Marketing to Women: Fallacies & Follies

By Guest Blogger, Mary Schmidt, Marketing Troubleshooter

Michele Miller's recent post , Four Fallacies About Marketing To Women,  is an excellent reality check.

The first fallacy she lists about real estate hit - um - home with me.  I've been in full renovation mode for the past couple of years in my retro '50s stucco.  Many still think that women don't buy real estate unless they're part of a couple or have a family.  (In fact 22% of all home purchases were by single women last year.)   

In my own highly unscientific survey  - I know of at least six women (including  me) who have purchased multiple homes over the years.  And, none of us have been waiting for Prince Charming to pay for the starter castle. (We also do wild and crazy things like pack up and move to a different city, where we don't know a soul.)    

The other three fallacies that Michele talks about are: women don't "get" consumer electronics; women don't like sports cars; and we don't like video games. (Nope, nada, nuh-uh.)

I'm adding a couple more that I'd bet could be backed by research data (if they haven't already).

Women don't like sci-fi, action or horror movies.  Tell that to the crowd of Baby Boomers with whom I hang.  Personally, I love nothing better than a big bag of popcorn...and a Big Popcorn Movie.  Iron Man is on my list. I was very disappointed to learn Wolverine won't come out until next May.  And, any time Bruce Willis mans up, I'm there!  Blow 'em up, cowboy! (I also confess that the Resident Evil series of godawful movies is a guilty pleasure.  Watching Milla Jovanich blow things up is way cool.)

Women don't understand financial planning.  Tell that to the three female financial planners that I personally know...not to mention the 300 or so women biz owners I know just in Albuquerque.

The list can go on...and on...and on...

It amazes me how the old stereotypes persist. Therein lies the folly.  When marketers take the easy way, relying on those stereotypes (about women, men, race, age) - products fail...and political campaigns falter. (Hmmm....you mean not all middle-aged white women are voting for Senator Clinton?  Who woulda thunk?)

Happy Friday!  I'm going to be doing more heavy manual labor this weekend, landscaping my back yard. (Hey, another fallacy falls! We women aren't afraid to get dirty. All I ask is that indoor plumbing be there at the end of the day ;-)

   

Comments

[Vaspers aka Steven E. Streight]

Stereotypes are like propaganda: they make you think you understand an individual, or issue, without your taking a really close, objective look at them.

Women are more emotional than men. Women like to be told how nice they look. Women respond to [whatever].

Patriarchal domination systems manufacture the propaganda, and simpletons pick up on it, confident that whatever they are is superior to whatever someone "different" happens to be.

Divisions, as J. Krishnamurti said, are the real trouble in this world. As soon as we start dividing into black/white, old/young, capitalist/socialist, rich/poor, female/male, republican/democrat...the fighting soon begins.

To look with fresh eyes at the familiar and unfamiliar, treating both as exciting new learning experiences, is the task we wisely attempt to master.

We can look at our customers, fans, socnet community, etc. in this manner, and gain greater insight into what can benefit them.

[Yvonne DiVita]

I can barely keep up with you and Michele. You know all the best stats and you two make the best points. Stereotypes abound, in the M2W space and in the blogging space and in the teen and tween space... everywhere. But, somehow,the ones you and Michele note here are tenatious. They cling to the M2W space like ancient our grandmother's old sweater... dragging us down with each generation.

Just so you know, I'm into Iron Man and all things Marvel, right now. Cannot wait for the Incredible Hulk!