Yahoo and Starcom Mediavest Group research shows mums want brands to help them create family moments, shifting from the need for brands to help them organise their lives.
Global research by Yahoo and Starcom Mediavest, presented at Cannes Lions today, revealed that there is greater opportunity for brands to help provide family moments, rather than the popular belief that brands should be helping mums manage their time.
Adam Kruse, VP, global director at Starcom Mediavest Group, said, “There is a whitespace for brands because mums are hungry for ideas and inspiration.”
The research aslo highlighted the large part that technology has to play in creating these family moments. According to the study 85% spend time with technology during family time and 71% use technology during family time everyday.
Bonin Bough, VP of global media and consumer engagement at Kraft, said the TV was the future for family social experiences.
“There is an opportunity to create an experience for sharing so to me, when I think of this white space, the requirement for us is to be a more social marketer. But this extends to the laptop, mobile and TV. It means that rather than not turning off Thomas the Tank Engine, imagine if Thomas created a social experience that you can do alongside the show,” he said.
Alison Lewis, senior VP of Coca-Cola North America Advertising, said that technology has already helped mums organise their time but this has presented an issue for FMCG marketers.
“Our research has found that technology has helped mums shopping experience because they can plan and organise time better, ecommerce has made that much easier and mobile coupons have made that much easier,” she said, “But how do you drive an impulse purchase in an online environment when people are planning? Marketers are not set for that.”
Lewis also answered questions about whether too much emphasis is given to mums by marketers when the family dynamic is always shifting.
“If dads are going to become 40% of who does the family shopping and we are only targeting mums without connecting it within the family, then we are going to have a problem. Ten years ago it was only 15% of dads but this is dramatically shifting and so it is something we really need to think about,” she said.
