo is smelly! yuk)

I don't like the ads that portray men as stupid and women as rolling their eyes in the background... it's patronising to both sexes. It's not equality AFAIC.