The world’s number one pregnancy and parenting brand, BabyCentre, today launches Media Mum, the latest instalment of its 21st Century Mum Insights series. The research explores how the media habits of mums in Britain today are radically changing the rules for marketers, and examines how mums – a crucial audience segment – are becoming skilled at blending traditional and digital formats.
For more information on the 2012 UK Media Mum report please visit www.babycentresolutions.co.uk.
The findings firstly reveal that motherhood heavily impacts traditional media usage. Over half those surveyed watch less TV since having children, and more than half read fewer magazines and newspapers. However it’s a different story when it comes to the use of digital devices, such as tablets, smartphones and laptops, with internet, email and mobile usage all increasing significantly once a woman becomes a mum (up 45%, 31% and 28% respectively).
New digital technology is also being harnessed to help the modern Media Mum to multi-task. Such is the pressure on her time, it’s normal for her to watch TV whilst checking Facebook (two out of three mums said they do this frequently) or texting on her smartphone during conversations with their child or partner (50% say that they’ve done this). Throughout this activity she is open to brand messages, and is most interested in those that offer good value, suit her lifestyle and simplify her day-to-day life.
BabyCentre also found that smartphones continue to be the ‘hub’ of a mum’s life (nearly three-quarters of mums own one). These items are treated as constant companions, used day and night, with over half of those surveyed claiming that their smartphone is the one device that they could not live without.
The results also showed that the UK Media Mum now spends 35% more time online than the rest of the general UK population. Online support and parenting social media networks have established themselves as pillars in a mum’s life – these sites come in second place only behind friends and family known in ‘real life’. Eight out of 10 mums claim to use social media regularly and nearly three-quarters log onto Facebook every day.
Mike Fogarty, SVP Global Publisher of BabyCentre has urged advertisers to adapt their marketing strategy accordingly. He comments:
“It’s not just about the digital living room any more; this is about the digital home and a digital life. There is an array of devices in every room and in every pocket, always turned on and constantly in use. Marketers that understand how motherhood changes women’s media habits and creates new needs and behaviours are much more likely to be able to reach and engage her when she needs them most. Turning insights into action is a fundamental role of marketers, but mum’s fast evolving media habits make it critical.
The fact is, once she becomes a mum, a woman never returns to her pre-pregnancy media habits and her new life is not linear, programmed or scheduled. Instead, she is always on, using technologies as tools to get her new job done, and that unlocks incredible opportunity for marketers to capture her attention in new and different ways.”
BabyCentre’s Media Mum Report, which polled over 600 mums, was developed through a mix of in-depth surveying, industry statistics and by listening to what BabyCentre mums are talking about within its interactive communities.
For more information on the 2012 UK Media Mum report please visit www.babycentresolutions.co.uk.