By Pamela Brill

It may still feel like winter, but when it comes to promoting outdoor play, things are starting to heat up in the toy business. Gone are the days when manufacturers relied on print and online-only ad campaigns to attract moms to their brand. Today, companies are expanding their reach by investing in new marketing methods to boost business and maintain their presence in a competitive marketplace.

Melissa & Doug, a veritable specialty toy favorite, hosts spring and early summer photo challenges, inviting its loyal customer base to share their experiences with other parents online. “We like to encourage our fan community to ‘spring into spring’ by doing fun, educational activities with kids outside, and our Sunny Patch line is big part of that,” says Public Relations/Social Media Specialist Anna Ritchie.

Last year, the company premiered its virtual Camp Sunny Patch campaign, inviting bloggers to share their ideas for outdoor play and providing weekly suggestions for activities involving Sunny Patch product. Participants were provided with downloadable badges for their young campers to wear, along with product for review.

One of the bloggers who participated in last year’s Camp Sunny Patch, Valerie of Inner Child Fun, commented on her experience with the program. “You could think of Camp Sunny Patch as a virtual go-to guide for creative summertime fun with the kids,” she says. “We provided the basic framework with imaginative play ideas, easy crafts and plenty of outdoor activities and then encouraged parents to connect with their kids, while exploring a different theme each week.”

“One Cup at a Time”

Enticing kids to get outdoors, while supporting a charitable cause, is also visible at the retail level. This coming summer, Toys “R” Us will be resuming its partnership with Alex’s Lemonade Stand Foundation, a non-profit dedicated to finding a cure for childhood cancer. Last year, shoppers were encouraged to make donations to “help fight childhood cancer, one cup at a time” or by signing up to host Alex’s Lemonade Stands. Crayola was among the brands that got involved. As a result, Toys “R” Us and families across the country helped to raise nearly $1.9 million benefitting the organization.

“The simple, yet powerful, act of hosting a lemonade stand, and the story behind ALSF, has definitely struck a chord,” said Sloane Lucas, Director, Corporate Philanthropy, Toys “R” Us, Inc., Toys “R” Us, in an official statement. “We understand the importance of helping kids in times of need and hope that each dollar raised will help Alex’s dream of finding a cure for childhood cancer become a reality.”

Pamela Brill is a professional magazine editor and writer whose work has appeared in such national publications as Parents, Woman’s Day and Girls’ Life. The former editor of Small World magazine, she is currently an editor at large for Gifts & Decorative Accessories/Playthings magazine and produces her own blog, The Talking Walnut, which highlights new kids’ products. As a member of the Norwood Avenue School PTA in Northport, N.Y., Pam recently began volunteering for the Parents As Reading Partners (PARP) program to encourage literacy for young readers.

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By Clarissa Nassar

Moms who blog wear two hats and that requires some extra effort – not just from mom bloggers, but from brands who want to engage us. Car seats, apps, even mops are all ripe for review, but mom bloggers are inundated today.

Tip #1: Talk Mom-to-Mom

To catch our eye, point out key features that a mom – not just a blogger – would appreciate. A press release doesn’t do this. Instead, try testimonials from other moms – including moms who blog.

Tip #2: Always Ask Permission

Mom bloggers appreciate review samples when asked in advance. Unsolicited product mailings are a big ‘no-no’ in the mom blogosphere. We simply don’t have the time (and, in some cases, space) to open and review everything, especially if it isn’t a good fit for the mom who blogs or her family. “Moms who blog also don’t need a commercial in their inbox,” notes Colorado-based Catherine of Evolving Mommy. For better results, be judicious about what you put in a blogger’s inbox and mailbox.

Tip #3: Leave Nothing to Chance

While bloggers know their audience best, we may not understand what a brand expects when we begin a dialogue and a relationship. “Always be clear what you want from a mom,” advises West Coast blogger Kadi Prescott of Social Media Moms. Bloggers want to know what the brand’s expectations are up front, so that they can work on an appropriate timeline for a review or project.

The mom who blogs is an important asset for your brand campaign. Just keep in mind she’s busily working at home, as well as blogging. And, that hands-on, real-mom perspective is precisely why she’s so valuable.

Clarissa Nassar is a veteran blogger and veteran mom – blogging at The Posh Parent since 1999 and living in New Jersey with her husband and three children. She is a longtime “Glambassador” for Glamour Magazine, a member of Invisalign’s Mom Advisory Board, and has consulted to dozens of brands.

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By Leticia Barr

Today, the most effective parent-to-parent conversations can occur beyond the blog post. The ever-evolving online space has witnessed the development of new social tools utilized by bloggers and other digital influencers that can convey a story about a product, provide an inside look at a brand, or enhance a brand’s customer service.

Savvy marketing professionals are designing blogger outreach programs with a more holistic approach – taking into account bloggers’ use of Pinterest, Instagram, Twitter and Facebook. Forward-thinking companies have moved beyond ‘spray and pray’ blogger outreach to engage bloggers in more meaningful ways – leading to compelling content that’s of higher value to parent audiences.

General Motors stands out as a leader for two innovative campaigns that tapped bloggers to create cross-platform content.  When prepping for the debut of the 2013 Terrain Denali, GMC invited a dozen bloggers to Michigan. Like other auto press events it included time to learn about the new Denali through a vehicle walk-around and drive-time. But the entire event was wisely designed to be interactive and capitalize on bloggers’ influence across multiple social media platforms.

Drive routes to showcase Northern Michigan at the start of summer were planned in conjunction with the Michigan Bureau of Tourism. Inspired by the scenery, bloggers captured images of the car during morning drives using Olympus PL-3 cameras provided through a partnership with Olympus. By the afternoon, we had not only experienced the car, but also learned how to shoot incredible images for our blogs.

Bloggers were invited to select a favorite image of the Denali to appear on the GMC Facebook page for the opportunity to be their new Timeline photo. As soon as the photos were up on the GMC page, each blogger went to work reaching out to our social networks by Tweeting, emailing, and sharing in Facebook groups to get our friends to like our images for the chance to be featured as the new Timeline photo. The well-planned event generated brand awareness and new Facebook fans for the 2013 Terrain Denali, as well as deepened brand relationships with bloggers for long-term gain.

As further evidence of GMC’s strategy to both spotlight and leverage digital influencers and their rich content, GMC also recently tapped leading fashion bloggers to showcase design inspirations for a custom Buick Encore digital look book, called Buick Pinboard to Dashboard.

The effectiveness of both of these campaigns is rooted in GMC’s recognition of bloggers’ digital influence across the broader social media sphere and a focus on the development of rich, compelling content. I’m excited about this evolution in how bloggers and brands are working together, and to see how consumers react to the new content we create together.

Leticia Barr is known throughout the social media sphere as Tech Savvy Mama, her award winning technology and education blog. She is also a Parents.com columnist, and a contributor to several brands’ content streams. Reach her on Twitter @TechSavvyMama.

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By Emily Roach

Over the past year, I’ve had the opportunity to share new products with friends and bloggers in a variety of settings. I hosted a home party in collaboration with the Healthy Child Healthy World organization that featured Seventh Generation and Plum Organics. The discussion centered on how moms can keep kids safe from toxins, and the products provided actionable take-aways for moms to incorporate in their daily lives.

In the fall, I hosted a tasting event at our neighborhood playground to celebrate the launch of Unreal candy. Moms – not just the kids – were excited to try this “healthier” candy.  We had some grandmothers join us too, broadening the audience. Moms especially like to touch and taste things before buying, and both of these events were a hit for that reason.

There’s more mom pay-off for brands when their story is presented in a hands-on, natural environment, within a community of moms. Those real-life interactions count for a lot. I tend to remember products more when there’s an event or other activity built around them. And other moms do, as well.

Bloggers can be a great entry point to offline networks of moms. I’ve often had moms at our preschool tell me they purchased something because I recommended it. I appreciate their trust, and there’s nothing like seeing your readers in-person to make you accountable for the review posts you write for your blog. Readers and friends will notice if you rave about one laundry detergent one week and a different one the following week.

Spend time getting to know bloggers – ask them about their life beyond their blog, including organizations they may be involved with in their local community that could provide an avenue for relationship-building with a broader network of moms. The value may be far greater, and not limited to, a blog’s online readership.

Emily Roach is the writer/owner of Random Recycling, a blog focused on green living for modern families. She lives outside of Boston with her husband, two children, and is expecting baby number-three this summer. She loves to cook, garden and spend time at the beach.

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By Amanda Henson

Today’s parents are looking for toys and games that do more: toys that provide more learning opportunities, more interaction and are more multi-purpose. Moms want toys that actively engage their children’s imaginations, while also reinforcing valuable life lessons. The Kinect Sesame Street TV is one example of how a brand has grown with technology, combining active play with educational opportunities in an interactive setting children know and love.

Toys that teach fine motor skills are of particular interest to moms, too. The proliferation of tablets, both toyetic and the real thing, teach keyboarding skills, while reinforcing grammar skills and encouraging reading.

As kids get older and more mobile, and family schedules get busier, toys, games and devices that easily travel are a sure bet.  Moms of older kids want to feel confident that their investment in play time will not only keep their child entertained, but also engaged and learning.

Toys and games that cross ages and stages, appealing to multiple children in the same home, are also a win with parents for both the convenience factor and play value they provide, says LeeAnne Evans, a Midwest stay-at-home mom of two. That’s top of mind for me too, when I purchase a toy or game for my children, ages five and nine.

The “more” message is a win with today’s educationally minded, value-seeking moms. That creates an opportunity for brands to talk up the cross-functional benefits of their toys, games and devices – emphasizing entertainment and education and appeal across multiple age groups.

Amanda Henson, is a community manager and social media fan, and blogs at High Impact Mom.

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