Women’s Market Wisdom: The Mobile Phone Industry’s Got It
Elizabeth Woyke wrote a great article for Forbes about gender trends in mobile phone development and marketing. Limelife’s chief executive Kristin McDonnell is quoted – and her words of wisdom can be applied much beyond the technology realm:
“In the beginning of any media format, a lot of content is oriented toward men,” she says. “As more content is created for the female market, women become dominant and drive most of the ad dollars.”
In almost any industry, the default is by men, for men. When women are noticed and tended to a bit, the shift to their ways of thinking and buying, and the advertising dollars, all come running.
A little more wisdom from Woyke’s piece:
Sometimes, gender is overshadowed by generational differences. Younger women (between 18 and 34) are much more likely to use their phone’s Web browser and MP3 player than older women, for instance. Trying to analyze consumers by how they use their phones can trump simpler filters. “We think of segments of individuals who share certain attitudes and needs,” says Ehtisham Rabbani, vice president of product strategy and marketing at electronics giant LG. “That transcends any male/female divide.”
Every wise marketer who has been taking a closer look at gender lately, should now be sure to take note of the generational differences first. For those younger than Baby Boom age, gendered roles/stereotypes have been much less of an issue, and their consuming behaviors reflect it.
