“A marketer’s best friend is his mother.”
There’s a reason Freddie Mercury confessed killing that guy to “Mama” and why Paul Simon’s song is called Mother and Child Reunion. It’s because mothers have that nurturing, maternal instinct. They also, according to recent research from Yahoo, represent a large demographic upon whom marketers should focus their advertising.
Yahoo’s research shines a light on motherhood and reveals several factors and behaviors that differentiate millennial moms from those in Gen X. “Momfessionals: An Inside Look at the Realities, Tensions, and Truths Shaping Motherhood” finds that moms represent a $2.4 trillion marketplace, as there are 41 million moms ages 25 to 54 in the U.S.
Key realities of motherhood
The study shows that millennial moms are dealing with loneliness. Thirty-five percent of millennial moms say they’ve lost their identity since becoming a parent; 58% of millennials say they sometimes feel lonely as a mom—versus 49% of Gen Xers.
Also, finances are a top worry, especially for millennials. Fifty-eight percent of moms say they haven’t started a college fund for their children (63% for millennials, 52% for Gen X moms). In fact, 46% of millennial moms to 40% of Gen Xers say they worry about , while 22 and 15%, respectively, worry about the child’s financial future.
Emerging tensions and new truths
“Mommy shaming” is a major theme in the study. Eighty-seven percent of respondents say they feel judged for how they raise their kids—90% of millennial moms and 83% of Gen X moms. While 60%—64% for millennials and 57% for Gen Xers—feel their parenting skills are judged more harshly than anyone else.
Millennial mothers are more easily influenced when it comes to parenting than Gen X mothers:
Relationship to tech, content, and brands
Ninety-three percent of moms engage in online activities with their kids. This includes looking at photos and images (76%), listening to music (74%), watching videos (72%), shopping (63%), and using social networks (56%).
The study shows that moms are leading the purchase decision-making process:
And the role in shopping decisions:
Key insights and implications
Millennial moms are receptive to advertising. Search and video are great with regards to reaching millennial moms who are not only more open to advertising, but are also looking for experiences that relate to them as new Moms.
Help millennial moms adjust better. Message to the totality of who they are and not just their new roles as mothers; this will do wonders in helping ease their transition to mother.
Embrace shared goals and experiences. Avoid depictions of “mommy wars” and instead focus on where moms align. Implement tools such as Tumblr to build judgment-free zones to help moms make peace with imperfection.
Ease moms‘ biggest fears. Offer moms a break from the fear culture that is their lives by delivering positive and beneficial experiences.
