NBC Universal’s recently launched female-targeted sales and marketing initiative, Women@NBCU, has formed a women’s advisory board, which includes high profile celebrities and marketers.
The 26-member board includes Ogilvy & Mather’s Shelly Lazarus; Today show anchor Meredith Viera; Beth Comstock, SVP and CMO of GE, and editor in chief of Allure magazine, Linda Wells.
Serving as board chair is Lauren Zalaznick, president of NBCU’s Women & Lifestyle Entertainment Networks — which includes iVillage, Bravo, Today show, Oxygen and Green is Universal. The board will provide counsel to NBCU and its clients and will participate in key events within the division.
“It’s a very competitive marketplace so we really wanted to do something as a value add for our clients,” said Hilary Smith, VP of media relations and corporate communications for NBC Universal. “We really want to offer clients the latest trends in marketing to women and the latest trends in general. We want [clients] to be able to come to us as an authority on this very desirable audience.”
She said that through its various properties, Women@NBCU reaches 95% of women across the country.
“It’s really not so much about demographics anymore or saying, ‘We’ve got to get to those 18-49 years olds,’” Smith said. “We reach women at every stage in their life. Whoever you’re looking to target, you can find it among Women@NBCU properties. Studies show 85% of women make consumer buying decision for their household so when clients are trying to target that specific woman, we can deliver.”
The board will meet formally three or four times per year and more often on an informal basis.
Women & Lifestyle Entertainment Networks will sponsor the Marketing to Women conference in Chicago this April.
