Social media is exploding. Everyone’s talking about the huge advertising potential. I see companies and marketers getting positively giddy:

“Think of it! Millions and millions of people we can hyper target with relevant messages and offers, contextual targeting, behavioral targeting – THINK OF THE VIRAL OPPORTUNITIES!”

Um, you’ve got a little bit of spittle there at the corner of your mouth…there, yeah, you wiped it off.

Yes, the potential is huge. But some companies have been disappointed with the results in their early…

...continue to read "Tapping the Power of Social Media to Advertise to Women"

In test after test, it seems “Free Shipping” is still a great incentive for online shoppers. I know I’m a sucker for free shipping. It just feels like, well, like I’m getting real value in the transaction when the company is going to eat the shipping costs.

Call me mean, but I like that thought.

I’ve long held a theory that women are more sensitive to shipping costs than men. I have no proof of this theory. It’s mostly anecdotal. When I…

...continue to read "Do Women Respond to “Free Shipping” More Than Men?"

There’s been a big stir recently over allegations that Dove’s “Real Beauty” models were airbrushed. There have been a few different stories floating around, so let’s clear a few things up.

Here’s what Dove has to say:

The “real women” ad referenced in recent media coverage was created and produced entirely by Ogilvy, the Dove brand’s advertising agency, from start to finish and the women’s bodies were not digitally altered.

Pascal Dangin worked with photographer Annie Leibovitz (Ogilvy has never employed Mr. Dangin…

...continue to read "Is Dove’s “Campaign for Real Beauty” Real?"

I go into the garage for a hammer. On my way back into the house, I stop for a cold drink and remember that the kitchen trash needs to be taken out for tomorrow’s collection.

Dropping the can at the curb, I turn and notice that the landscaper forgot to turn on the drip irrigation system, so I trot over and flip the switch. I walk back into the house and realize that I forgot to put the cold bottle of…

...continue to read "Another Reason She May Abandon You: Hormones"

Have you ever noticed that if you really want good information about a product, you’re much more likely to find that information in a product review than in the product description itself?

Why aren’t product descriptions more helpful?

Here’s one thought: Men and women may care about different things. Product descriptions may not be speaking to both genders’ needs. In product reviews, men talk about what they care about, and women talk about what they care about. This may be one reason why…

...continue to read "Using Customer Review Keywords to Pick Up Women, Men"

I wish someone would do a take-off of Shania’ Twain’s “I Feel Like a Woman” and change it to “I Don’t Feel Like a Woman.”

I visit a lot of the “women’s sites” on the Web, and I almost always feel out of place. The subject matter doesn’t excite me. The headlines don’t speak to me. It all feels the same…

• Celebrity gossip • Diets and recipes • Love/romance tips • Fashion news/shopping tips • Wellness/health issues

Sorry, but none of those…

...continue to read "Will Yahoo’s Shine Be the Next Big Site for Women?"

Wow, there are some seriously perturbed moms out there! What’s got them so upset? A new TV show on TLC called The Secret Life of a Soccer Mom. The show’s premise: Stay-at-home mom (Tracey Gold) is given a chance to go back in time and discover what her life would have been had she not given up her dream career.

Sounds like something almost every mom would love, right? Apparently not.

Newsweek reported on the ugly response from miffed moms:

If the initial reaction…

...continue to read "“Secret Life of a Soccer Mom” TV Show Creates Backlash"

It was one of those eye-opening moments. I was watching Bryan Eisenberg teach Call to Action — the seminar, not the book. (Even though I’ve seen him teach it several times, I still learn something new every time I attend.)

He showed the “Bra Scientist” video clip by Zafu that I blogged about last year.

As the audience was watching the clip, I noticed something interesting: There were certain points when the men were laughing and the women weren’t. And there were other…

...continue to read "Do Men and Women Laugh at the Same Ads?"

Recently I’ve been studying up on women entrepreneurs. Why? Because they are one of the fastest growing segments of the business market.The Center for Women’s Business Research put out a recent report with some stats on women-owned businesses:

• Women-owned firms employ nearly 13 million people and generate $1.9 trillion in sales.

• Between 1997 and 2006, majority women-owned firms (51 percent or more women-owned) grew at twice the rate of all firms (42 percent vs. 24 percent).

Want some insight into who…

...continue to read "Women Entrepreneurs Grow Firms 2X Faster. Here’s Why…"

We’re very proud to announce that Holly & Michele’s new book, The Soccer Mom Myth — Today’s Female Consumer: Who She Really Is, Why She Really Buys, is now available.

The book addresses the most common mistakes in marketing to women, both online and offline, and shows us how to really understand who our female customers are. The authors then pull back the curtains for a realistic look at what women really want. Or, as they warn on The Soccer Mom…

...continue to read "Now Available: “The Soccer Mom Myth” by Holly Buchanan & Michele Miller"