Marketing Profs

Soon it will be Mother's Day, a day filled with fresh flowers, delicious dark chocolates, fancy fragrances, and gem-filled jewelry.

But guys, listen up... the way to a woman's heart is not through these traditional "feminine" gifts. What'll really make her swoon and sigh is sleek, metal, shiny, and fast—women want the latest and greatest consumer electronics and have the hots for high tech, just like men.

A recent survey by Oxygen Network showed that more than half of women surveyed would pick a plasma TV over a two-day vacation in Florida; 77 percent would rather have a new plasma TV than a diamond solitaire necklace. And 86 percent of those surveyed prefer a new digital camera over designer shoes!

The Consumer Electronics Association (CEA) says that women buy 57% of consumer electronics, or about $80 billion of the $140 billion spent on consumer electronics last year. Beyond that, according to Best Buy, women influence 90% of consumer electronics purchases, from the type and look of the big-screen TV to the color of the iPod speakers for the living room.

The CE industry caught on fast, and in 2004 the CEA started its annual "Technology Is A Girl's Best Friend" campaign and awards program, which features marketing-to-women winners in eight product categories: audio, computers, digital imaging, laptop bags, mobile/automotive electronics, portable audio, television, and wireless. Award winners are announced at the Consumer Electronics Show Product Showcase and have included Motorola's RAZR cell phone, in bold fashionista colors like magenta or ice blue.

Some recent ads are also evidence of some smart gender-savvy marketing from the power players in the CE industry. But, as always, some marketers more than others "get" the differences between marketing to men and marketing to women.

Traditionally, most CE ads have focused on the product, not the prospect. They featured a large close-up of the TV, printer, PDA, or whatever high tech gadget is the "hero" of the ad. Then the copy goes into how many megapixels, megawatts, or megabytes the product has. Such ads may have appealed to men, who are always the first adopters of any new technology. But they have no stopping power with women.

That's because women have a longer list of criteria (they want all the same things as men—and then some), and while product specifications are relevant, they are not the only things that drive women's purchase decision.

Which makes me think that JVC clearly has not gotten the message about who the primary buyers of its products are. Take a look at its recent ad for the HD-ILA TV. Very male, old-school, techno-geeky.

Sony has taken a step closer to including women as prospects for its large screen TV business with its latest Bravia campaign. The Bravia's marketing slogan is "The world's first TV for men and women."