Marketing to Moms Insights and Trends
BSM Media is entrenched in the mom market not only through our client work, but through the 11 million moms we speak to via our media properties. Additionally, we continually have research in the field to keep us on top of mom trends. As we approach the last quarter of 2007, we thought it would be beneficial to arm you with the latest in trends and insights in the mom market.

1. Busy Moms are working harder than ever to find leisure time with their children
   1. 64% of moms say they have given up sleep in order to get work/chores done so that they could spend time with their child
   2. Over 5 million moms are running home based businesses in order to find work/life balance
2. Moms are seeking ways to connect with other moms
   1. 74% of moms surveyed admitted feeling isolated from family and friends after giving birth
   2. 38% of moms have chatted or socialized online with other moms
   3. The most talked about online destinations are social networks for moms: Cafemom.com, Maya’s Mom, Inthemotherhood.com
      
3. Moms want their children to learn
   1. An “educational” component is the point of entry for toys and videos
   2. Edutainment is a term recently coined by moms to describe the educational value found in entertainment, products and leisure activities
   3. The fastest growing segment of private learning centers such as Kumon and Sylvan Learning Centers is preschool classes
      
4. Today’s Moms are using the Internet for empowerment and sharing with others
   1. 80% of moms have watched an online video in the past seven days
   2. 28% of moms have blogged
   3. 66% of moms have posted a message or published content online
   4. 63% of moms are excited by online videos and blogs
   5. Mothers themselves serve as a major source for one another, with 62% often or very often offering advice and 63% considering other moms as the most credible expert
      
5. Moms are the Chief Family Archiver
   1. Over 80% of photos taken are taken by moms
   2. 58% of moms have published photos privately or publicly
   3. Moms begin to think of their holiday photo cards as early as June 1st
   4. Today’s moms are looking for ways to turn their photos into more than clutter in boxes under their bed
   5. 8 out 10 moms have done some type of scrapbooking in the last year
   6. Scrapbooking events/conventions attract thousands of moms each year regardless of income
   7. The scrapbook industry is a $2.5 billion industry
6. Moms believe there is an obesity epidemic
   1. 86% of moms feel that teaching good eating habits to their children is one of the top lessons they can teach
   2. 4% of mothers want companies to help them teach their children good eating habits
   3. 88% do not want companies marketing unhealthy foods to their children
   4. 58% of moms say they are going to feed their family what they want regardless of marketing messages
   5. 88% of mothers want restaurants to offer healthy choices for their family
   6. 77% of mothers are more likely to choose a restaurant that offers healthy foods on the menu
   7. 81% of moms will spend more for healthy food choices
7. Word of Mouth is the most powerful form of marketing to moms
   1. A Mom Maven will tell up to 20 other moms about a product, service, or brand
   2. 64% of moms ask another mom for advice before they purchase a new product
8. Moms want to customize and personalize products, experiences and services
   1. Moms have fueled the growth of customizable brands such as Build A Bear Workshop, M&M.com (customizable candy) and American Girl Dolls
   2. Today’s mothers have created new labels to describe their personalized approach to motherhood: Yoga Moms, MojoMoms
      

Research cited in this article was produced from actual BSM Media research within the last 12 months. For additional background or full research reports, please contact Laura Motsett at Laura@bsmmedia.com.

Moms Control 83 million votes and over $2.1 Trillion Dollars

83 Million Moms in the US could be the deciding vote in Campaign 2008 however 75% of mothers feel candidates do not adequately focus on moms while campaigning.

Almost one year away from the 2008 Presidential Elections, BSM Media uncovers attitudes and intentions of mom voters. This recent study found that 86% of US mothers say the most important factor in selecting a candidate for President is their stand on issues outranking experience and track record. Only 7.9% of moms vote for a candidate solely based on political party.

Moms on Political Issues
Education tops the list as the most important political issue for moms when it comes to voting for President. More than 63% ranked "education" as the most important issue. The US economy and healthcare ranked second and third respectively. Issues ranking as least important when selecting a Presidential candidate according to moms: Gay rights, immigration and abortion. Over 30% of mothers ranked gay rights as the least important issue.

Moms on a Female President
81% of moms say they would vote for a female President if they agreed with their views. However 13% of moms said they were unsure if they would vote for a female President even if they agreed on her views. 57% of mothers say they would not vote for a female President just to advance the position of women in the US although 25% said they would do so for the advancement of women.

Moms on Presidential Personalities
Honesty tops the list as the most important personal quality a candidate must possess to earn a mom's vote. Seventy-nine percent of mothers ranked "honesty" as the most important quality for a presidential candidate. High family values and a willingness to change tied for the second on the list of most desirable personality traits. Among the least important traits for moms: race, gender and religion. Over 55% of mothers said that race and gender make no impact on their vote.

Winning Moms Vote
Moms are equally divided on when they decide who will win their vote. Twenty five percent of moms say they will make their decision who to vote for President during the last month of the campaign while another 24% of mothers will decide after the conventions. Another quarter will remain indecisive until the last minute. Over 37% of mothers say they discuss political issues multiple times a month. Moms are impacting the votes of other adults. Seventy-four percent of mothers believe they influence the vote of at least one other adult. Eighty-three percent of mothers say their voting decision would be impacted if a candidate addressed issues specific to the lifestyle of motherhood such as work/life balance, maternity leave issues, momprenuer business issues, importance of moms on US economy.

For more information on Moms Vote 2008 or other Mom related behaviors, insights and trends, contact Maria Bailey at (954) 261-2145 or via email at Maria@bsmmedia.com.

US News and World Report
US News and World Report takes an in-depth look at the new state of Motherhood. Writer Kimberly Palmer turned to BSM Media CEO, Maria Bailey for her prospective. Click here to read the story.

What Marketers Need to Know Now for Mom's Holiday Shopping Season
Many companies rely heavily on a good holiday shopping season to meet annual sales projections- sales that moms largely control. Changing almost daily are advancements in technology, the way moms are shopping and how she is interacting with your brand. This makes it possible to tweak campaigns right up to the time the register rings. So what do you need to know now to maximize your holiday marketing initiatives? Here are BSM Media’s hints for holiday happiness:

1. Empower Mom Mavens with your Message
   Today’s mothers are armed more than ever with the means to spread the word about your product from blogs to vlogs. Become familiar with who these women are and what they are talking about to other moms. Establish a relationship with the right mom and engage her in a dialogue that is relevant and empowering.
   
2. Start Early
   Moms are already printing their holiday cards which means they have begun shopping too. Once kids go back to school, BSM Media’s research shows that 65% of moms begin thinking about the fall holiday calendar. In fact, 55% of moms indicate they have discussions about Halloween with their child prior to Labor Day.
   
3. Position Customer Service in Your Marketing Message
   An increased number of mothers will be shopping online this year but where they spend their dollars will depend on their confidence in you. Position your company’s return policies or customer service numbers close to the top in emails or on your site. Women like to know there is someone on the other end of their transaction to speak to in the event of a return or problem.
   
4. Speak to Moms when they are Listening
   Eighty six percent of moms say they read emails between 8pm and 10pm according to a recent poll by BSM Media. Instead of programming your emails to go out at 4am, why not set the delivery clock to 6pm so they are on the top of her inbox once her kids are in bed and she’s ready to read emails?
   
5. Allow Mom to Customize and Personalize Your Product to Her Needs
   Every mother wants to look like Martha Stewart without the work that goes into being creative. One way to help her in the friendly competition that goes on between moms is to help her look original and creative. Personalized M&Ms is a great example of a company executing on this behavior. Look at your product in a different way. Is there a way that mom can turn your product into a fantastic dessert for a classroom holiday party? Or customize it into a gift for Grandpa?
   

Planning to capture moms well beyond the Holiday Season? To find out how BSM Media can help you launch successful Mom Marketing programs, contact Natalie Zupo at Natalie@bsmmedia.com.