Case 13-2
Getting to Know Mom
What do families need, want, use, and buy? More marketers are getting to know Mom as they gather
information about the acquisition and consumption preferences and patterns of households with children.
Some companies monitor what moms are saying about products or problems on parenting websites and
blogs. A growing number of marketers are sponsoring special areas on social networking sites geared
toward mothers, their goal being to research specific questions or to generate feedback and word of mouth
about certain brands.
For instance, Hasbro [http://bi.galegroup.com/essentials/company/304200?u=tlearn_trl] sponsors the
Playskool Preschool Playgroup area on CafeMom.com, a networking site where moms exchange ideas
about everything from baby talk and baby clothes to recipes and reading. More than 10,000 mothers have
joined the Playskool area, where they post ideas about raising preschoolers and are also able to receive
free Playskool samples. When Hasbro introduced its Kid Motion toy kit, the company sent samples to
5,000 members of the Playskool Preschool Playgroup. Hasbro learned from the reactions that recipients
posted on CafeMom—and its product also benefited when moms talked up the product to other moms.
McDonald’s [http://bi.galegroup.com/essentials/company/305566?u=tlearn_trl] created a Global
Moms Advisory Panel to offer advice on its menu and its restaurants because “moms are so important to
our business,” says the chain’s head of global marketing. “We intend to listen and learn from our Global
Moms Panel, with the goal of providing the best possible experience for families in our restaurants around
the world.” KFC’s Moms Matter! Advisory Board performs a similar function, serving as a sounding
board for products and promotions under consideration. Looking for insights into future household trends,
KFC’s marketers also ask these moms about issues beyond eating out, such as how they manage daily
stress and family responsibilities.
Johnson & Johnson [http://bi.galegroup.com/essentials/company/304838?u=tlearn_trl] reaches out to
research mothers’ needs and the role of household dynamics in several ways. It sponsors the
BabyCenter.com networking site, where mothers post comments about all aspects of expecting and
raising children. The site also features professional videos about pregnancy, child development, and other
topics. J&J does not advertise on BabyCenter, although it does accept advertising from other marketers.
To stimulate extended dialogue in person, J&J recently invited dozens of mothers who are active bloggers
to a three-day Camp Baby conference in New Jersey. Discussions during and after the conference helped
J&J’s marketers better understand what moms think about, worry about, and look forward to. The
dialogue continued long after the moms returned home because the participants blogged about the
experience (providing J&J with valuable reactions), and company personnel also blogged about what they
learned.
Procter & Gamble [http://bi.galegroup.com/essentials/company/307096?u=tlearn_trl] is another
company that is actively seeking the input and insights of mothers. In particular, it wants to find out more
about the needs and interests of moms who are 28 to 45 years old and have children who are 19 years old
or younger. Vocalpoint, P&G’s networking site, has recruited more than 600,000 moms who fit this
demographic profile. Once they join, the moms receive P&G product samples, tell the company what they
think about the products, and express their opinions in periodic focus groups and research surveys.
Vocalpoint sends moms a weekly e-mail newsletter with updates about what is on the site and specific
questions such as how and when they prefer to communicate their opinions. In addition, the site invites
moms to get involved in word-of-mouth campaigns for P&G products such as Febreze air freshener and
Dawn dishwashing foam. Not only is P&G getting to know moms; it is also getting moms to know its
products and to spread the word about the products they like and use.
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Case Questions
1. From a marketing standpoint, what are the advantages and disadvantages of sponsoring a branded
area on a networking site, such as the Playskool Preschool Playgroup, to engage a target audience?
2. J&J’s Camp Baby was for moms only—no babies allowed. Would the company learn more about
household influences by allowing children to accompany mom bloggers next time? Explain your
answer.
3. Do you think Vocalpoint moms should be asked to respond to surveys about some P&G products and
also be invited to promote certain P&G products through word of mouth? Why, or why not?
4. What are moms’ roles in the family decision-making process? How might other family members play
a role?
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