10 x xx xEditor Editor Editor Editor’ ’’ ’s note: Moms are so busy that we s note: Moms are so busy that we s note: Moms are so busy that we s note: Moms are so busy that we
couldn couldn couldn couldn’ ’’ ’t fit it all into only 10 things! t fit it all into only 10 things! t fit it all into only 10 things! t fit it all into only 10 things! 12121212
This report started out as one of our “10 Things” reports, but we quickly realized that just as
Mom’s to-do list is pretty long, the list of things that marketers need to know about today’s Mom
is long, too. As a result, this report makes a special concession in providing an overview of moms
as “12 Things.” The report leverages insights from the Yankelovich MONITOR® (and all data are
from MONITOR unless otherwise noted), the Yankelovich MONITOR Multicultural Marketing Study*
(MMS) and external primary and secondary sources. The report identifies key ways of looking at
the Mom market and offers opportunities for marketing to moms by connecting with their
attitudes and meeting their marketplace needs.
The following comparisons are made in this report:
• Moms with children under 18 vs. dads with children under 18
• Moms in various “mom” life stages, as defined by the age of the oldest child under age
of 18 who is living in the household, in each of three categories: under 6, 6-11 and 12-17
(moms whose oldest child is under the age of 6 are referred to as “new moms”
in this report.)
• Moms and total women (in those instances where “total women” provides the best
benchmark against which to draw conclusions about the mom market)
This report is designed to provide our clients with deep insights into a consumer target group ina convenient “grab-and-go” format and to serve as an ideal starting point for any research
project. We hope that, after referring to this report, you’ll contact us with follow-up questions
about how these insights play out in your particular marketplace and the potential opportunities
for your unique marketing initiative.
*Data from the Yankelovich MONITOR ® Multicultural Marketing Study 2007/2008 are based on the responses of 4,000
African-American, Hispanic and Non-Hispanic White/other consumers. The data are nationally representative within eachethnic sample. For purposes of this report, the data are reflective of the entire U.S. population.
In the United States, 37.8 million moms live with children under the age of 18(1). Compared with moms
several decades ago, today’s moms are older and more educated (due to her older age at first birth and the
greater incidence of college attendance and completion among women). As a result, today’s moms are
more likely to have started or established themselves in jobs and careers.
While many women are waiting longer than ever to have children, very few first-time moms are 35 or older.
Of the 1.7 million first-born babies in 2006, only 6.7% were born to women ages 35-39, and only 1.4% wereborn to women age 40 or older. Among all 4.2 million births, 11.7% were among women ages 35-39, and
2.6% were among women ages 40+.(2) Echoes and Xers make up the majority of all moms of children under
age 18 today, and Echoes make up the majority of all new moms (defined in this report as having a child
under age 6 and none older).
Most moms with children under 18 are married (72.5%)(3), and most are participating in the labor force
(about 70%)(4).
Moms with Oldest Child…Total
37.8
4
28
46
22%
Moms
29.5
0
14
39
48%
<6
36.4
2
22
50
25%
6-11
48Xers (ages 29-42)
7Matures (ages 62+)
12-17Ages in MONITOR 2007
42.6Median age (years)
41Boomers (ages 43-61)
4%
Echoes (ages 16-28)
1. “Living Arrangements of Children: 2004,” Facts for Features, U.S. Census Bureau, 03.13.08
2. Calculated from “Table 4: Live Births by Age of Mother, Live-Birth Order, and Race and Hispanic Origin of Mother: United States,Preliminary 2006,” National Vital Statistics Reports, Vol. 56, No. 7, 12.05.07
3. “America’s Families and Living Arrangements: 2006,” Facts for Features, U.S. Census Bureau, 03.13.08
4. “Trends in Labor Force Participation in the United States,” Monthly Labor Review , Pew Research Center, October 2006
1. Always a Mom, But Not Only a MomMother, daughter, friend. Woman, wife, lover. Her “Mom” hat is always close by and at the ready, but it certainly is notthe only hat she wears.
While it isn’t always easy to reconcile (or fit in) these varied roles, it’s Mom’s role as “employee” that causes a significantamount of dissonance. Few moms feel that what they “do for a living” is an expression of who they are, yet a majority holdworking in high regard and feel that having a job you love and being really good at your job is a sign of success andaccomplishment.
At the heart of the matter: work-life balance, or a lack thereof. More working moms think that part-time work is the ideal
scenario, “all things considered.”(1) And when money issues are taken off the table, the vast majority of moms (78%) wouldopt out of the work force completely. (It’s important to note…so would dads!).
86Believe that motherhood and womanhood are different(2)
Moms
62 Agree: Romance and sex are no less
important to me today than ever before
77Having a good marriage
Signs of success and accomplishment:
80A good daughter
81A good neighbor
88A loyal friend
Extremely/very important to the way others see you:
82Ways in which you express yourself :Raising your children
89%Extremely/very important to the way others see you: A good parent(1)
1. MONITOR 2005/2006 (6-7 on a 7-pt. scale, where 7 is“extremely important” and 1 is “not at all important”)
2. “Suave Survey on Moms with Children Under Age 15,” KRC
Research, Spring 20073. “Fewer Mothers Prefer Full-Time Work,” Pew Research
Center, 07.12.07
617569Having a balance b/w work and personal life
85%82%82%Raising your children
213730By what you do for a living
69
69
Total
Moms
73
76
EmployedMoms
62Being really good at your job
Stay-at-HomeMomsWays in which you express yourself :
60Having a job you love
Signs of success and accomplishment:
If money were
not an issue, Iwould have no
problem stayingat home full-timeto take care of my kids
Moms
78%
70%
Dads
Among working moms: Considering
everything, what would be the idealsituation for you?(3)
2. Where’s the “Easy” Button?As if it’s any consolation to moms, a majority of all Americans, not just moms, say that parenthood is more difficult todaythan it was 20 to 30 years ago. The most commonly named culprit? General societal conditions.
Dads share in a general sense of angst over everyday life and are as equally likely as moms to yearn for simplification. Butmoms “win” the stress wars; they are far more likely to identify specific stressors (interestingly, moms and dads are equallylikely to be stressed over taking care of the kids) and to identify stress in general as something they need to get undercontrol. The proverbial question is: How does she do it? Answer: With tenacity and a sense of humor.
3. Financial AngstConcern over future and current finances is a significant stressor for moms. Contributing to this stress is thedissonance between what she wants her family’s financial health to be and the reality of what her family’s financialhealth currently is. And in two particular areas—saving money and sticking to a budget—the gap between her desiresand her reality has increased significantly over the past few years.
Moms are decision makers when it comes to investment and savings decisions for their households. Among marriedmoms, 21% have primary responsibility and 64% have joint responsibility. Among unmarried moms, 62% have primaryand 25% have joint responsibility.
The problem is in the paradox: Very few moms feel knowledgeable about investing, yet very few say they need toseek out professional advice. This may be due, in part, to her lack of ability to judge the skills of a financial advisor.
303565283058Getting the best price on
everything you buy
Percent of moms who say each is “important” and each “describes me”:
20072004
23
27
27
Gap(Points)
56
76
71%
Im-portant
19
46
24%
DescribesMe
21
44
28%
DescribesMe
3071Using credit cards responsibly
4755%Putting aside money for the
future on a regular basis
3744Sticking to a budget
(“Important” measures are top 2 box on a 7-pt. scale, where 7 is “extremely important” and 1 is “not atall important.” “Describes me” measures are top 2 box on a 7-pt. scale, where 7 is “describes mecompletely” and 1 is “does not describe me at all.”)
Im-portant
Gap(Points)
78To reduce my debt level
74To plan for retirement years
78%Not to live beyond my means
70The figure out where my money goes
each month
35
Moms
To seek professional advice about
managing my money
Money-management needs:Feel each need strongly/moderately
I don’t know how to tell the differencebetween a good financial advisor and apoor financial advisor
4. Pre- and Post-Kids: The Big Picture Looks SimilarMoms and non-moms are not worlds apart. Except for a refocusing of time and energy from self to kids,moms want the same things in life that non-moms do: to be in control, stand up for themselves, live life tothe fullest, have a close friend they can talk to about anything and manage their stress levels.
By and large, today’s moms were accustomed to juggling, multitasking and coping with stress even beforethey had kids. While the number of tasks on the to-do list expands and safety over her children’s well-being and safety kick in, moms calibrate and acclimate to new duties in life without major increases inalready high overall stress levels.
8375
I often feel too tired to do the
things I want to do
8375
8680
77%84%
More and more, I find I am looking
for ways of simplifying my life
No matter how hard I try, I never
seem to have enough time to do
all the things I need to do
I need to find ways of reducing
stress in my life
4543
5758
7366
7074Managing your stress
Being open to new ideas
Being able to do little things
around the house yourself
Trying to get several things
done at once
7475Living life to the fullest
8375
Having a close friend to talk to
about anything
8680Standing up for yourself
77%84%Being in control of your life
Moms w/oldestchild <12
Non-momsages 21-35Important in your personal life:*
2845
Balancing time at work and timewith family (among employed;
small base among non-moms)
3247Home utility costs
2223
5338Your career or job
Running necessary errands
2541Concerns about terrorism
4350Healthcare costs
3455Keeping your home neat and
attractive
61%56%Planning for your financial future
Moms w/oldestchild <12
Non-momsages 21-35 Amount of stress caused by each:
(4-5 on a 5-pt. scale, where 5 is “a great deal” and 1 is “none at all”)
All the RestConsider this: Everyday stress and aggravation, due to anything from aggressive drivers to automated phone “service.”An underlying current of anxiety and uncertainty due to everything from family safety to family finances. Aninarguably more competitive world. Never mind the new “A list” of childhood epidemics: autism, allergies, asthma andADHD. Couple these with the mindset of today’s moms—the desire for control, self-imposed pressure to be seen as agood mom and a self-definition based on being a mom (which is increasingly “defined” as having successful children),and the use of words like “overparenting,” “hyperparenting” and “helicopter parenting” almost seem to make sense.
Over the past few years, slightly more moms define success as having successful children. And more are stressed outabout the very same thing. Intellectually, most moms (78%) know they should focus only on the things they can controland not worry so much about the things they can’t control. Problems can arise, however, when moms categoricallyand inflexibly place all elements of child rearing into the “I can control it” column.
78I am focusing more on controlling
what I can and worrying less about
the things outside my control
MomsMoms’ Mindset
66Lately I find I’m looking for ways of
getting more control over my life
80%
Important in your personal life (6-7
on a 7-pt. scale, where 7 is “extremely
important” and 7 is “not at all impor-
tant”): Being in control of your life
Sign of success and accomplishment:Having successful children
Things that cause a great deal of stress in life: Worries about yourchildren’s success (top 2 box on a 5-pt.
scale)
1. Source: Yankelovich MONITOR MMS 2007
56Encouraging kids to express their
opinions over what they feel is right
and wrong
MomsThings that are absolutely essential to being a good parent:(top box on a 5-pt. scale)(1)
54Instilling a strong sense of faith in
children
65Helping children take all the
necessary steps to get into college
66Being involved in children’s hobbies
and activities
72%Teaching children to manage money
and spend wisely
“By now, most well-educated parentsbelieve that their children’s fates are intheir hands.”
1088Attending school functions/meetings789Picking up after the children
10%91%Taking the children to doctor appts.
6. Her To-Do’s, His To-Do’s
Despite recent press showing the hours women spend on housework decreasing (from 26 hours a week in 1976 to 17hours in 2005) and the hours that men spend on housework increasing (from just six hours a week to 13), amongmarried men and women, women still spend far more hours on housework compared to their husbands: 17 hours forwomen and seven hours for men.(1)
The numbers tell the story. And this isn’t just a case of moms potentially understating the tasks their husbands areprimarily responsible for. Even dads say they are far less likely to be primarily responsible for every listed item thanshe is—with the exception of “fixing things around the house.” To give the dads their due, moms recognize that they
may be responsible for suppressing dads’ “nesting” instincts around the house, but these women give the dads kudosfor stepping up and being more involved in children’s lives than were dads several decades ago.
I don’t feel like mywork around thehouse is appreciatedenough
Moms
63%
47Dads
Men would do morearound the house if they were able to dothings their waywithout being
criticized(2)
Moms
61%
51Dads
Compared to when Iwas young, today’sfathers are far moreinvolved with theirchildren’s lives(2)
Moms
65%
68Dads
Who is primarily responsible for household tasks?(Among those who are married)
1. University of Michigan Institute for Social Research Press Release, 04.03.08
7. Come and Get It!While meal preparation shares space with many other items on Mom’s to-do list, it carries far more emotionalmeaning for her than, say, vacuuming or picking up after the kids. In fact, eight in 10 moms say they showlove for their family by making sure they make home-cooked meals as “often as possible,” and 74% say theyput a lot of care and emotion into their cooking.
And while much is often made about moms’ use of convenience products, those products don’t always cut itwith moms today. Sixty-four percent say that pre-packaged convenience foods are a poor substitute for home-cooked meals (although 66% say they those foods have become more nutritious in the past few years). Also,44% say that using pre-packaged convenience foods makes them feel as though they are cheating their family.
When convenience in cooking is pitted against cooking from scratch, 38% of moms say that convenience incooking is more important to them than cooking from scratch. The real message here is not that only about athird of moms buy convenience products; rather, it’s that she considers her use of convenience productswithin the context of time, skill and emotion.
I show love for myfamily by making surethey get home-cookedmeals as often aspossible(1)
Moms
81%
I put a lot of care and
emotion into mycooking(1) Moms74%
Way of expressingyourself : Cooking fromscratch (No. 2-rankeditem on list)
Moms
52%53
Are almost as tasty as foods
made from scratch when you
add additional ingredients or
customize the preparation
MomsPre-packaged convenience foods…
44
Make me feel as though I’m
cheating my family
64Are a poor substitute for home-
cooked meals
66Have become more nutritious
in the past few years
76%Have improved their taste in
the past few years
Agreement to statements aboutpre-packaged convenience foods:(1)
Convenience in cooking is moreimportant to me today thancooking from scratch(1)
8. iPriority: Come and Join MeThere’s no question (and no surprise) that Mom’s top priority is her children. Even as children grow older, the vast majority of momscontinue to put themselves third (after their children and their husbands). While moms clearly recognize that taking time for oneself puts people in a better position to take care of others (a concept that defines the iPriority trend), a much lower percent (althoughstill a majority) think it is very important to schedule down time or “me” time, which typically implies excluding children. Further, aslight majority feel guilty when they take the time to do things without their children.
iPriority needs can certainly be met with aromatherapy, time at the salon, escaping the daily grind and the like. But just ascompelling to moms—if not more so—is the notion of decompressing and recentering with family and friends. Less guilt, more familybonding…everyone wins.
5567Spend time with friends
67%74%Play with your kids
6968Watch TV
Moms Dads
Things you do for funand enjoyment:
My children
My spouse
Me
Among children, spouse or self, which is your first priority in life?People who don’t take time for
themselves end up taking it
out on others
Moms
83%
I feel guilty when I take the
time to do things for myself,
without my children(1)
54Important in your personal life:
Schedule down time or “me”
time
54
3945Escape and be alone
3345Get more sleep
4550Go out with friends,relatives, partner
50%51%Create time for fun andlaughter with family
Moms Dads
Things you typically do torelieve stress:(1)
(Select items, all within the top 10, are shown.)
3447
Not having to keep track of
time
4353Sightseeing
4956Reconnecting and spending
time with spouse/partner
47%60%
Spending quality time with
your kids
Moms Dads
Things you look forward towhen vacationing:
(Top four responses among moms are shown.)
Note: Percents have been recalculated among those who provided an answer.
9. Still Has It (or at Least Wants It!)Moms care about their appearance. They want clothes that look good, skin-care products that work and cosmeticsthey really like. Problem is, some are challenged not only in finding these things, but in carving out enough time inthe day to put it all to work. In a recent survey conducted by KRC Research for Suave, 80% of moms with childrenunder age 15 say they spend half an hour or less washing, dressing and getting ready for their day, compared to just34% who spent this amount of time before they became a mom.
Relative to moms with older children, the emotional rewards from looking good need to include an element of individuality and uniqueness, which can sometimes be gained by trying the newest trends, products and brands.
39Wearing jewelry,
accessories, etc., that
express your personal style
36The scent or fragrance you
wear
26Changing your hair color
44%Wearing clothes that
express your personal style
TotalMoms
Ways in which you expressyourself:
Finding clothes that lookgood on you is importantto you (net):(1) 83%
I could use help with this 45
I am doing this well 38
I like to trynew pro-
ducts beforeother peopletry them
Ways you ex- press your-self : Gettingbody art likepiercings or
tattoos
I have a veryunique senseof style
163Get a massage
All percents among total moms are similar to total women
except for “go to a salon/hairdresser,” which is 67%
frequently/occasionally among total women.
7
9
19
17
28%
Frequently
47Take a bubble bath
29Get a manicure or
pedicure
18Meditate/do yoga
57Go to a salon/hairdresser
62%
Frequently/Occasionally
Things you do frequently/occasionally :(1)
Use scented oraromatherapy products
Finding skin-care products thatwork for you is important toyou (net):(1) 73%
I could use help with this 33
I am doing this well 40
Finding cosmetics youreally like is importantto you (net):(1) 61%
These days, exercise, health and looking and feeling good (and youthful) are all inextricably linked. Yet for themajority of moms, exercise is something that appears on her daily mental “to-do” list, but she seldom gets to check itoff. Mom clearly knows the power of exercise—both for herself in her efforts to look and feel good and for her family.Nearly six in 10 (58%) of the 89% of moms who care about exercise say they want to exercise to set a good example fortheir family.
So what’s the hold-up? It’s part emotional—she can’t seem to get galvanized into action; and part practical—theresimply isn’t enough time in the day or energy in the tank. Of course the irony is obvious: Exercise increases energy and
helps people deal with stress—facts that aren’t lost on moms.
50To look and feel younger
58To set a good example for my
family
55To stay slim
*Excludes the 8% of moms who don’t see a need
to exercise regularly and the 1% who did not pick
a statement to describe their exercise program.
64Because it makes me feel
good
60To lose weight and look more
attractive
43To help me better deal with
the demands that are made
on me
67%To feel more healthy
Moms WhoCare AboutExercise*
Top 5 and selectedresponses:
Statement that best describesyour exercise program:
Why you exercise or want to exercise:Sounds exactly like me
30I don’t have time to exercise
17I don’t like to exercise
31%After a full day of
work/chores, I am just too
tired to work out
24I don’t get enough sleep as it
is and cannot get up early orstay up late to exercise
Moms WhoDon’t Exerciseas Regularly as
They’d LikeTop 5 responses:
Why you don’t exercise as regularly as you would like: Sounds exactlylike me
10. Community Connections“Community” encompasses many things to many moms, but it always involves connecting with something larger thanthemselves and their immediate family. Current estimates from Yankelovich, Pew and eMarketer indicate that aboutnine in 10 moms were online in June 2008.
For moms with younger kids, the Internet serves not only as a route to maintaining existing relationships but also as anew form of community in and of itself. Age is a factor here, and so is the need to connect with others in the newmom life stage—one that is increasingly defined less by age and more by varying personal choices. Women can nolonger count on moving through life stages with their high school or college friends. One might be having her first childwhile another is getting ready to search for car insurance for her teenage child. Technology and the Internet canbridge gaps between old friends in different life stages and create bonds with new friends in similar life stages.
*Very small base.
Among online moms:
Online activities you participate in frequently/occasionally :
13162216Uploading video clips to
share with others
11102113Writing your own blog
40433539Sending greeting cards
37244235Instant messaging
26223126Searching for information onold friends/ acquaintances
Beyond the new-mom life stage, more traditional forms of community come into play. During theelementary school years, many moms become engaged with their local schools, where “volunteering” oftenbecomes an expectation. Participation in secondary school activities/parent groups is generally not asstrong as during the elementary years, yet moms are still active community members—whether by donatingmoney, items or their personal time.
When businesses commit to the things moms value—in this case, their schools and communities—two in
three moms say they will reward those businesses with their patronage.
66%Total Moms
71Moms with oldest
child 12-17
60Moms with oldest
child 6-11
66Moms with oldest
child <6
Volunteer as a
member
Volunteer as a
leader
Donate
money/items
Activities you do frequently/occasionally
with a religious or nonprofit group:(1)
1. Yankelovich MONITOR MMS 2007
Types of organizations you havedonated money to in past year :
Moms with Oldest Child…Total
16
19
20
42
46%
Moms
15
18
13
31
20%
<6
12
18
18
39
55%
6-11
52Religious
22
Federated
charities (e.g.,United Way)
12-17
Top 5 responses
20
Human services(e.g., Habitatfor Humanity,Big Brothers/Big Sisters, etc.)
24Disaster relief agencies
56%Local schools
Total agree: When acompany donates to, ordoes something for, my
school or community, Ithink it’s only right thatmy family and I try to buyfrom the company asoften as possible
With so many points of view and so much conflicting advice, it may seem best to just tune it all out. Not so for today’smoms…especially new moms (with their oldest child under age 6). In general, moms (like other consumers) are increasinglycomfortable with today’s onslaught of information. Moms are less overwhelmed and more confident in their ability to findthe information they need. And they actively seek out information on parenting from a variety of sources. The sticking pointis knowing when to trust themselves (like so many want to do) and when to trust the “experts.”
The prevailing scenario may look like this: “Find information. Get stressed over information. Find more information toassuage your stress and get you back to your gut. Hope your kids don’t suffer irrevocably during the process.”
Moms with OldestChild…Total
8
16
17
17
35
54%
Moms
9
28
27
28
53
72%
<6
7
15
18
18
38
56%
6-11
22Magazines
11TV
12-17
8Newspaper
9Books
10Internet
41%Any mediasource (net)
I’m overwhelmed by all of the sourcesof information available today
I always know how to get theinformation I need to make decisions
Subjects you read about or watchregularly : Parenting/babies
I make a point of keeping up with thelatest information aboutparenting and childdevelopment
Combine moms’ need for community and connections with their insatiable appetite for information. Add in theneed to solve very real lifestyle problems. Then throw in a generous dose of skepticism toward experts, sales
personnel and business more generally. It’s no surprise that the result is a veritable stew of networks that moms
rely on when making many marketplace decisions. And moms don’t just use networks; they often are the network.
They spread the news on products and information and receive emotional rewards in doing so. This is especially
true for new moms, with 84% saying they want to be seen as someone who gives smart advice.
12. It Takes a Network
Preference regarding products:
Customer reviews 79%
Or
Known experts’ opinions 20
Preference regarding products whenshopping:(1)
Ask friends and family theiropinions 72%
Or
Ask sales representatives theiropinion 28
Preference regarding products whenshopping:(1)
Research the product on my own 64%
Or
Ask sales reps to tell me every-thing they know about a product 36
37
41
54
55
60
64
67
69
76%
Expectant/New Moms
33Children’s products
TotalWomen
(Selected items shown)
31Personal care and beauty
29Household products
44Shopping, retail and apparel
47Beverages
38Financial services
50Health/health care
56Media and entertainment
62%Food and dining
Things you chat about at least once per day :(2)
Family and friendsoften ask me forinformation about,or my opinion on,new brands andproducts(2)
66%
Total Moms
Frequently/occasionallyforward a link tosomeone online
56%
Total OnlineMoms
71%84%
64% 69%
Characteristics important to the way
others see you: Someone who gives
smart advice
Total Moms Oldest is < 6
Oldest is 6-11* Oldest is 12-17
1. Yankelovich MONITOR MMS 2007
2. MediaPost, 04.21.08. Data among expectant andnew moms (have child <6) from BabyCenter online
panel. Data among total women from Keller Fay“TalkTrack” study.
