The document discusses how women are increasingly influential consumers globally. It notes that women are responsible for nearly 4 times as much consumer spending as China and India combined, and control where over half of household and family finances are spent. As women's wealth and spending power rises, brands that acknowledge this shift and cater to women through their marketing, products, and customer experiences are seeing greater success. A number of examples are provided of brands that have adapted to better attract female customers and unlock new opportunities, such as Harley Davidson creating women-focused programs and Old Spice targeting its marketing towards women. The document advocates for brands to truly understand the differing needs and perspectives of women compared to men in order to develop products and messages that resonate.

1. the spark.
female fever.

2. The consumer is your
wife, sister, mother,
girlfriend, niece…
According to Beyoncé, it’s girls who run the world. And guess what? They’re worth more than the
And looking at recent research, she is probably right. entire Japanese economy*.
Worldwide, women are responsible for nearly four But it’s an influence that reaches far beyond the
times as much consumer spending as China and hard numbers. The stereotypical ‘chat over the
India combined. Moreover, women around the world garden fence’ of yesteryear has evolved into a
are getting wealthier and splashing more cash than social influence that can dictate the rise or fall of
ever before. brands. Women talk about brands about 92 times
in the course of a week; and 96% of women will
Their control over where the money goes should not
recommend a product to a friend if they like it.†
be under-estimated. Just look at the figures:
So what are brands doing to acknowledge the rise in
∙ UK Mumsnet research amongst mums and dads
female spending power and persuasion?
shows that the better half is responsible for 46%
of family finance decisions.
*Source: Newsweek, July 2010
†
Source: NBC Universal, Sept 2010.
In the USA, women…
∙ are responsible for 85% of all consumer purchases
∙ make 92% of vacation purchases
∙ own 51% of all personal wealth

3. Leather chrome
engine oil
what could be more feminine?
Harley Davidson’s dedicated programme for ‘garage parties’ are designed to give women
female riders isn’t just a girly makeover of its inside tips. And there is now a range of Harley
traditionally mongrel product. The dealerships motorcycles with narrower seats, softer clutches,
now have washrooms and play areas for children; adjustable handlebars and lowered frames so that
there are brighter colours in the clothing range; women can plant their feet firmly on the floor.
even the famous Harley skull has been re-
In 1990, 4% of all Harley Davidson motorcycles
designed with tattoo-styled wings and flowers.
purchased were by women. Today they account
But it doesn’t end there. The brand has created for nearly 12% of new Harley Davidson sales in
an online mentoring programme for women riders the U.S.
to teach each other riding skills. Its dealer-hosted
Are you staring in the face of a completely
untapped market? What could you do to your
own product or sales experience that would break
the male stereotypes and invite women in?

4. Old Spice
Old Spice’s famously awarded campaign breathed new life into an ailing
male cosmetics brand. But not by targeting men. The secret to its success
lay as much in the fact that it spoke to women as in its brilliant writing,
casting and social networking.
‘The man your man could smell like’ was the lock-up for the whole
campaign, fronted by the perfectly honed Isaiah Mustafa wearing
nothing but a bath towel.
for women. It’s a simple equation: women buy cologne for their men, so run
a campaign that talks to them rather than their partners.
The question to ask yourself: men might be
the end-user for your products, but who’s
really making the purchase decision? Is Old
Spice the brand your brand could sell like?

5. A credit card that
men just don’t get.
With its tagline ‘The men don’t get it’, Singaporean United Overseas Bank
has tapped right into the mindset of independent women with its Lady’s Card.
The card is only available to women over 21 and earning a minimum of
$30,000. For a small annual fee, membership includes a range of exclusive
female-friendly health and beauty perks. These range from complimentary
access to fitness classes and Air Miles rewards to discounts on beauty services,
travel, restaurants and shops.
Could you re-structure
any of your own
products to make
them more attractive
to women – and then
get them to pay for
the privilege?

6. Chateau la femme.
The appreciation of fine wine is traditionally Does the image of your sector or products
associated with stuffy, tweedy chaps. So it’s lightly put women off getting involved? Would
refreshing to discover a group of women who are a woman-only approach remove a barrier
treading all over that particular variety of cliché. to entry? Could it open up a whole
new channel of profitability?
Based in Southern California, Keyways Vineyard
is owned and operated by women, and runs
a women-only wine club.
Monthly meetings of the club’s ‘Chix’ might include
wine-tasting, food, networking, education on wine
and women’s topics, as well as games and a whole
lot of fun.
Perks include a 20% discount on wine and gifts
plus a 10% discount on events at the winery.

7. They’ve got
WOMEN
covered.
In a male-dominated sector, it’s good to find
a company that understands how women can
have different financial concerns from men.
Fenomenal Woman has developed a portfolio
of life insurance products that are structured
specifically to meet the particular concerns
of women.
Their features include Female Trauma cover
as well as a Baby Bonus.
The differing concerns between men and women are usually blindingly obvious
but often over-looked. Do you know what the differentiating factors might be
in your sector? Are your products striking the right note with women, giving
them what they really need? Are you putting your products in the right context
for women’s lives in your communications?

8. Putting mums in the
driving seat.
Insight is a wonderful thing. Did you know that The key is not to assume that men
44% of pregnant women will buy a new car before hold the purse strings when it comes to
the birth, whilst 39% of them will do so during household purchases. The responsibility
their baby’s first six months? for financial decision-making can shift
from man to woman, purely on context
And they don’t even defer to their other halves
or life-stage. Do you really know who’s
in their choice?
in charge? And when?
We used this insight to introduce SEAT cars to
women at exactly the moment their minds were
on childbirth and babies. Our cute talking baby
caught lots of attention amongst the pages of
the Bounty website. And he gave us license to
talk about the cars from a uniquely parental
perspective.

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020 7467 9890 / thespark@geronimo.co.uk