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Palgrave Macmillan

Why Marketing to Women Doesn't Work

Using Market Segmentation to Understand Consumer Needs

  • Book
  • © 2014

Overview

  • A new approach for marketing to women not advocating 'female friendly strategies' but a deeper approach to market segmentation and why gender marketing doesn't always work
  • Half of the population consists of women, and in some markets (like consumer goods) women are estimated to take some 80% of the buying decisions
  • The current economic downturn has changed the market dynamics and context for women, and so marketing to women – a topic that became popular in the 1990s – needs to be revisited and updated
  • Data driven and very well researched, rigorous and evidence based, not pseudo-science, from a well-regarded speaker and marketing researcher

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Table of contents (12 chapters)

  1. Introduction

  2. Differences Between Men and Women

  3. Market Segmentation Theory and Practice

  4. Marketing To Women

Keywords

About this book

This book addresses the challenges and subtleties behind marketing to women and confronts the idea that gender alone can be used as an indicator to target your market. Darroch provides practical insights into market segmentation and recommends a new approach that focuses on targeting human needs, not gender, in order to reach female customers.

Reviews

'Industries that continue to market to women in the traditional manner are headed for failure. As such, Jenny's book is a timely and relevant piece. Her insightful recommendations and thoughtful research make for a compelling read and serve as a guideline for improved marketing practice - to both genders.' -Krista Lee Berger, Senior Marketing Manager, Fortune 500 Company

'In a world where men can't wear dresses, but women can wear pants, Jenny is a true thought leader who provides a great resource for anyone trying to navigate the complicated and overwhelming landscape of marketing to females. If you want to train your brain to think differently about the women's market (not to mention grow your bottom line) in an easy to understand and logical way Why Marketing to Women Doesn't Work is for you!' -Ralitsa Carter, Digital Marketing Specialist, Lee Enterprises

'Jenny's insight has always been spot-on. The title will catch your eye, but the content is what will make you stick around. Jenny delves into distinct issues that continue to bog down companies and agencies that are determined to 'market to women.' Those issues (mistakes) sound so basic to the layman, even to a 'regular consumer,' yet professionals continuously make them. The takeaways are insightful and useful for any marketer building a brand or product and tasked to focus on market segments. Jenny brings clear examples and insight to a misunderstood segment of consumers women. Not everyone wantspink in his or her power tools, nor do they care for vanity mirrors. Hopefully this book will help steer the boat right and disprove and encourage marketers to strive to NOT practice marketing strategies geared towards the lowest common denominator. As Jenny writes, 'Not all women are the same (nor are all men the same for that matter).' So why are we marketing to stereotypes?' -Chris Lam, Founder, Cup of Joe Social

'A thought provoking approach that is both smart and relevant for managers today. Jenny explains that when marketing to women marketers must have a thorough understanding of their needs and context, which is often misunderstood. The book re-examines this and introduces a new way to understand the consumer, one that starts inside the organization over market research. It's an insightful piece of work worth reading.' -Kristin Obi, Content Manager, Crispin Porter + Bogusky

'Jenny has a vast knowledge of the art and science of marketing, especially when it comes to reaching women. Through her book, organizations will see how to effectively target the coveted female consumer, who controls much of the family's wallet in today's marketplace. The female consumer, who makes so many purchasing decisions for herself and her family, is not an easy target. Professor Jenny Darroch knows how to combine the art and science of consumer research and messaging to effectively reach this powerful market segment.' - Emily Smith Marketing and Operations Director, The Money Mammals

Authors and Affiliations

  • Peter F. Drucker and Masatoshi Ito Graduate School of Management, USA

    Jenny Darroch

About the author

Jenny Darroch is a Professor of Marketing at the Drucker School of Management at Claremont Graduate University, USA and the founder of Mollior (Mollior.com), a consulting firm that specializes in market segmentation, with an emphasis on marketing to women. Why Marketing to Women Doesn't Work is Jenny's third book. It is inspired by consulting work she does, her signature course called Transforming and Creating Markets to Generate Growth, and academic research she has published on creating organizational growth through market creation. See JennyDarroch.com

Bibliographic Information

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