Online Marketing: Successful Campaigns Targeting a Female Audience
July 07, 2014
Guest Post by Ali Lawrence.
In a digital world becoming ever more digital, tapping into online marketing is a business must. Almost every demographic uses the Internet and can be influenced by web marketing, so why not tap into that?
Many campaigns target specific groups, and these niche strategies can be quite successful. The below social media campaigns targeting women were among those that succeeded in winning over their audiences.
Dove Real Beauty Sketches
When Dove launched its Real Beauty Sketches campaign in April of 2013, the company was prepared to win over its widespread female audience. In less than a month after its launch, the online film became the top viewed online ad of all time. It still holds the record for most shared video ad ever.
The campaign targeted the female tendency to be one’s own worst critic. The basic principle of the ad: How does your view of yourself compare to the way others see you? Combining this question with common women and an FBI sketch artist unveiled some pretty amazing material; Women focus on their own physical flaws while their acquaintances overlook them and see the beauty within.
The relatable female-versus-self battle and message to look within has been somewhat of a revolution, receiving lots of media attention and reeling in millions of eyeballs.
Weight Watchers Simple Start
Weight Watchers’ Simple Start plan effectively tapped into many women’s desire for weight loss. The program smartly uses a glowing, thinned Jessica Simpson as its spokeswoman — her commercialized testimony the ultimate bait. Simpson just seems to sparkle in the campaign. She beams about her amazing body, having birthed two children and her pride in its current, slimmed state.
The beautiful celeb’s message resonates with the experiences of many women — business, motherhood and other obligations stand in the way of diet and exercise. Women could relate, and they took the bait.
In addition to the televised commercials, Simple Start uses web-based channels. Online, Weight Watchers Simple Start encourages users to engage via social media, highlighting members’ posts and throwing hashtags into the equation. They posted or reposted creative user meals and spread positive acknowledgment to participants. The online platforms also featured video chats and webcasts to help people navigate.
The program’s December release also coincides nicely with New Year’s Resolutions. The research and implementation of feminine understanding is quite obvious throughout the marketing strategy.
#YesAllWomen
This social media campaign never intended to sell products or services. Instead, it brought together a huge community of women — and some men — helping them to relate with one another.
#YesAllWomen was born in the aftermath of gender-based California killing; it left women tweeting about their personal encounters with discrimination, harassment and worse. It marketed an idea that all women still deal with these issues, and it was successful. It triggered a dialogue that spread far and wide. Why? Women could relate to it. Many companies, even ones that you wouldn’t think target women like RBA, are following their example to relate to issues women go through in life and try to encourage and help solve that problem.
The three listed campaigns featured in this article have that in common: the message relates to countless female viewers. Connecting with the audience is of the utmost importance when marketing — online or otherwise. If you don’t understand that women are their own worst critics, that they may want to lose weight or that they suffer encounters with gender-based discrimination, for example, you’ll have a very unsuccessful campaign. Indeed, in the world of marketing toward women, understanding is a must.
Comments