Talk Bite: Brands Flunk At Connecting With Millennial Moms

Brands don’t flatter yourselves, you’re not connecting with the Millennial Mom. In order to make purposeful connections with Millennial Moms you need to first really understand what makes this Mom tick and then create communications that resonate. The word “communications” is meant to be broad as just creating an advertising campaign won’t convince her. She can see through the smoke and mirror. She’s looking beyond the advertising campaign and into the soul of the companies she chooses for herself and her family.

So, who is this powerful woman and what do you need to know about her to engage her and have her on your brand’s side.

The Millennial Mom was born sometime between 1977-1998. She was raised in a child-centric time by Boomers, remembers 9/11 and is surviving a tumlutous economy. She has different values than previous generation’s Moms and she chooses companies on different citeria. She is highly educated (most educated generation to-date), self-confident, tech-savvy and ambitious. Education, technology and the feminist voice of her parents’ generation have made her feel empowered. She’s comfortable with rewriting the rules to create what fits her and her lifestyle the best. Since the Internets launched in her coming-of-age she is a natural multi-taker who uses technology to her advantage. She’s seeking stability and control. She’s pragmatic, loyal and optimisitc. She really will give you the benefit of the doubt but she’s skeptical that you can’t or won’t follow through. You can call her an Optimistic Realist. She values tradition and talks to her mom almost every day on her cell phone. She celebrates diversity (after all Millennials are the most racially diverse generation group) and is more accepting and less judgemental­–­especially of other moms and their parenting choices. And most importantly to her, she’s really into being mom. The sense of connectivity and joy family brings is key to what today’s Millennial Mom is after.

Her key influencers: her mom and/or mom-like figures, other moms in her social circle, online moms in forums, search, tradition, nostalgia, her kids.

So, with this in mind, here are some strategies on how your brand can evolve to better engage the heart, mind and wallet of the Millennial Mom:

• Move beyond the “look at me” image. Don’t just shout at her with superficial claims and benefits selling a product or service. Stand for something greater and more meaningful. She’s into corporations doing good so embrace a purpose or a cause.
• Don’t just make surface changes. A nifty advertising campaign won’t move the needle with this audience. Instead invest first in changing your company culture first. Millennial Moms will be able to cut through the BS. Be transparent.
• Involve her. Ask her for her opinion or idea. Remember she’s bright and confident enough to speak up to share honest feedback.
• Take up Utilitarian Marketing. Give her something useful. Help her be a better mom.

What are other strategies for connecting with the Millennial Mom?