For a while now, Burger King has proclaimed the “superfan” to be young males that frequent fast-food restaurants on a super-regular basis (9-10 times per month).  And over the past year, they ramped up their advertising with controversial campaigns like SpongeBob SquareButt and the one I wrote about in detail, the Super Seven Incher.

Burger King said it was all about males, ages 18-34.

Now, they’re thinking a little differently – mainly because their sales have been riding a slippery slope in the downward direction.

According to an article in this week’s AdAge, John Chidsey, BK CEO, re-defined “superfans” for investors:

To clarify, it’s not just 18-to-34-year-old males, it’s all ages and all household demographics, with over half of them having children.

And interestingly, over 29% are 50 years of age or older.”

In other words, their marketing was all screwed up.  They spent a great deal of time and an inordinate amount of money alienating their core customers.

Women who not only purchase meals for themselves, but for their spouses, boyfriends, girlfriends, children and – perhaps most important – grandchildren.

Has Burger King learned its lesson? Time will tell.  The company is introducing new menu items and promotions to attract female customers back to its franchises.  No word yet on upcoming advertising campaigns, but most likely they will be backing away from the “wonderfully edgy” campaign their ad agency talked them into.

It’s another blow for the advertising myth of the 18-34 demographic.  Hazzah!

In a day when we have cell phones tethered to our being and an email Inbox that never stops dinging, focus is not easy to master.

But it’s really the only way anything of substance is created and maintained, from business plans, to marketing strategies, to blog posts.

I’ve had friends and clients over the years that can’t quite get a handle on this focus thing.  They want to be all things to all people.

They think that by offering a broad selection of product they’ll swamp the market, when in reality they’re diluting their message and impact to the point that no one really cares.

Focus is hard.  Sometimes, focus seems impossible.  I know.  I’ve been there (and still struggle with it).

You need a mantra.  A daily question to ask yourself in order to keep you on the right track:

What Will I Say NO To, Today?

Focus means that something has to give. Some things that you’d really like to do, or take care of, or help with, must fall away.

It almost always means saying NO to someone you care about.

But until you start saying NO, you’ll never have the focus you need for the big success you dream about.  You may end up with a handful of small successes, but not one of them will have any long-term impact.

I know, I know – it’s hard at first, but it definitely gets easier the more you do it.  That’s because every time you do say it, your load gets just a little bit lighter. And you get a little less angry with yourself.  And a little less depressed.



EXERCISE: Sit down and make a list of all the demands on your time and energy – home, family, business, staff, friends, organizations.  Take 3 of those demands and say NO – not just to yourself, but out loud to the person who needs to hear it.

Then be bold and write down how it made you feel in the Comments section below. Does your load feel a little lighter already?

Rather than single out a few of my blogger colleagues who also made the list, I’ll let you review the list on your own.  It would be worth your time to add every one of these blogs to your RSS feed.

And welcome to all of the new blog readers that have come to WonderBranding from the article!  I’m delighted you’ve stopped by and look forward to sharing more news & views on the female consumer in the future.

If you’re a new reader, or if you’re a long-time subscriber who hasn’t visited the blog in awhile (I know that many folks read the blog posts on an RSS reader or through a Feedburner subscription), be sure to check out the FREE PDF download that is featured on the home page of WonderBranding: “The Quick Visual Checklist – How Her Eyes Rate Your Business.”

This white paper details how the female eye plays an important role in the purchasing process, and contains a quick checklist for you to rate how your business stacks up against the competition.

The only thing you have to do is fill in your name and email address, which is kept strictly private – your email will never be shared with anyone.

But you’re not like most people, are you?

Before you make a move, take a good, long look at your goal and ask yourself these two questions:

1. Do we have the skill?

Do we have the resources—money, time, energy, personnel – to make this happen?  If we don’t, are we willing to devote more resources or do more work to make it happen?  Is it the most appropriate step for us right now?

2. Do we have the will?

If we decide to try it, do we have the endurance to go the long haul and see this through to its end?  If things don’t work out as we’d hoped, do we have the guts and flexibility to adjust to the situation, or will we cave in?

Can you answer “yes” to both questions?  If not, re-focus before moving forward.

But don’t give up – just keep massaging ideas until you have one you can actually accomplish.

Then grab that ball and run like heck with it.

EXERCISE: Take the goal you have in mind for 2010 and test it with the 2 questions.  How did you do?  Does your goal hold up?  Or does it need tweaking?

Post your results in the Comments section – re-state your original goal, or share your revised goal.  Then, get ready for the next step.

The problem is, many of us don’t know where or how to start.

Then, we feel overwhelmed.  And we end up doing a whole lotta nuthin’.

It may sound corny, but for the last 20 years I’ve tried to live by the mantra a good friend (and successful businessman) taught me:  Divide and Conquer.

1)  Take your big idea.

2)  Break it down into small, doable pieces.

3)  Do one piece.

4)  Then do another.

5)  Repeat steps 3 & 4.

I call them Little Pieces; Roy H. Williams calls them Exponential Little Bits.

Whatever you call them, they must be small enough so that they a) don’t overwhelm you; and b) give you a tiny booster shot of confidence and momentum.

Whenever I find myself adrift, either personally or professionally, I always come back to “divide and conquer,” and it never fails me – I get sh*t DONE.

So the other day I was thinking, Why not apply this methodology to your marketing plan?

Over the next few weeks, this “Divide & Conquer” series will help you break your big marketing idea into little, doable, pieces.

I’m going to focus on marketing to women, but you’ll be able to apply it to more general marketing if you wish.

We’ll start by preparing a foundation, then we’ll build a house of marketing brick by brick.

I want 2010 to be the year of achievement for you; the year that you look back in amazement at all you have accomplished.

Will you let me help?

EXERCISE: Pick one marketing idea that’s been rattling around in your brain and write it down.  If you’re in a sharing mood, write it in the Comments section of this post – you’ll be giving other readers ideas about what they can accomplish.  It can be as general, as big, or as small as you wish.

Do it!

Phoenix Sky Harbor airport is a repeat winner in the annual “friendliest U.S. airport” contest.

One example: holiday travel help.

Parking is a pain.  But go online to the Sky Harbor website, print out a coupon, and you get 40% off garage parking through January 4th.

And here’s my favorite: Strict TSA requirements mean that travelers are not allowed to take wrapped presents through security.  You choice is to ship them ahead or take wrapping paper and wrapping tools with you (just try getting a pair of scissors through the x-ray machine).

Go through security at Sky Harbor, and waiting for you on the other side are wrapping stations, manned by airport volunteers.  Gift wrapping is free, but you are encouraged to make a donation to the local United Way.

Simple, thoughtful ideas to make holiday traveling just a little less painful.  And great marketing, to boot.

Barbasol Shaving Cream

Soothing Aloe for men – $1.69 for 11 ounces.
Pure Silk for women – $2.49 for 9 ounces.

According to the company, women are paying more for fragrance, a taller, thinner can, and an aluminum bottom that won’t rust in the shower – all for a hefty difference of 11 cents per ounce.

Excedrin Pain Reliever

Extra Strength – $5.99 for 20 pills.
Menstrual Complete – $6.49 for 20 pills.

Each contains the exact same ingredients.

Schick Quattro Razor Blades

Quattro 4-pack – $10.49
Quattro 4-pack for women – $10.99

According to the magazine (and Schick agrees!) the blades are virtually identical (except, perhaps, in terms of color).



Allan Gorman, owner of the BrandSpa agency, says it best:

You’re paying for the perceived value of the package.  Can you really tell the difference? Most of us can’t.”

Today’s economy is forcing more and more women to seek out the highest value at the lowest price.  Because of articles like this, an increasing number of women are becoming more aware of the fact that gender discrimination continues – in this case, through the pocketbook.

I recently changed dry cleaners when I found one that charges the same price per piece, no matter whether the suit belongs to my husband or me.

I have decided to find a new hair stylist, because she’s been charging my husband 25 percent less for a hair trim, even though his cut takes at least 20 minutes longer than mine.

What kind of prices are you charging?

Do you provide a similar service for each gender, but have different pricing structures?

You may have what you believe to be sound reasons for charging women more.  But if you can’t find a new business methodology for spreading the costs across both genders, you have only yourself to blame for an eroding female customer base.

But it’s easy to get snagged into a spin cycle of holiday anxiety.

And if you’re a retailer, you’re weighed down by an unrelenting pressure to sell, sell, sell.  For many of you, this is the season you believe “makes or breaks” your business.

How about you? Are you feeling the heat? Are you wound tighter than a jack-in-the-box on Christmas morning?

Do me favor.  Do yourself a favor.

Reach out and touch your customers.

I’m not saying that you have to pull a Stuart Smalley.  But I do know that you have a small collection of customers who have done a remarkable bit of business with you over the past year – customers who deserve a little holiday cheer.

Here’s a holiday challenge:

1)  Either you or a staff person should quickly pull up a list of 22 names and phone numbers of your best customers.

3)  Take one name on the list, and make a phone call.

Hi, Mrs. Mayberry. This is Alvin from Golf World.  It’s been a little crazy around here with the holidays, but this morning I just felt like picking up the phone and calling a few of my favorite customers.  It was great getting to know you this year, and I wanted to do more than send an ordinary card.  I just want to wish you and your family a Happy Holiday.  Enjoy, and I hope to see you again soon!

Own the message – add personal details where they fit.  Nine times out of ten, you’re going to get voicemail, which makes this task a simple one.  Those nine people are going to have a pleasant, memorable surprise awaiting them when they get home.

And that tenth person?  Having a pleasant, brief and genuine conversation with them may turn what was a bah-humbug day into a great one.

And in the end, you’re going to have given yourself a 5-minute break to remind yourself what the holidays are really about – reaching out and touching each other in ways that bring us closer.

Can you commit to 5 minutes per day for the next 22 days?

Be sure to let me know if you’re up for the challenge, and how it goes for you.

Sometimes, I don’t see what the big deal is all about.

An ad like the UK’s Wonderbra casting call appeals to me because it’s a tongue-in-cheek way of getting the message across.

While Holly was turned off by La Difference’s “Perfect Set” TV ad, I got a giggle out of it.  And I thought Reebok’s Easy Tone commercial made more fun of the cameraman (along with making me wonder if those shoes really could make my butt look like that).

Then there was the Burger King ad. That one did get to me.

Not to mention Johnson & Johnson’s ad for o.b. tampons.  (Good Lord.)

So there’s the rub.

Women don’t react en masse.

How a woman responds to a supposed attempt at persuasion is based on her internal value system and experiential memory.

And because women’s opinions are so divided, advertisers will continue to utilize and manipulate the Boobs & Butts tactic – there’s rarely enough of an outcry to change a company’s mind.

There are 3 reasons why big brands will always use Boobs & Butts… and why you shouldn’t:

1. Deep Pockets.

Large companies and corporations have massive marketing budgets.  They can create a dozen different messages (although they shouldn’t), and can bombard consumers through every known form of media.

Did a Boobs & Butts ad tank?  Did it piss some women off?  Oh well, they reply, we can afford the hit.  What’s a couple of million bucks? C’est la vie.

2. Creativity Trumps Persuasion.

No one ever said advertising creatives had taste.  I think there’s a formulaic equation hidden in a vault somewhere on Madison Avenue that states the larger the agency, the lower the taste threshold.

With advertising agencies, the pressure is ON to produce and the easiest lever to reach for is sex.  Creatives also don’t know where to draw the line.  If an ad is effective, they will continue to push till they finally go over the line, creating an ad that rings the “bad taste” bell like it’s been hit with a sledgehammer.

Are Boobs & Butts ads creative?  They can be. But it’s rare to have one that persuades more than a sliver of the potential consumer audience.  And who cares?  Big companies can afford it (see #1).

3. Men Are Still the Main Target.

And will probably remain so forever.  Big companies and ad agencies are still mired in hierarchical, single-focus mindset and messaging.

Which is perfect for men, who are left-brain dominant.

It’s is also rather stupid.

Give a man an ad that features boobs – his brain zeroes in on the target and tells him, “Oh look – boobs.”

Give a woman the same ad, and her brain says, “Oh look – that’s kind of degrading.”

Neither brain says, “Oh look – a great product.”

Boobs & Butts ads will always get people talking.  But if they’re talking more about an ad’s anatomy than about your business, you’d be better off flushing your marketing dollars down the toilet.

Boobs & Butts will never go away.

It’s still a waste of money for a company of any size, but the big boys can afford it.

You can’t.

When I created a link to the post on my Facebook page, it started a whole new conversation over there.

Take a look at this exchange between Brett Feinstein of Pound & Feinstein, Dennis Collins of New American Marketplace, Dave Young of Branding Blog, and Tom Wanek of Marketing Beyond Advertising.

Their thoughts on low price, corporate competitors, and value is so good, I wanted to make sure I shared it with you.  Do you have any thoughts you’d like to add about when “low price” is the strategy to try?