Surviving the Slump: How Mom Consumers Are Set to Save the Day

A January 2009 article in Ad Age asked the perfect question for a tough economy—“Are there any consumers out there who will be shopping this year?” The answer was and continues to be yes and the consumer who continues to push the shopping cart is Mom. With $1.7 trillion in spending power at stake, brands are counting on American mothers to help them survive and even prosper in the current economic slump. “As the chief purchasing officer of the household, moms account for 85% of the buying, including cosmetics, auto, tech, travel, fashion, food, finance and everything in between,” says Carolyn Kremins, VP/Publisher of Cookie magazine. “Moms have an instinctual passion for spreading the word about the brands they love.”

The power of WOM marketing is not new when it comes to the mom market, but now more than ever—as mom plays a vital role in the U.S. economy—brands are looking to understand the purchasing behaviors of this important consumer group. Toward that goal, Cookie magazine recently partnered with the Keller Fay Group to survey 2,300 magazine readers and their friends and families on how word of mouth impacts retail sales and the bottom line—what Kremins calls “from buzz to buy.”

“Marketers are being more strategic about focusing on consumers who will guarantee a return on investment,” Kremins said. “Mothers are thinking twice before purchasing something for herself or for her family. Even historically male-focused tech and electronics companies are realizing mom not only needs their state-of-the-art products to manage the chaos, but that she’s controlling the purse strings.”

Kremins will be unveiling the results of this groundbreaking survey during the fifth annual M2Moms®-The Marketing To Moms Conference, October 21 & 22, 2009 at the Chicago Cultural Center. With more than 40 speakers and presenters scheduled (knock-out brands such as Coca-Cola, Stonyfield Farm, Kellogg and Allstate Insurance are set to take the stage), this year’s M2Moms® promises to be the biggest and most informative conference in the show’s five-year history, offering an impressive array of top-notch presentations, case studies, original research, solution-based workshops, drill-down discussion groups and unique networking opportunities. And while the topics may vary, one message rings loud and clear: Forging a closer relationship with mom consumers is the key to boosting sales and increasing market share.

“Rather than summoning moms to a corporate website or a highly structured corporate message, brands have reached out to find moms where they hang out – places like Twitter, Facebook and mom blogs,” said Stacy DeBroff, CEO/Founder of Mom Central Consulting and M2Moms® presenter. “Instead of the traditional ROI, brands have plunged into the brave new world of direct conversations with moms and in the process, these consumers become marketers for the brand, serving as powerful brand enthusiasts. These moms each reach a large national or local audience who rely on them for key product advice and information.”

“With the economy still sluggish, brand marketers would be well served to understand and target the American mom, and her $1.7 trillion in spending power,” said Liz Fongemie, VP of Sales, PME® Enterprises and Project Manager, M2Moms®. “M2Moms® brings together the top brand marketers and idea leaders to help companies reach this lucrative segment.”

For more information about M2Moms®-The Marketing To Moms Conference, visit http://www.m2moms.com.