Becoming a parent marks a monumental shift in a woman’s life. Stepping into motherhood is not just about new experiences and responsibilities, it’s also the onset of a transformative consumer journey. This transition is significant, and brands have taken notice. With 8 in 10 moms recalibrating their shopping preferences, a multi-trillion-dollar marketing opportunity awaits.
In the US, moms hold the reins to nearly every family expense. A staggering 85% of moms are the decision-makers or influencers for household spending, and this extends well beyond the substantial $15,000 invested in a baby’s first year alone! Not only does 80% of healthcare spending fall within a mom’s domain, they are the chief orchestrators of family vacations (85%) and over half (53%) take the lead in major financial decisions.Given this immense spending power, no brand can afford to overlook this highly influential consumer group.
Creating Authentic Brand Narratives: The Trust Quotients
The parenting journey is punctuated by countless milestones, each of which serves as an in-market signal for brands to make meaningful connections. There is, however, a hiccup: according to recent survey data from Everyday Health Group Pregnancy & Parenting, while moms seek genuine narratives, almost half feel that brand advertising misses the mark. The Instagram-worthy, “picture-perfect” portrayal is often out of sync with their reality. Brands that are winning with moms champion authenticity, backed by data and research. The ultimate goal? To instill confidence and trust, making mom’s path to purchase as seamless as possible, especially when navigating unfamiliar territories.
Why Deterministic Data is The New North Star
Effectively reaching moms in Google’s looming environment of third-party cookie deprecation is another challenge for brands and advertisers. While the exact timeline of their deprecation remains unclear, what is certain is that their obsolescence is inevitable.
As cookies phase out, the data game is shifting. Brands are increasingly reliant on zero- and first-party data while emphasizing user consent and privacy. But not all data is created equal. For meaningful insights and results, brands must consider several key factors when selecting a data partner:
Scale: The bigger the data, the sharper the insights. A vast dataset provides comprehensive insights, statistical significance, and the foundation for improved predictive models. Imagine having a detailed pulse on nearly three-quarters of the nearly 3.6 million US women expected to become parents this year. That’s the power of Intuition, a deterministic data solution from BabyCenter and What to Expect, drawn from 29 million users.
Precision: Accuracy is paramount in reaching audiences with the right message at the right time. At BabyCenter and What to Expect, our deterministic data provides a detailed map of a mom’s pregnancy and parenting journey, allowing brands to tailor communications, making them timely and relevant.
Interoperability: Seamless integration within existing ecosystems is crucial. It promotes efficiency, flexibility, and collaboration, ultimately leading to more effective decision-making and a competitive edge in the market. Brands should look for datasets that are identity-based rather than cookie-based, to future-proof their data. At BabyCenter and What to Expect, our data is rooted in PII, HEMs (hashed email), and postal data, enabling adaptability in the dynamic ad tech and martech ecosystems. And we don’t use third-party data to amplify our datasets.
Privacy: Beyond compliance, privacy is about respect and trust. As privacy concerns evolve and regulations tighten, brands that value privacy are better poised for long-term sustainability and success. Our data collection methodologies stand tall with privacy regulations, guaranteeing brands a partner they can trust and moms a brand that respects their online persona.
In today’s dynamic market, understanding and connecting with moms is critical for brands seeking long-term success. Our data solution, Intuition, ensures that brands don’t just aim, but hit the mark every time.
Want to explore more? Catch Everyday Health Group Pregnancy & Parenting at Advertising Week New York on October 16 as we delve deeper into The Future of Mom Marketing: Harnessing Deterministic Data to Build Brand Love. See you there!
About the Author
Miriam Kalaev is Senior Director, Data Monetization, Strategy & Measurement at Everyday Health Group Pregnancy & Parenting, home to BabyCenter and What to Expect. She is a data evangelist with deep expertise in product development, go-to-market strategy, and revenue operations.
Sources: Center for American Progress, Supermarket News/Numerator, Forbes, 2022; Prudential, Harris Poll, Resonance Consultancy, 2022; Everyday Health Group Pregnancy & Parenting, May 2023; Cost of Raising a Child Survey, Everyday Health Group Pregnancy & Parenting, August 2022; How Much Does It Cost to Raise a Child?, US News & World Report, September 2022; Everyday Health Group, Pregnancy & Parenting Motherhood Matrix Study, January 2023.
