CHICAGO, Oct. 23, 2012 – Cracking the word-of-mom code is the Holy Grail for brands marketing to moms today.  But who’s more influential – the Facebook mom or the mom chatting up other moms at school drop-off?  According to The Mom Next Door:  How and Why Moms Make Recommendations, a new study released today at the M2Moms conference by The 360PR MomSquad® and Mom It Forward ®, 83% of moms make recommendations about brands in-person, compared to 53% of moms who make recommendations via social media.  The majority of moms (59%) rated in-person recommendations at the top of the scale for trustworthiness, while only 14% of moms rated recommendations via social media as “most trustworthy.”

According to the study, close to three-quarters of moms (71%) make recommendations about brands, products and services to other moms at least monthly, with half of moms (50%) making recommendations about brands daily.  “We call these moms the recommender-moms and it’s clear they’re looking to connect offline – though social media plays a role, too,” explained Laura Tomasetti, CEO at 360PR. “Brands need to get to know the mom recommenders in their sphere and balance online activity with high-touch opportunities to engage these uber-influencers.”

Gen Y Paving the Way Online
While the study demonstrates the power of in-person, it also found that online social networks are important microphones for Gen Y moms.  As compared to Gen X moms, Gen Y moms of 0 -3-year-olds are more comfortable relying on recommendations from moms in their online social networks.  They’re the heaviest users of newer social platforms, like Pinterest, Google+ and Instagram.

“Social media has an important role to play, especially with younger moms,” said Jyl Johnson Pattee, CEO of Mom It Forward. “Fifty-eight percent of moms use social media for more than one hour daily, with Gen Y moms indexing the highest.  Interestingly, Facebook and Twitter are popular across the board – with no generational differences among moms.”

The Power of the Mom Next Door
The study amplifies the role of ‘the mom next door’ in brand marketing today, finding that 93% of moms are influenced by other moms’ recommendations.   Moms surveyed said they interact with other moms most often at daycare/school drop-off (58%), at a friend’s house (54%) or other off-line get-together, such as meeting for coffee, working out or shopping (48%).  Moms of older kids (9+) indexed higher for at-work conversations with other moms, while moms of younger children (0-3) indexed higher for conversations online.

While special offers continue to be the top motivator of mom recommendations (61%), more than half of moms said they make recommendations because it’s fun (54%) and gives them a sense of pride (51%).  Moms said they rely on online reviews, including those by bloggers they read regularly, particularly for bigger purchases.

The full study results will be revealed at the M2Moms conference today and tomorrow in Chicago.  Study highlights are also available online at 360PR.com/momnextdoor.

Study Methodology
The Mom Next Door research by 360PR and Mom It Forward included interviews with more than 1,000 moms via a quantitative web-based survey of 964 U.S. moms of children ages 0-12 conducted in August 2012 by Lindberg International and a series of live events with 95 moms conducted September–October 2012, including in-home events in six regionally diverse markets and one online event.

The 360PR MomSquad is a national network of influencer-moms who imbue 360PR client campaigns with the latest insights to reaching and engaging today’s parents.  The 360PR MomSquad® is a service of 360 Public Relations, a premier consumer-focused, multi-media agency, recognized as Boutique Agency of the Year by The Holmes Report in 2011 and a 2012 PRWeek Agency of the Year Finalist.

Mom It Forward is a social media community and worldwide network dedicated to enhancing the lives of women, their families, and the communities in which they live. By partnering with various brands and organizations, Mom It Forward provides in-the-know information via a weekly #gno event. The #gno parties enable women to share and learn about a topic of interest from expert panelists, effectively creating a unique platform for real-time interaction with hundreds of participants.

SOURCE 360PR MomSquad

Filed under: 360 Public Relations, Consumer Marketing, Media and Press, Parenting, Social Marketing by LauraTomasetti - No Comments →

In 360PR’s 10th year, we are celebrating by sharing some of the things we’ve learned along the way in a “10 minutes with…” series featuring interviews with our practice leaders! Last time we chatted with the Account Director of our Parenting practice, Caroline Pierce.  Now we’ve sat down with Mike Rush, Account Director of our @Home practice, to learn more about him and some of the trends he has spotted!

Nesting has certainly been a pervasive trend the past several years.  What other trends are you leveraging for 360 clients in the home goods space?

Many of 360’s @Home clients are focusing on energy- and cost-savings, helping homeowners build the castle of their dreams while not breaking the bank.  Savings benefits are being communicated in a variety of ways — through tools such as online savings calculators, Facebook coupons and DIY tips.  As a team, we’ve been exploring consumers’ tertiary uses for home products, too, which can help create buzz – like running a humidifier to create white noise and a quieter sleeping environment (in addition to reaping all the other benefits of using a humidifier).

How much have eco-trends affected the home space?

It’s not just about recycling, ENERGY STAR, and eco-friendly packaging anymore.  After what seemed like a green-washing epidemic, there’s been a more meaningful discussion of tangible eco-benefits that hit close to home, like low-VOC paint.  Many 360PR @Home clients are turning to qualitative research to get to the root of eco-trends in their specific industry.  A recent survey Honeywell Air Purifiers, for example, found that only 1/3 of Americans have actually considered how indoor air can be affecting their health.  A scary thought given the EPA has found that VOC levels on average are 2-5 times higher indoors than outdoors.

How have media responded?

HGTV, in particular, has groomed a new generation of home experts and stars.  There’s Mike Holmes from “Holmes on Homes,” David Bromstad from “Color Splash,” and Sabrina Soto from “Get It Sold,” who recently signed as a spokesperson for both Target and Claritin.  Magazine editors at the home magazines have also become the faces of the morning shows – Sarah Humphreys at Real Simple and Elizabeth Mayhew from House Beautiful are two of my favorites who both regularly appear on TODAY.

What are some of your go-to sources for the newest home products and home design trends?

Urban Daddy is my source for off-beat home design trends and products – just last week I was tempted to buy a Merriam Webster Dictionary hollowed out with a flask for whiskey inside and I don’t even like whiskey!  I’m also an avid reader of all the home magazines.  Suzanne Kasler and Thomas Paul are two of my favorite designers.  Top designers are teaming with retailers for exclusive lines – like Suzanne’s collection of furniture and accessories available through Ballard Designs.  And I love the style that Martha Stewart brings to The Home Depot (if you haven’t checked out HD’s upscale spin-off site HomeDecorators.com, you should).

What’s your newest can’t-live-without purchase at home?

Hands down it’s my Cuisinart Griddler. Prosciutto Jarlsberg paninis are the best on it and it’s a life-saver for grilling chicken!

Filed under: 10 Minutes With Our Practice Leaders, 360 Public Relations, Design, Media and Press by Admin - 1 Comment →

By Mark Nolan

One of the gaming industry’s most well-known publications announced they will be closing its doors – both in print and online – this week. GamePro, which has been around since 1989, announced that the November issue of the magazine will be its last and on Monday, December 5. GamePro.com will redirect to its sister publication, PCWorld.com. A notice on the top of GamePro.com thanks their dedicated readers, like myself, with this message:

“Thank you for your loyalty, support, and participation in the GamePro.com community. […] Thank you to the entire GamePro staff for their hard work and dedication.”

The first GamePro I picked up was in 1997, when my shiny new Nintendo64 was begging for the latest games. The magazine always covered the best new releases, and – in the era before the internet – provided invaluable reviews to help gamers (and parents) decide which games were worth the money. In the changing print landscape over the past few years, GamePro struggled, announcing earlier this year that they would be switching to a quarterly format.

While sad, it’s not all bad news for the GamePro brand which will remain as a subsection of PCWorld’s site, and a new entity called GamePro Custom Solutions will provide customized content for vendors and industry events like E3. Publisher Julian Rignall had mixed emotions about the news on his Twitter account:

All is not lost for print outlets in the gaming industry: magazines like Game Informer and Official Xbox Magazine are still going strong, and there are even some new print magazines joining the fray. Best Buy launched their @Gamer magazine in partnership with Future Publishing earlier this year, and another famous gaming mag from the industry’s early years, Electronic Gaming Monthly, was recently reborn.

We will definitely miss GamePro’s fantastic editorial staff and the groundwork they laid for gaming journalists over the past two decades. Farewell, for now, guys! We wish you all the best!

Filed under: Media and Press, Video Games by Admin - 2 Comments →

Unless you’ve been living under a rock, you know that Prince William and Kate Middleton will marry this Friday to great fanfare. Perhaps the most talked and written-about event of 2011, the Royal Wedding has people all over the world in a tizzy. While your average commoners like you and me may be curious about the dress, guest list and honeymoon locale, some companies are concerned with wedding-related revenue.

Companies with food at their core, in particular, are hoping to cash in. Louisville, Ky-based chain Papa John’s commissioned a food artist to create the likeness of the prince and his bride on a pizza that “tastes as good as it looks.” The mosaic pizza portrait made from mushrooms, salami, peppers, and of course, cheese, can be purchased by residents across the pond.

If you’re stateside and planning on watching the early morning telecast (TODAY’s coverage beings at 4am EST), you’ll certainly need a cup of coffee.  Why not accompany your java with Dunkin’ Donuts Royal Wedding Donut? According to the Behind the Bean, Dunkin’s blog, the heart-shaped, glazed, jelly-filled masterpiece was created with wedding traditions and Will & Kate’s favorite flavors in mind.  If your sweet tooth isn’t satisfied after a Royal Donut, or if you’re looking for something to serve at your Royal Wedding viewing party, stop in to your local cupcake shop. Many across the country, like Boston’s Sweet, are selling the bite-sized treats with toppers featuring royal wedding-related images like Will and Kate’s engagement photo.

What royal-related marketing campaigns have you seen?

Filed under: Consumer Marketing, Internet, Media and Press, Retail by SkyeMcIntyre - 3 Comments →

By Kerry Murphy

This week, the New York Times announced it was going to start charging a fee for access to its site; its content. The new strategy allows the site’s visitors to view 20 articles a month. After that, you gotta pay.

The Times is not the first media outlet to go this route, but their announcement is, of course, a big deal. The Times is one of the most venerable and widely read news outlets in the world. It is a reliable source for well reported news and high quality features. Its brand is well respected and often imitated.

A copy of the Times rolled up under an arm on a bus, or displayed on a computer screen in an airport is somewhat of a status symbol; a message to the world “I’m smart. I’m informed.”

Still, getting readers to pay for content they have gotten for free for years is going to be a somewhat challenging transition. Will the strength of the Times brand and a loyal audience be enough to make it work? Only time will tell.

For now, publishers should consider the motivations and needs of their readers. What’s in it for them? More in depth or special content via the web? Access to content, events, people, places and things that non “members” can’t get to? It makes sense for those in charge to be seriously considering these things, to have a strategy at the ready to make sure their readers feel communicated with during the transition.

What do you think about the changes?

Filed under: Media and Press by Admin - 2 Comments →