Brunner Surveys Mommy Market to Discover Television Preferences

Targeting and Advertising Effectiveness Start When Kids Go to Bed and "Me Time" Begins


PITTSBURGH, PA--(Marketwire - June 2, 2010) -  Independent, full-service advertising agency Brunner (www.brunnerworks.com) announced today survey findings that outline television viewing habits and engagement for the mom market. Brunner surveyed over 400 mothers with children ages 12 and under, and discovered that more than 80 percent of respondents have "their shows" that they watch during "me time" to escape from the pressures of work and family.

"Plenty of industry data today illustrates that mothers and their families are watching television. But with such busy lifestyles, we questioned whether moms are truly engaged during the television viewing experience," said Petra Arbutina, Partner, EVP and Director of Communications Planning for Brunner. "With this survey, we have found quantitative and qualitative evidence from mothers that will help our clients more effectively communicate with this demographic."

The survey results outline television viewing preferences, habits and the importance of technology in reaching the mom demographic. Moms are a critical target today and must be better understood by brands so that marketing dollars are spent more effectively, especially as women control 73 percent of U.S. consumer spending as reported by The Boston Consulting Group.*

Highlights from the survey include:

  • Seventy-five percent of respondents indicated they watch certain shows with their children.
  • Fifty percent of respondents indicated that they're most likely doing other things while watching television with their children.
  • Women with very small children indicated that it was "impossible for anyone to watch anything in the house when the kids are up."
  • Women with older children experienced phases of "family TV viewing" where they watched shows targeted to their kids' age group.
  • Women become more engaged as children get older and they come to share favorite shows such as American Idol and Survivor.
  • Eighty-one percent stated that they have "their shows" that they watch during what they deem to be their "me time." This offers them an "escape" from the daily pressures of work and family.

In the end, all respondents indicated that they can only truly engage in what's on the television when their children are not present. To this point, the survey offers a glimpse into television-viewing patterns for mothers (Figure A.), indicating the ideal time to reach these influencers in the evening, once their children have gone to bed.

Lastly, the Mommy Market survey results indicate the importance of new technology in helping mothers engage. More than half of the respondents said that they are prone to "time-shift" their preferred programming using DVR, On Demand, network websites and Hulu.com to re-watch shows or catch episodes they've missed. This finding indicates the importance of supplementing television spend with integrated marketing strategies, such as online advertising, product placements and promotions, for optimum brand engagement.

To find out more about what these results mean for marketers, visit http://www.youtube.com/user/VideosFromBrunner#p/u/0/paa-yYXzVcs.

About Brunner

Brunner is a $200 million independent advertising agency with approximately 200 employees and offices in Pittsburgh, Atlanta, and Washington, D.C. The agency provides a broad range of services in research and planning, branding, advertising, digital marketing, one-to-one marketing, public relations, promotion, and design services to clients, such as Bob Evans, Cub Cadet, CONSOL Energy, GlaxoSmithKline, GNC, Philips Healthcare and Zippo. In addition to being a Top 75 U.S. ad agency, Brunner ranks among the Top 75 digital marketing firms in the country.

* The Boston Consulting Group's "Women Want More" by Michael J. Silverstein and Kate Sayre. Published September 8, 2009.

Figure A. Television-Viewing Patterns for Today's Mothers.