I did want to make a comment about the point you bring up regarding how “what works in the past isn’t going to work in the future.” It doesn’t just apply to women (though women definitely have different responses and take different actions based on what they see/hear/read), the old rules of Marketing don’t work in general.

You’re absolutely right about social media and the web changing everything. Companies that still advertise on TV or with elaborate advertising spreads in magazines do it for one of two reasons. Either they have not accepted that jumping into social media and interacting with your customer (as well as keeping tabs about what people are saying about you via social media outlets) is the new marketing and PR campaign OR they are advertising to compete in the world of advertising awards which is a different playing field all together.

However, Social Media marketing actually has a higher return on investment than any other advertising campaign I have seen for companies with medium to small budgets. The reason being that people in general are ad blind. Ads in magazines, on television, and on websites are all just background noise and one out of a thousand actually get through to the user and turn around a sale.

Social media is so different that it can not be valued that way. Social media is the old school way of “word of mouth” marketing. It’s nothing new, its just on a different platform. You now need to create real customer relationships the way the barber shop did 20+ years ago.

This is the natural direction of things.. Its a direct back lash to the digital age of computer generated EVERYTHING.. and I think its a great movement..

How many women out there ask their men to go and buy these things?

Man: “Honey, I’m going to the drug store. Need anything?”
Woman: “Oh, cool – can you pick up a pregnancy test for me?”
Man: “Huh?”
Woman: “Well, remember last month … when we couldn’t get to the drug store for you … and … ”
Man: “You mean … you could be … What does a pregnancy test thing even look like?”
Woman: “It’s easy to find. Right near the condoms.”
Man: “Yeah, but WHICH ONE should i get? Don’t they have quite a few brands.”
Woman: “Get the one that looks like a car. The silver one … you know. We saw a commercial for it.”

I don’t know. I think the big deal about this commercial is actually the fact that they’re saying the word “pee.” THAT’S breakthrough in copy, if you ask me.

#1. The phrase ‘analyze it to death’… Sounds like Bob is married and has been for some time. I say this because I have been married for some time and my wife analyzes everything. Ok, so you know that going in re: a campaign… factor it in to any and all decisions. She’s gonna kick the tires many times and they best not deflate…

#2. Re ‘women simply roll their eyes and buy the stuff anyway’… maybe Bob isn’t married cause I never met a woman that that statement would apply to…

#3. I think Bob is painfully bereft in the world of Social Media. (dont always get to use the word ‘bereft’ LOL) but you nailed it saying ‘the consumer is in control, loud and clear.’

Finally, as I tend to do, I relate everything to Seinfeld.

To paraphrase one Elaine Benes as she attempted to “convert” a gay man to straight…

I will reverse it slightly and put it in this context, speaking from a male marketer’s perspective…

“Being a man, I only have access to the equipment, what, 30-45 minutes a week, and that’s on a good week. How can I be expected to have the same expertise as people who own this equipment and have access to it 24 hours a day their entire lives?”

I’m with you Stephanie.

But I do want to bring up one other point for advertising folks (rather than consumers).

Tom Jordan, author of Re-Render the Gender calls himself a “reformed sinner” . He gives presentations and ptiches where he has pictures of himself winning awards at Cannes and examples of ad campaigns similar to the ones “Bob” talks about. But he did research and found out many of the award winning campaigns aimed at women actually turned them off.

Tom’s agency now gets business because he ptiches AGAINST the very attitude Bob talks about.

Brands are getting smarter about their creative thanks to great research and education from folks like Stephanie Holland and Mary Lou Quinlan.

As the ad culture shifts from winning awards to proving ROI – my money is on the brands who do a good job advertising to women vs. those who don’t.

Do you know Fara Warner, author of The Power of the Purse?

Why would any marketer want to make his customers have to think and work before purchasing his product or service? Granted, some people will always do that, but isn’t it our job is to make life easier for our customers, not just add to the “noise?”

The saving grace to me in what Bob has to say, is that my job becomes a lot easier, because if most male marketers think like him, I’ll have a lot less competition marketing to women.

Great post, Stephanie.