Seeing My Relationships with Brands through Mom-Colored Glasses

Many times in my career I’ve built programs that marketed products or services to moms, but now, for the first time, I am a mom.
Being on the other side of the equation, I have a new relationship with brands than I did before; it is more personal and more passionate because I now have much more at stake. Gone is the one-on-one relationship, now it’s a shared experience as I immediately take to Facebook or text my mom friends when I discover a brand that I like or conversely, to share a negative brand experience.
The rise of multiple social media channels has empowered moms to become vocal advocates – and detractors – and brands are taking notice. Take for example, the launch of the new Pampers with Dry Max technology. Citing safety concerns, a small but vocal group of moms complained about the new product and Pampers responded to them directly and immediately, addressing their concerns and providing evidence of the product’s safety.
For P&G and other brands marketing to moms, they know that the rules of the game have changed. With moms connected in real time, it’s critical for brands to arm her with sharable information and engage her to be a brand advocate, as her influence over other moms is more powerful and instant than it has been in the past. Brands that engage with moms, even in times of crisis, will likely be the ones that will maintain the strong loyalty of mom networks.
As marketers we don’t always have the luxury of being the target audience, but when it does happen, it certainly puts things in a new perspective. As a mom now myself, I look forward to the next opportunity to help brands connect with loyal moms to build passion for their products.

Farah Adhi