Brands Encouraged To Make Emotional Connection To Mothers Online

At the recent Mumstock event in London last month it was revealed that brands are being encouraged to abandon the use of large data sets in order to gain an insight into the activity of mums online, and should instead use small focus groups and face-to-face conversations to generate a meaningful relationship, Marketing Week reports.

Whilst big data sets are capable of providing insight into the “functional” aspects of mothers’ lives, by utilising only these big data sets it can hinder an emotional relationship being formed between a brand and this demographic. It was noted at the event – which is hosted by parenting website Mumsnet – that digital channels are becoming an even more important part of mothers’ lives, and they are becoming increasingly persuaded to use certain sites depending on reviews from fellow parents.

April Raymond, the chief marketing officer for Kerry Foods, noted: “I’ve worked in marketing for a very long time and thought I understood mothers until I actually became one and realised what their experiences are really like.”

She went on to note that at Kerry Foods, they’ve had “a lot of success in recent years by focusing more on the emotional benefits [of our brands]”, as opposed to relying solely on quantitative data.

Another professional present at the event, Andrew Mann – customer director for Co-op Food – also highlighted the need for simple changes made online that speak to mothers and genuinely aid them in their day-to-day experiences. One such change made by the Co-op was to add a strap to the bag of its own-brand nappy packs, making them easier to carry.

Research commissioned by Mumsnet and undertaken by Saatchi & Saatchi found that mums view motherhood as an emotional relationship rather than a job, and so it seems brands should try to create such a relationship if they are to really maximise their impact with this demographic.