There is more to being mum

We keep hearing it, experiencing and saying it – but it’s something that’s worth repeating. There’s more to being a mum than being a mum. Behind that title of ‘mum’ is an individual, a person who has her own set of wants and needs. She has to balance that with the needs of her family but her own (often strong) preferences play into her decision-making.

We’ve just carried out some research with our MumPanel of 10,000 mums across the UK and this is what is at the top of their mind at the moment (and some of their thoughts aren’t quite as mumsy as you’d think…).

• The election is a hot topic at the moment. We don’t tend to find mums discussing it in the playground but it’s definitely something they think about – both on a personal level and also how it might affect their family. 88% of mums said they’re going to vote in the general election but even at this late stage 45% haven’t decided who they’re going to vote for. That could mean that mums are the most influential group in determining who’s next in line for government.

• Mums have fun and ‘me time’ too. Mums might not have bags of free time but they still manage to fit in their hobbies and interests. When we asked our MumPanel, half play sport regularly (swimming, running, netball and bootcamp). One third said they regularly holidayed without their kids, two-thirds go to comedy shows or theatre, 40% drink alcohol every week and 75% do DIY (not sure that is always fun!).  It’s not just empty nesters that have ‘me time’, so don’t forget mums when you’re marketing recreational and escape products and services.

• Mums and kids share. Mums share products, experiences and wants with their kids.  They might buy breadsticks and yoghurts for the kids but find they like them. And so the next time they’re buying for themselves as well as the kids.  We found two-thirds of mums like the same music as their kids (Frozen sound track, McBusted, Ed Sheeran, Take That and Taylor Swift). Many go willingly (or suggest going) to concerts and shows with their children – enjoying them as much as the kids. Parents and kids share - whether consciously or not - and brands should look for opportunities for innovation and connection in this area.

• There are many dimensions to being mum. Brands need to see the wider influences, needs and values of mums. Why? So they don’t miss important factors when developing products and service. As a brand if you dig into these deeper factors you can create better, empathetic relationships with your audience and meet ALL the needs of ‘being mum’.

All figures from survey of 600 UK mums (completed 14-20th April 2015). 

If you have any mum or family insight, innovation or communication needs call us on 0161 413 4717 or email lynne@mumpanel.co.uk

It’s all about the…offers, points, deals, price promises, bargains and vouchers!

Most mums use these words as an everyday part of their shopping vocabulary. They seek them out, talk about them, feel good when they get them. But in our world of discount normality mums can get overwhelmed with all the offers out there – and struggle to identify what is a real bargain.

And what happens if mums miss out on these offers - does it damage how they feel about your brand?
We asked mums about offers and discounts and here's our top five tips we think you need to know.

Mums share offers 88% of mums tell friends and family about offers they spot.  This covers a wide range of discounts, from ones they pick up on holiday to something they come across in a newspaper or online. Mums share in the school playground, on Facebook and when out with friends. 

Mums actively seek out offers (81%) looks for discounts at the supermarket, online, at the local convenience store or at the local discount outlet. Mums are often focussed on finding offers or discounts for a particular brand. 

Mums will wait for discounts Mums will be patient and collect vouchers over weeks to get discounts. 2/3 of mums said they wait to buy certain products or brands during promotional weeks or events. 

Mums still like paper vouchers 59% mums read the local grocery vouchers coming through the door, they'll even look out for vouchers coming through the door. Most mums won't automatically chuck them in the bin.  

Mums, grandparents and kids like charity shops Over half of mums shop in charity shops (and many like school /summer fairs). But it is not just mums, we hear that children seek out their favourite books, games or toys at bargain prices and tell their friends too.

But all is not rosy in discount land. Mums told us that they get confused by overlapping offers and sometimes this leads to them missing out on offers. If they do miss out they are often left with a negative perception of that brand and might take their spending power elsewhere. And, of course, mums will tell others about their experience - good or bad. That means it's vitally important to have a clear but inclusive discount strategy. 

These findings were taken from the Big Mum Opinion online survey conducted by MumPanel if you’d like a full free copy of the full Big Mum Opinion report please email lynne@mumpanel.co.uk