A few marketers actually get Boomer women right

Adweek’s recent Marketing to Women conference presented a number of good speakers; a couple of them actually acknowledged the existence of smart, Vibrant Women over 50!

One of the most enjoyable presentations came from Gannon Jones from Frito-Lay and his agency partner (and fellow Canadian) Jill Nykoliation of Juniper Park about the differences in the ways men and women think.

Although it wasn’t their point, their presentation reminded me how the same marketing tactics that help sell products for women help sell products for men and women; and how the same marketing tactics that help sell products for younger women also work for their slightly-older, Vibrant sisters.

Products for women

Certain products are intended for use/consumption by women only. For these products, marketers should deliver exactly what they know many women want.

Jones and Nykoliation recently launched the It’s a Woman’s World campaign for Frito-Lay’s family of snack products for women (including Smartfood and Baked Lays). But they also discussed successful other campaigns that speak to the unique differences in the ways women process information.

Help her overcome her worry/guilt. Nykoliation praised Olay for “democratizing skincare technology” and making women feel smart about this all-important product category, rather than tripping her guilt wire. According to Nykoliation, P&G’s long-term business success with Olay has now far outpaced any benefit Dove got from its “Campaign for Real Beauty,” which didn’t really address the doubts that women consumers may never lose.

She’s worth her own products. For women tired of using shaving creams developed for men, EOS (It stands for “Evoluation of Smooth”) showed that they deserved their own approach. Everything about its product (for use wet or dry, packaging made to fit a woman’s smaller hand) shows the intentionality that women deserve.

Products for women and men

Jones and Nykoliation also offered some great examples of marketing campaigns that speak to women’s brains in ways that surely also appeal to men.

Context and car names. Nykoliation reminded us of a few familiar car names (Ram, Probe and Hummer) that reveal how much Detroit thinks of women, who influence at least 80% of purchase decisions for their products. She compared these names with the best-selling car names from Asia (names like Accord, Civic, and Camry), which don’t alienate men but do suggest why Detroit has lost so many women over the last 20 years.

Offer more language. Women use (and appreciate) more words than men, and marketers who follow their lead will give women more ways to relate to their product. Jones and Nykoliation celebrated Amex’s “Survey” campaign, which provides questionnaires for their celebrity endorsers (like Tina Fey) to talk about their own life and how Amex makes it better.

Conclusion

While Jones and Nykoliation didn’t talk about this, as I listened to their presentation I scratched my head, as usual, in wonder why marketers don’t follow more of these relatively simple points. Talking to women the way they talk to each other is not only good for selling products intended for their use only; and it’s not only good for selling products intended for women and men; it may also offer marketers the best way to engage the Vibrant Boomer Women whom they have too often ignored.