2011 proved a watershed year for recognition of the power of Mom Marketing. What changed? Moms’ overwhelming embrace of social media and the profound impact of the recommendation culture on their consumer purchasing behavior. As this evolution took place, we saw a number of trends emerge in the Mom Marketplace through our research studies and work with Mom influencers. As we enter 2012, here’s our Top 10 list of Mom Marketing Trends.

1. December 2011!
Top 10 Mom Marketing Trends
As We Enter 2012
2011 proved a watershed year for recogni/on of the power of Mom Marke/ng. What changed? Moms’ overwhelming embrace
of social media and the profound impact of the recommenda/on culture on their consumer purchasing behavior. As this
evolu/on took place, we saw a number of trends emerge in the Mom Marketplace through our research studies and work with
Mom influencers. As we enter 2012, here’s our Top 10 list of Mom Marke/ng Trends:
1!
The New Brand Dis‐loyal Mom:
With a stagnate economy and lingering concerns about a recovery, Moms
shiIed long‐held consumer habits in 2011. Families con/nued to make due
with exis/ng household goods, and when Moms made purchases, they
appeared open to exploring new brands – forgoing ones they added to their
shopping carts for years. Clearly, brand loyalty appears to have lessened its
hold on Moms as 89% say they like to try new products and brands, and just
50% describe themselves as brand loyalists.
What
Loyalty?
} 89%!
2! A New Openness Toward Personal Topics:
Tradi/onally, marketers have struggled to find Moms willing to discuss
personal topics openly. Yet this year we saw evidence that Moms feel
75%! more comfortable addressing personal issues in social media forums – in
fact, 75% of women report being willing to discuss health or medical
issues on social networking sites. This new sense of openness
encourages Moms to seek informa/on from other Moms and share
their experiences with millions of other women.
3! Economic Woes Spark Up@ck in Couponing:
The na/on’s economic woes con/nue to affect American
families – from all walks of life – and increasingly mo/vate new
0%!
purchasing behaviors. But while more and more Moms rely on
Sa ve 5
saving money via coupons, the success of a couponing promo/on
and its ability to convert new consumers into advocates relies on the brand’s
ability to find Moms’ /pping point. For most Moms, coupons that save them
more than 50% will inspire them to try an item they haven’t used previously.
4! Rise of the Online Recommenda@on Culture:
One of the biggest Mom Marke/ng trends centers around the rise of the Online
Recommenda/on Culture. Moms’ eager par/cipa/on in social media translates
into blogs, Facebook, and TwiZer becoming the new “picket fence,” where
Moms make connec/ons, hear trusted recommenda/ons, and gain first‐person
perspec/ve. And while we’ve always lived in a recommenda/on culture, in 2011
we saw how social media becomes the conduit for Moms to easily develop a
network of trusted advisors and tap into them for their experiences and insights.
New research shows that 90% of Moms trust products more aIer hearing about
them from friends and 82% read product reviews online before buying a brand
they haven’t tried yet.
© Mom Central Consul/ng, Inc. 2011

2. December 2011!
Top 10 Mom Marketing Trends
As We Enter 2012
5!
Social Media Savvy
Skep@cism Grows Along with Moms’ Social Media Savvy:
While Moms con/nue to incorporate social media into their lives in
overwhelming numbers, they remain skep/cal toward brands going through
Get
the social media “mo/ons.” For example, a simple tweet won’t do it, as just
Skep/cism
5% of Moms believe tweets have a strong impact on their purchasing. Engaged!
Likewise, just 3% of Moms say targeted ads on their social networks strongly
mo/vate them to make a purchase. If brands use social media, Moms want
them to be fully engaged.
6! Emergence of Genera@on Mom:
Through a major research study issued this year by Mom Central
Consul/ng, we saw the introduc/on of Genera/on Mom. This
research showed that once a woman enters “Genera/on Mom,”
she finds herself most closely linked with Moms of all genera/ons.
Moreover, being a Mom transcends both genera/on and age of
children. Regardless of whether a Mom fits into the Boomer, Gen
X, or Gen Y category, certain universal truths emerge about her
beliefs on topics ranging from paren/ng to social media usage to
purchasing behaviors.
7! Mom‐iza@on of Mobile:
2011 may be remembered as the year where apps – for Smartphones
and tablets alike – exploded into the mainstream of Moms’ increasingly
busy lives. Most Moms pepper their Smartphones with apps – 51% of
Moms have downloaded 16+ apps, and 43% say they have 3 to 5 apps 82%
they only used once. Moms also have their favorite app categories –
with 82% downloading social media apps, 80% favoring games, and
80%
79%
79% downloading entertainment apps. Moreover, 59% of Moms say
cost remains the most important factor in app selec/on.
8! Recogni@on of Similari@es Among Moms:
In 2011, we saw marketers gaining a beZer understanding of the
commonali/es that exist among Moms – regardless if a Mom stays at
home with her kids or works outside of her home. Brands increasingly
develop products that address issues faced by all Moms — /me
constraints, organiza/onal challenges, etc. — and Moms then respond to
these themes, based on their own situa/on. For example, one Mom may
head to the freezer sec/on at the end of the day to pick up a quick dinner
because she spent her day shuZling kids to ac/vi/es and doctor
appointments, while another Mom may do the same because she leI the
office later than expected.
© Mom Central Consul/ng, Inc. 2011

3. December 2011!
Top 10 Mom Marketing Trends
As We Enter 2012
86%
DIY Home Renovation
9! Home & Hearth Reigns:
Interest and engagement con/nues in all things related to home
décor – 80% of Moms surveyed read magazines, 68% turn to TV
shows, and 43% read design blogs. But, as in many areas we saw in
2011, the economic situa/on con/nues to make an impact. More
and more DIY work takes place during home renova/ons – 86% for
smaller jobs like shelf installa/on or pain/ng; 58% for bigger jobs
such as plumbing or electrical work – and 75% of Moms say they’ll
spend less this year on home décor and renova/ons.
58%
10! Technology Spawns New Paren@ng Challenges:
Even though 74% of Moms let their children regularly play on their
Smartphone and increasingly rely on apps, games, and tablets to
keep kids occupied while traveling or wai/ng for appointments,
many Moms now see that our “digital na/ves” need limits when it
comes to technology. From kids engaged in non‐stop tex/ng to
tweens cocooned in their own private playgrounds, these ever‐
present technological tools have created unexpected paren/ng
challenges at home, at school, and during tradi/onal family /mes
such as holidays.
Looking to reach Moms? Let’s talk!
www.momcentralconsul/ng.com | 617‐244‐3002 | contactus@momcentral.com
© Mom Central Consul/ng, Inc. 2011