That’s right. We are all a bunch of saps. But what makes millennial moms sappier than the rest? Well pass the tissue, because millennial moms make up the greatest lifetime monetary value of any consumer segment in the history of marketing, so your brand better get it in touch with its sensitive side.
The ‘Thank you, Mom’ series of commercials that aired last summer, cumulating during the Summer Olympic Games of 2016 with athletes thanking their moms for everything they do touched us all in the feelers. P&G has been on their A-game thanking moms since 2012 in ads similar to these, which is absolute marketing genius. We are all deeply impacted by the love and effort our mothers put into our upbringing. Where would you be without your mom, really?! The following are a few things that make millennial moms stand out from the pack of June Cleavers.
- Overwhelmed by information and doing what is ‘right’. Breastfeed, formula feed, let baby sleep with you, don’t let baby sleep with you. It seems that everyone has the right answer and it changes from week to week. Don’t let your kid eat red dye #3 or whatever the fad of the minute is. There is immense pressure unlike any generation before to make sure you are doing everything absolutely to society standards. According to the GFK MRI 2015 Doublebase study on millennial moms, nearly 60% always check the ingredients and nutritional content of food products before they purchase them. That is a far cry from the Spaghetti o’s and frozen fish sticks we were given as kids. Empathetic Opportunity: Brands can resonate with moms by recognizing they are dealing with information overload and immense societal pressure. It’s okay to not worry about every little thing, and really be appreciated for the amazing job they are doing as a great mom.
- Mama bear has it tough. Never before has there been so many threats and dangers to our young, from playing outside to cruising the web. Do you have the most expensive car seat on the market? Do you have the best child filter on all your electronic devises? Empathize: Acknowledge mama bear’s protective anxieties and be the front to help them establish the free and comfortable life for their kids they are searching for.
- No one is perfect. Sixty eight percent of moms on social media feel their parenting is judged by other moms. What is your child doing eating a non-organic banana? Or that they have to have everything (kids, house, husband, job, self) in perfect order at all times. We are all doing the best we can and that is what is important. Empathize: Show that you and your brand is not perfect either, and millennial moms will relate. Making light of the ‘uglies’ with humility is powerfully human.
- I am mommy, hear me roar. Millennials have spent their entire childhood chasing individualism, proving that they are ‘not like anyone else’. These mama bears not only abide by their own rules, they are contrarians to the parenting styles of their own mothers and what society may have taught them in the past. As marketers, we need to recognize who millennial moms see in themselves and advocate for that perception. Brands that show recognition for the unique and independent road these moms walk will go far.
Show mom you are her biggest cheerleader, and that you truly understand her and you will have loyal millennial moms not only purchasing your brand, but cheering for it.
