INDUSTRY TALK
vs Does your brand connect with today’s women? More than a mother, wife and home cleaning enthusiast – Yaw Dwomoh, MD of Idea Hive, explores how brand storytelling is missing the mark.
A
washing powder advert
Infertility alone affects more than
single mom’s helper or mother. Brands
caught my attention for its
48 million couples in the world. In
need to speak to all these consumers.
depiction of a stereotypical
South Africa, 20 percent of couples
African woman in a rural
are unable to have children, enough so that some are calling for it to be
area, bent over a skottel washing clothes. Her disproportionate cleaning properties’ was an old refrain. As a father to a strong daughter and leader to some exceptionally talented and capable young women, it got
considered a disability.
DID YOU KNOW?
excitement over its ‘superior
www.mediaupdate.co.za
fly in the face of inclusivity
Not all women cook and clean. If we are
Addressing women not
brutally honest – in the South African culture,
only as mothers but
many women are cleaning homes that
Marketers believe as leaders, mentors, 75 percent of budget spent spiritual mothers, sisters, on marketing to African women is wasted – including aunts and teachers, their own. These were the brands have an findings of a Kantar Added incredible opportunity Value thought leadership study. Source: to reach women without
me thinking. Brands that
All women love cooking and cleaning
alienating a significant part of their audience.
are not their own. For example, if we take washing powder, this puts a new spin on the disparity between the target market and buying power and whether the target market actually affects the purchase decision. There are women who arrive home from work between 18h00 and 19h00, and who then have homework, tests, projects and speeches to complete. Tell them about
by depicting a lazily formulaic narrative are losing out on telling truly
All women are married
quick, healthy meals they can serve their
phenomenal stories. Such as those
A Tinder survey of singles aged
family, without the guilt. Give them a product
of women who are emergency
between 18 and 25 revealed
that cleans today’s sports kit in time for the
workers, farmers, bankers, engineers
80 percent of respondents felt staying
next morning. Tell them about the material
or single mothers.
single was better for work, friendship,
their son’s school shirt is made of and how it
fitness and unique experiences. In
won’t need ironing if you hang it up tonight
women made up 50 percent of the
2014, statistics showed about
to be dry for tomorrow.
South African population. Considering
50.2 percent of American adults
this, there are three stereotypes brands
were single.
According to Stats SA, in 2017 young
would be well-advised to avoid, to
A growing number of men and
Women make up nearly 85 percent of the consumer market. Brands cannot afford to ignore even a small percentage of them,
women also choose single parenting
or to only focus on them during Women’s
for various reasons. Over 62 percent of
Month. This is sure to see them lose out on
All women are mothers
children born in South Africa have no
market share, brand loyalty, credibility, trust
Not all women are mothers or want to
father listed on their birth certificate.
and ultimately, profits.•
be mothers. If Millennials are said to
Avoiding following their mothers’ and
be having children later or not at all,
grandmothers’ paths, many women no
studies show that Generation Z women
longer feel pressurised to get married.
reach a whole new demographic.
will have even less mothers, which
That said, it’s not always a woman
should be okay. Infertility, careers,
who is using a brand’s washing
societal pressure, cost of living and the
powder. Your consumer could be
lure of single life have an impact on
a father who has his kids for the
when and if women have children.
weekend, or it may be a successful
ABOUT THE AUTHOR
Yaw Dwomoh is an entrepreneur and heads up Idea Hive – a specialist brand storytelling agency, which helps brands like McDonald’s tell authentic stories.
P C Review | AUGUST 2019 |
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