Take a second look at Boomer women

Despite Goggle's recent admission that only about 30 percent of its labor force is female, women are still a vital part of the labor force. Women bring in half or more of the income in 55 percent of U.S. households. In corporations, women are 50 percent of managers and professionals, 58 percent of purchasing agents and managers, and 53 percent of wholesale and retail buyers. In the small business area, women have accounted for 70 percent of all privately held startups over the last 15 years. And, in most households, they are the "Chief Purchasing Officer."

PMP author, Marti Barletta, in her just re-released book, Marketing to PrimeTime Women, notes that women aged 50 to 70 have enormous economic clout, in part because many of them have kept working well into their 70s.

In a detailed profile of women in their fifties and sixties that includes not only demographic data, but also qualitative and quantitative survey data, Barletta reveals that households with people aged 45 to 64 have higher incomes than the national average as well as greater net worth.

Says Barletta, "Marketers who miss the opportunity this customer presents are trapped in outdated stereotypes." She writes, "It baffles me when I read that marketers are worried that their customer base is 'older,' that they are desperate to reach younger consumers, that they are willing to pay substantially more for media that reaches younger people, that programmers and content developers are scrambling to develop properties to deliver younger audiences. ..."

The numbers show that the real money is in the Prime-Time market. These women will have enormous economic clout for the foreseeable future, and they have the experience and wisdom to spend that money with confidence.

Why Corporate Branding Is Critical, and How To Do It

Most of what is presented about branding deals with high profile consumer brands like automobiles, mobile devices, and packaged goods.  If you have responsibility for a corporate brand,  you may have noticed  the void in information about B2B company brands and branding.  And discussions about consumer branding may be interesting, but they are not particularly relevant to you as a B2B marketer.

A new book from veteran B2B marketers and strategists, Chris Wirthwein and Joe Bannon,  gives leaders at all levels a new and more practical way to think about, build, and sustain a powerful B2B corporate brand, by tapping into the power of all the people in an organization, from the top to the shop floor.  Since the purchase of B2B products is usually a so-called "considered purchase,"--one that may take several months and require the buyer to review lots of information, it is imperative that all corporate employees use a consistent message about the brand.

Wirthwein and Bannon note that the corporate brand is important because in most cases it represents the highest order asset of an organization. It touches, involves, and influences more people, both inside and outside the company, than any other "property" the company owns. Many believe it creates more value for a corporation than any other asset.

In The People Powered Brand, Wirthwein and Bannon, provide a step-by-step blueprint that will allow you to transform a B2B brand and the culture that surrounds it.

General Mills "gets" it; their critics don't

Pepper Miller, author of Black Still Matters in Marketing, and co-author of What's Black About It? has this to say on the recent brouhaha about the appearance of a bi-racial child and her white mother and black father in a  short television advertisement for Cheerios. When the ad appeared on YouTube, many people decided the company was fair game for criticism. Pepper writes: 

Rather than aiming criticism at General Mills for using a brief advertisement for Cheerios that features a bi-racial child, her white mother, and black father, executives at General Mills should be applauded. The people who are critical are living in a fantasy world where the only intact, deserving families are white and middle class. The executives at General Mills "get" that the United States, indeed the world, is changing and that younger generations could care less about the color of someone's skin or their sexual orientation.

This advertisement is one of several shorts for Cheerios that show children in all types of families and engaging in all kinds of cute behavior with the intent of bringing smiles to the faces of those who view them. In the one being criticized, the little girl asks her mother if it is true that Cheerios help the heart. Her mom confirms that the box says that it does. The next frame shows dad waking up from a nap with Cheerios, much to his surprise, sprinkled on the left side of his chest. 

Another of these commercials shows a mother coming downstairs to find a trail of Cheerios on the floor. It leads to her little girl (white mother, white child) sitting at a small table happily eating her breakfast. Mom says something like, "I see you made your own breakfast?" and the little girl replies, "How do you know?" Nobody seems to be criticizing that commercial because Mom didn't make breakfast or the little girl made a mess.

All people like to see themselves reflected in print, TV, and social media advertising. Wise marketers make every effort to include a variety of different scenarios, races, ethnic groups, and families. People who agree with General Mills' approach should not allow themselves to be drowned out by the critics. The U.S. is changing and those who refuse to get it will find themselves left behind.

The Business of Belief

Tom Asacker is one of Paramount's best selling and most prolific authors, who always has something insightful and provocative to share with his readers.

His latest book, The Business of Belief: How the World Best Marketers, Designers, Salespeople, Coaches, Fundraisers, Educators, Entrepreneurs, and Other Leaders Get Us to Believe (view listing on amazon.com), pulls back the curtains of the working mind to reveal the hidden logic to what motivates behavior in ourselves and others.

"Belief is what makes an action familiar and safe, ultimately driving a particular choice or decision," says Asacker. "Understanding the beliefs and desires of your audience is critical to successfully influence them in today's environment that is overwhelmed with complexity and choice."

Asacker draws on subjects as diverse as Sherlock Holmes and the Burkini, Mother Teresa and Jackie Robinson, and provides examples of how legendary leaders like Steve Jobs and Howard Schultz have moved people  as well as how we can be more conscious of our own decisions and increase our chances for success.

Tom Peters, management consultant and author, called The Business of Belief "profound." He said, "Every sentence should be savored."

Anyone who has ever heard Tom Asacker speak knows that he draws his inspiration from a variety of sources and shares that inspiration in ways that are unforgettable. And if you have never had the opportunity to hear him speak, buy and read The Business of Belief and you will understand more about why you believe what you do.

Growing Diversity Means More Multi-racial People and Families

The growing diversity of the United States inevitably leads to a growing number of bi- and multi-racial individuals and families. The May 12th edition of NPR's Weekend news program examined the growing trend in a story entitled,  "Checking more than one box: A growing multiracial nation."

In part, the story, from Minnesota Public Radio, reports, "It's not just that there are more multiracial and biracial people. The government is now counting the group differently. For the first time in modern history, the 2000 Census allowed us to check off more than one box for race."

"The last Census showed 9 million people, about 3 percent of the population, reporting more than one race. That's an increase of one-third from the decade before.

"'The youngest age group, kids under 5 [years old], 7 percent are identified as having more than one race group,' says Jeffrey Passel, a senior demographer at the Pew Hispanic Center. 'If we look at the elderly, over 65, it's only 1 percent.'

"That means more people are choosing spouses outside their own race. The change, Passel says, comes from evolving attitudes. Over the past few decades, he says more people have simply come to view intermarriage as no big deal."

Younger people are even more likely than older generations to accept bi-racial marriages within their own families and among their friends.

This growing trend presents a new challenge for marketers. Several authors of books by Paramount Market Publishing include information about bi-racial individuals and their unique set of circumstances and perspectives. You may want to check out Black Still Matters in Marketing by Pepper Miller or Miriam Muley's excellent book on marketing to women of color, The 85 % Niche. Or explore other titles on multicultural consumers on PMP's website.

Help Your College Grad Find a Job in Advertising

Everybody knows that the job market is tough right now. But, Young & Rubicam Advertising Agency in New York thinks it may be missing some of the best and the brightest because college grads aren't especially skilled in interviewing.

Along comes Belle Frank, a long time executive at Y&R, with a wealth of experience interviewing. In her just-released book, The Advertising On-Ramp: Getting your first advertising job,  she tells graduates in communications, advertising, and marketing as well as those in liberal arts exactly what she hopes to find in a job candidate. And she tells them how to construct a resume and prepare for an interview.

What do she and her colleagues look for?

A person that they would like to have on their team—someone who is likeable and brings a winning personality to the table. Someone who can differentiate him or herself from all the other candidates.

Someone who has work experience, whether in retail, construction, or any other job. Job experience tells Belle that the candidate knows what it means to get to work on time and put in a full day's work.

She is also looking for someone who can collaborate, with a team, and with the agency's clients. She is looking for someone with patience and resilience because most campaigns are revised many times before they finally see print, the web, or the airwaves. No "loners" need apply.

With brevity, clarity, stories, and humor, Belle Frank tells it like it is.

If you know a  young person who wants to work in advertising or even someone older who wants to make the switch into advertising, this book is a must-read. Just in time for a useful graduation gift!

Blacks Overindex in Using Mobile Devices for Shopping and Online Viewing

Readers of Pepper Miller's latest book, Black STILL Matters in Marketing were not surprised by new data from Prosper Insights and Analytics that show that Black consumers aged 18 and over index higher than the general population when it comes to using their mobile phones for shopping and viewing online content.

In Ms. Miller's book, she and co-writer, Kevin Walker of CultureLab write extensively about Black media and how its various forms are being used by Black consumers. Among  their comments: "Internet access for many African Americans is not on the computer. Due to several factors, including availability and cost, internet access by African Americans has sidestepped the desktop and laptop for the cell phone."

For example, Miller cites Pew Research that shows that 44 percent of African-American teens use their cell phones to access the internet vs. 35 percent and 21 percent of Latino and White teens, respectively.

Prosper found that Blacks over index in such behaviors as checking in to get a discount,  comparing prices on various websites, and reading product reviews among others. Overall, Black consumes have a mobile aptitude index of 127, indicating that they have a higher mobile capacity (+27) than the general population of adults. Prosper reported that Blacks are also more likely than the general population to view content such as TV, sports, and news on their mobile devices. You can find specifics on the Prosper findings by clicking on the link above.

As usual, readers of Paramount Market Publishing books get an early "heads up" on new trends in consumer behavior with insights and wisdom about how to take advantage of those trends before their non-reading competition catches up.