Comments on: If You Want to Successfully Market to a Woman, Don’t Treat Her Like One

By: The Three Major Demographics for Online Marketers (Part 3): The Importance of Marketing to Women | Position² Blog

Thu, 11 Aug 2011 04:06:04 +0000

[...] a flipside to overusing the ‘emotion card’. When Hoover vacuums launched their ‘Clean Freaks Rejoice‘ campaign on YouTube, the company’s aim was to emotionally connect with women who were [...]

By: Fiona

Fiona — Sat, 12 Dec 2009 03:13:43 +0000

Hoover Platinum – boo. Just boo. Don’t try to make a vacuum sound like expensive jewelry and please don’t depict women in evening attire pushing a vacuum.

By: michael

michael — Wed, 05 Aug 2009 19:48:24 +0000

hmm…. it’s my understanding that focus groups and test audiences are used when larger companies such as hoover select their advertisements. i don’t think hoover’s goal is to redefine stereotypes or assumptions, but rather to sell a product. For some reason those ads did well with test audiences of the brand’s most significant buying demographic, and correct me if i’m wrong, but i would assume that demographic is probably women.

i feel like the attitude expressed in some of the above comments suggest that advertisements and marketing should perform the role of selling products as well as social reform?

i do agree that companies should be more responsible for their advertising, but i would prefer a transparent, info-rich ad over a politically correct brain mush ad any day. I don’t think it’s the ad that is offensive, but the women who continue to play-up and reinforce an offensive behavior.

Sort of like me saying i am offended when i see beer commercials whose only message seems to be that if you like large breasted bikini models you’ll love our beer. But then how many thousands of men see that commercial and think, man i need that beer. Kind of silly right?

By: Flowersbyfarha

Flowersbyfarha — Fri, 29 May 2009 20:35:10 +0000

I also agree and would go one step further re: the “What were they thinking?@#!” trend in marketing in general, demonstrating that people who use the product are rude, crude, stupid, illogical and/or behave badly–hardly the “if I buy the product, I can be like that, too” role modeling of the past.

The other thing I like about the “Soul Mate” ad is that is shows the range/dichotomy of housekeeping styles; that not every woman is a clean-freak; that one can chose; and, that by seeing such a side-by-side comparison, those of us who are not clean-freaks can see a brief glimpse of the value and yes–that there is hope–of cleaning up our act. (With a Hoover, of course.)

I don’t need a commercial to lecture me on how to behave, but I might be more inclined to buy a product that promoted good sense and decorum by it’s proposed users. As it stands now, I rarely buy a nationally advertised brand.

By: Victoria

Victoria — Fri, 01 May 2009 15:19:35 +0000

I agree here as well. I find most advertising to “woman” to be highly offensive to me personally. The Bounty paper towel ads, Swiffer ads…all to the “mom” who does all the housework while the dad and kids look on lovingly. Gag me. My dad did just as much with regard to chores and child care as my mom and I do not want to be marketed to as a stay-at-home do all the cleaning mom. I am a professional woman. And don’t those types of ads just reinforce the horrible stereotypes that women in our society should do the cleaning, etc. because that is what we are most concerned with? Terrible…sends the wrong message to men as well in my opinion.

By: AdWomen

AdWomen — Tue, 24 Mar 2009 11:42:03 +0000

I agree with you. “Soul Mate” ad is the only one which can express the idea with a good taste. The other three show a histerical woman.

At least, this brand is trying to create different campaigns for women.

Regards,