The truth about mumsChallenging our myths about marketing to mothers

million women 18

Source: 2011 Census

60 hours of chat and coffee

865 Women with children under 16

4.8m monthly visitors

Qualitative research

Quantitative research

Mumsnet community

Source: IPSOS/Saatchi & Saatchi quantitative research, Nov 2013

Only

19% believe there are any examples of mums in advertising that they can

relate to

“Here's a newsflash for all you advertisers.

Please, I realise you all have targets to make,

stereotypes to depict, money to count,

but treat parents as intelligent people,

not as just a parent”

Source: Mumsnet/Saatchi & Saatchi qualitative research, 2013/14

Five myths

Myth #1Motherhood defines mums

Revelation #1

Mothers hate being labeled simply as a ‘mum’

“They won’t remember the things that I

taught them, they will remember the person I

was”

Source: Mumsnet/Saatchi & Saatchi qualitative research, 2013/14

“I would never define myself as a Mum,

of course I am a mum but I like to see myself

as an independent person”

Source: IPSOS/Saatchi & Saatchi quantitative research, Nov 2013

3/10

Only

23%of mothers are happy with people other than their families calling her mum

mothers even agree that they are ‘me first and then a mum’

Motherhood

is a role and

responsibility

not a life

John Lewis: Generations

Myth #2Mums are‘practically perfect in every way’

Revelation #2

Mothers ridicule perfection

74%

say they have ever met a perfect mum

Source: IPSOS/Saatchi & Saatchi quantitative research, Nov 2013

of mums agree that they aren’t perfect but they aren’t trying to be

Only

9%

“We all suck the stains out of their rugby shirts

and pack them back in the bag because we forgot

to wash them.”

Source: Mumsnet/Saatchi & Saatchi qualitative research, 2013/14

It’s messy out there –

but in a good way

Persil: Dirt is good

Myth #3Mums are prudes

Revelation #3

Mothers often have a dark and sometimes dirty sense of humour

Only

30%

Source: IPSOS/Saatchi & Saatchi quantitative research, Nov 2013

say that motherhood has made them more mumsy

say that motherhood has made them more reserved

Only

28%

Source: Mumsnet/Saatchi & Saatchi qualitative research, 2013/14

“Just because I’m a mum it doesn’t mean

I’ve had a humour bypass operation”

“It doesn't make me less of a mum with what

comes out of my mouth! I swear, make jokes, and

talk about sex more than the average person and

it has absolutely no effect on my parenting skills.”

Example

Stop treating her like a child

Old Spice ‘Old Spice made a man of my son’

Myth #4Dads are

sideshows in the

parenting department

Source: IPSOS/Saatchi & Saatchi quantitative research, Nov 2013

Revelation #4

Dads are full partners in

parenthood and increasingly seen

to pull theirweight

Source: IPSOS/Saatchi & Saatchi quantitative research, Nov 2013

60%

Only

25%

say their partner is just as involved in parenting

of mothers think that their partner isn’t doing enough around the house.

“The bumbling husband, clever wife adverts are

just cringe-worthy. They were probably funny a few

years ago but now it’s just another stereotype and a

boring one at that”

Source: Mumsnet/Saatchi & Saatchi qualitative research, 2013/14

Source: Mumsnet/Saatchi & Saatchi qualitative research, 2013/14

“I am not the only parent in my household

there happens to be an adult male living here too

who was equally involved in the creation of the

small people. He is a fully functioning, responsible

adult who is perfectly capable of being with – not

looking after or babysitting his children”

Parenting matters to Dads and Dads

parenting matters to Mums

Robinsons – ‘Pals’

Myth #5Motherhood is a

life of unrelenting

drudgery

Revelation #5

Motherhood is the most fun you can have with your clothes on

Source: IPSOS/Saatchi & Saatchi quantitative research, Nov 2013

60% say that the best fun they have is with their kids

say that their kids are more fun to spend time with than most of the adults they know60%

Why can’t we recognise that being a mum

can just be fun?

The mum label hides the fault lines running through

motherhood

MUM