Please Don't Insert Formula Here

by Guest Blogger, Lena West, Chief Social Media Strategist at xynoMedia

I want to piggyback a bit on Mary's post from last week...

Every chance I get, I go to the movies by myself - or WITH myself as my friend likes to say.

I mostly like any kind of movies EXCEPT westerns, musicals and some Disney - hold the Brother Bear, Mamma Mia! and Hairspray, please.

I'll watch shoot 'em up, drama, sci-fi, fairytale or anything Will Farrell-ish.  And, if the movie involves anything having to do with the occult, demons or vampires I'm usually in the front row.

But, invariably, I will want to see a movie that none of my friends want to see - three years ago, that movie was The Sisterhood of the Traveling Pants.

No one wanted to go. My guy friends said it was a "chick flick". My girlfriends mistakenly thought it was out of our age range. Wrong (maybe) and wrong (definitely).

Yes, now that you're over the shock...I saw that movie. I liked it A LOT and I'm going  to see part 2 as soon as it comes out on August 6th. So there.

I promise, I'm going somewhere with this...

I'm a woman who has a serious case of wanderlust - except when I wake up in a different city and can't remember where I am because I've been traveling so much; as was the case when I spoke at the Marketing Profs conference in Boston in early June, but that's another story for another time.

Also, like the young ladies in the movie, I have a few close knit friends who would do just about anything for each other. We've shared stories, tears, triumphs and heartbreak -- a pair of well-washed jeans wouldn't be totally out of the picture. Well-washed, you hear?

It's also about the movie's message - we might be far apart (or we may not be able to see each other a lot because of work and family responsibilities), but, we're just a contintent or two phone call or full audio CD-length drive away.

Anyway...

I say all this to say: who'da thunk it that the CEO of a technology-related company would enjoy The Sisterhood of the Traveling Pants enough to want to see the sequel? I'm sure the film's marketing department didn't count on me taking a liking to the movie -- and subsequently demanding that all my gal pal's see it. But, that's the beauty of marketing to women, isn't it? There is no FORMULA. You can't figure us out -- so stop wasting our time and yours with products, services and content that amount to an NBA 4th quarter air ball.

Bottomline: As oppoosed to thinking of women as mathematical equations that lead to ROI, companies that really "get" us understand that it's not just about Steel Magnolias, The Joy Luck Club and Sex and the City. Sometimes it is, but sometimes it's all about the traveling pants.

Have you rocked the marketing demographics boat recently? How?

Comments

[Lena L. West]

@Diane:

Yes, Diane, I believe loving sports movies DOES rock the demographic.

I knew I liked you for a reason! :)

I'm not into sports flicks myself, but Bend It ROCKED the house!

Thanks for reading and commenting.

[Diane K. Danielson]

Does loving sports movies rock the demographic? I love movies like Invincible, Rudy, Hoosiers, We are Marshall, Goal: the Dream Begins, Gracie, The Rookie, The Natural, Bad News Bears -- and can watch them several times even though I know the endings. I even enjoy the kids movies like The Sandlot (1,2 & 3), Angels in the Outfield (fun to see a young Matthew McConnaghy and Adrian Brody), etc.

Also a huge sucker for chick flicks disguised as sports flicks (i.e. For the Love of the Game, Bull Durham, Major League, Jerry Maguire, Bend it like Beckham).

Diane

@Lena I was shocked to like Sisterhood of the Travelling Pants too!

@mary I love Angelina Jolie kicking butt, however, I may wait for cable for Wanted. And confess to liking the Charlie's Angel's movies for similar reasons.

[Lena L. West]

@Mary:

Yes, blowing up things rocks - especially when women do it!

Thanks for ruining my quest to see Wanted, Mary :)

Knowing me, I'll still go and see it anyway...

Thanks for reading and commenting,

-Lena

[Mary Schmidt]

And, we sometimes love watching other women blow things up! I always enjoying watching Angelina Jolie - and liked Wanted, which is possibly the dumbest movie I've ever seen. (which is saying a lot since I love all kinds of comic book/vampire/sci-fi movies.)