Target Women by Lifestyle, Not Gender
Women are the influencers for many purchasing decisions for products and services, so it makes sense that many companies direct their marketing dollars largely on the women’s market. But that’s where the simplicity ends. The women’s marketplace is quite broad, made up of various sub-segments, each with different attitudes and behaviors.
The LOHAS market is one example. LOHAS is the acronym for consumers who “live a life of health and sustainability.” Sixty-percent of people within the LOHAS marketplace are women, according to an in-depth study, The Ohio Health and Wellness Report, conducted by The Marketing Insider, my company. According to the study, women make up slightly less – 54 percent – of the LOHAS market in Ohio. The August 2005 study surveyed 1100 participants in the Ohio market. In all, LOHAS consumers are estimated to account for one-third of the U.S. population.
LOHAS consumers are highly educated and driven by balancing their needs to better the environment, society and personal health. The Ohio Health and Wellness Report also indicated LOHAS consumers are challenged to eat right because they have very high dietary standards, yet health is a very high priority to them.
Indeed, eighty-five percent surveyed indicated they care strongly about protecting the environment and will support companies who have similar values and beliefs. To this consumer, the company and the brand are inseparable.
Though consumers within the general population may support some of these beliefs, targeting LOHAS consumers is quite different from targeting the general population. Although LOHAS consumers, especially Ohioans, distrusted television, they are influenced by what they see on TV when it comes to purchasing.
Perhaps, it is a better indication of an under-developed marketplace with under-developed attitudes. According to our research, Ohio’s LOHAS consumers total twenty-eight percent of the population, versus twenty-three percent on a national scale (according to the 2005 national survey), yet LOHAS consumers within the Ohio marketplace have attitudes that are less developed than the rest of the nation. Often this is a result of lack of information and education. With Ohio’s introduction to companies such as Whole Foods, this should improve. It’s no surprise that Whole Foods built one of their largest stores in the Ohio market. This merchant did its research and has been quite successful in a new market, in a short time.
I often wonder, why aren’t other consumer-based companies that target consumers jumping on the bandwagon? I’ve often found it’s because companies didn’t realize that this consumer segment, predominantly women, exist and that women in this group should be targeted differently from those in the mass market.
Now that we know targeting women as one consumer group can be challenging, what should we do about it? If you’re targeting LOHAS consumers or are interested in targeting them, it’s important to realize that the Nomadics™ group is actually predicted to transition into the LOHAS category. Nomadics are people who may dip into LOHAS-oriented behavior, yet not lead a fully integrated lifestyle. So, if you have a product that is natural and better for the environment, then you must consider the attitudes and purchasing behaviors of both the LOHAS and the Nomadic markets-a combined 65% of the overall population. Even if you are a printer, it behooves you to mention if you’re using recycled paper or soy-based inks. Why? Because people in general are getting more concerned about the environment and wanting to do what they can to help protect it. By doing your part and promoting it, you’ll have the opportunity to further tap into a growing, predominently female marketplace that is made up of business people too.
So remember, the next time you decide to market to women that not all women are the same and that they must be targeted differently. Understand their lifestyle and you’ll have a better opportunity to capture their dollars.
Tags: Consumer, Gender, Lohas, Lohas Consumers, Lohas Market, Marketing, Study, WomenRelated posts
What is Feminism?
Feminism is concerned with gender inequalities in society and the equal rights for women. This encases social, cultural and political movements, theories and moral philosophies that affect women in everyday life. Feminism also takes up the fight against other forms of discrimination. Some feminists argue that “gendered and sexed identities, such as ‘man’ and ‘woman’ are social constructs, meaning that some gender roles are socially conditioned rather than innate.”
For many people the feminist movement came in three waves starting from the 19th century to the present day.
The first wave occurred between the 19th and early 20th centuries, starting in the United Kingdom and United States. Their main concerns were with equal contract and property rights for women.
The Suffrage movement began at the end of the 19th century, with the main focus being on gaining political power and the right for women to vote.
The second was during the 1960’s and 1970’s were cultural and political inequalities were bound together as problem faced by women.
The beginning of the third wave started in the early 1990’s to the present day and slams the failure of the second wave. They deem the previous wave to be too focused on the upper middle class white women’s views and experiences.
It was argued and still is that through the history of feminism the majority of the leaders have been white middle class women from Western Europe or North America.
Thus alienating women of different colours and races, which was stated in a speech given to US Feminists by ex black slave “Sojourner Truth” in 1851. Sojourner purports that as a black woman she is viewed as even lower than white woman.
Women of other races set up alternative feminist groups which gained more followers in the 1960’s civil rights movement in the United States.
Post-colonial and Third World feminism proposed alternatives, with the post-colonial feminist slamming western feminism for being ethnocentric. The definition of ethnocentrism will be discussed in a later article.
In the 1980’s feminists realised that an understanding of global issues that also effect women of different races, colours and cultural was essential to understanding gender inequality. In turn this would show that racism, homophobia and classis are intrinsic in society and how they control women.
The Feminist political activists have challenged and brought women issues to the forefront of people’s concentions while also creating debate. They changed laws in women right to contract and property and the right to bodily integrity and autonomy. This includes the right for a woman to have an abortion and the right to take and access contraception.
Furthermore they are advocates for the protection of women from domestic violence, rape and sexual harassment. Also rights for women in the workplace and the legal right for maternity leave and equal pay.
Tags: Civil Rights Movement, Discrimination, Feminism, Feminist, Feminist Groups, Feminist Movement, Gender, Gender Inequalities, Gender Inequality, Gender Roles, Harassment, History Of Feminism, Legal Right, Movement, Racism, Rights, Third World Feminism, What Is Feminism, Women, Women Of