Here’s an excerpt from the lead article in my latest newsletter, about taking a more journalistic approach to studying and serving consumers:
A few weeks ago I heard Malcolm Gladwell speak to an audience of homebuilding industry CEOs about how people make decisions or judgments. That is also the … Read on >
A few weeks ago I heard Malcolm Gladwell speak to an audience of homebuilding industry CEOs about how people make decisions or judgments. That is also the general topic of his most recent book, Blink, which explores two ways of decision-making: 1) the data-driven to the nth degree, … Read on >
As 2007 ended and “top trends” for 2008 were released by every marketing consultant and his/her brother, I reflected a bit. How far have we come? Has marketing to women, as a field of business study, evolved as quickly as its subject has? Are there any big new trends that … Read on >
1) Morning television is all about women, as we’ve all long known, but there does come a point of no return in the fluffy factor. In “Morning TV Veers from News to Frills,” (December 4th, reg. required) New York Times writer Alessandra Stanley wonders how/if viewers will … Read on >
Two keys to transparent marketing (which is the main concept in my book, Don’t Think Pink, for those of you who’ve started reading this blog more recently) are narrowing your focus and getting to know your customer community intimately. I tend to assume that this is a lot easier … Read on >
Solo women are in the news. As noted in a New York Times article (reg. required) today:
“In 2005, 51 percent of women said they were living without a spouse, up from 35 percent in 1950 and 49 percent in 2000.
Coupled with the fact that in 2005 married couples … Read on >
As we close out 2006, one thing I’ve noticed is that today’s technology seems to help men embrace their supposed “feminine” brain traits for connecting
without being considered unmanly.
You’ve likely experienced … Read on >
Ann Handley (of MarketingProfs and their Daily Fix blog) and I have been having an off- and on-line discussion about women and blogging, since my post on the Online Gender Agenda went up last week. The topic was also discussed on … Read on >
Men tend to think more linearly. Women tend to think more relationally. These are truths you hear or read over and over as you study the differences in the ways … Read on >
This may not be a huge surprise: As women gain financial independence, they also gain more of an interest in finding a good-looking guy.
According to a short article in New Scientist (reg. required), a U.K. study (which will soon publish in Evolution and Human Behavior) found:… Read on >
Peak: How Great Companies Get Their Mojo from Maslow
by Chip Conley
I'm a big psychology buff, so this application of Maslow's hierarchy of needs to the business realm fascinated (and resonated) with me. As Conley mentions, psychology in business has long been about "fixing it," but that won't necessarily "offer the opportunity for transformation to a more optimal state of being or productivity." Everyone can learn from this discussion.
The Sexual Paradox: Men, Women and the Real Gender Gap
by Susan Pinker
A fascinating examination of how sex differences play out over the life span. One interesting quote: "For most women it's less a question of who's able to win. It's whether competing feels good and is worth the cost."
Robin Hood Marketing: Stealing Corporate Savvy to Sell Just Causes
by Katya Andresen
Andresen writes that causes can learn from traditional marketers, but after reading this, I'd argue that traditional marketers can learn from the causes profiled. An interview with Andresen is included in my eBook, 9 Minds On Marketing.
You Just Don't Understand: Women and Men in Conversation
by Deborah Tannen
Men have a more asymmetrical, positioning approach to communication, while women have a more symmetrical, connecting approach. This is a classic worth revisiting frequently.
BOOM: Marketing to the Ultimate Power Consumer -- The Baby-Boomer Woman
by Mary Brown and Carol Orsborn
It's a hot topic - and the case studies and examples presented in BOOM can offer up insights to get you started.
