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Parenthood doesn’t always unite the genders; it often divides them — and on more than one level. Motherhood can have a sweeping negative effect on everything from stress to spending and from fear levels to overall confidence. In contrast, fatherhood typically boosts a man’s economic stability and general well-being. Our latest research confirms this assumption, illustrating a gap between genders that widens significantly when parenthood is thrown into the mix.
These discrepancies are grounded, for the most part, in fear. We recently conducted proprietary research among 1,300 nationally representative adult respondents in the United States covering specific attitudinal statements surrounding fear, media and spending behaviors. We found that people are highly concerned with the safety of the world, financial security and trust. While a large number of fathers feel that safety levels are low (66%), mothers are much more concerned (80%). From a financial standpoint, mothers feel as if the current financial system is stacked against them (72%), a view that overshadows fathers’ fears by nearly 20%.
We’re not the only ones who have found gaps between genders when it comes to parenthood. Other researchers have found that fatherhood makes men happier than being childless, while motherhood makes women less happy than those who do not have children. This could very well be because mothers tend to take on more of the “drudgery of parenting.” The burden on mothers, which is generally disproportionate when it comes to household management, child physical and emotional care and other daily routines, has been found to have a strain on mothers’ satisfaction levels and personal well-being.
What does this mean for brands?
In addition to the findings above, our research uncovered a large gap between mothers and fathers when it came to shopping habits. A whopping 70% of women found shopping for large purchases stressful, versus only 51% of men. More men than women also feel that they are financially better off than they were before. This absolutely affects purchase behavior.
The long-standing premise that women, specifically mothers, are the gatekeepers of the family’s finances remains true. With 84% of women making the important financial decisions for the family, anything affecting their behaviors and habits is vital to note. If mothers are coming at purchases from a place of fear and uncertainty, what can brands do to boost their confidence?
There are a lot of factors outside of any brand’s control that are shaping our sense of fear and anxiety in the world. However, on a micro level, brands can help provide assurance to shopping mothers by doing the following:
• Provide easily digestible information about your products and services. Moms don’t have a ton of spare time (remember the “drudgery”), and they are constantly called on to make decisions for their kids and families. Give them the information they need, when they need it. This may mean providing more avenues for them to uncover this information, making it as easy as possible for them to find the knowledge they seek.
• Back up your claims with proof. Ninety-three percent of consumers look to online reviews before making a purchase. For mothers, positive reviews from other moms can help tip the scales in a brand’s favor. Nurture your audience of mothers. Create multiple places to leave reviews, and ask for feedback at the right moment (this may take some trial and error). Meet your audience where they are, whether it is in-person, on Instagram or on Amazon.
• Provide an iron-clad warranty or guarantee. This takes the pressure off of the shopping mom. She’s already stressed about making purchase decisions, so the difference between pulling out her wallet and walking away can simply be an “out.” If she is considering more than one brand, the one with the protection will likely win her business. This can directly assuage their fear which, as indicated above, is driving much of their behavior.
In Conclusion
Did all of this catch your attention as a parent? It’s disturbing, to be sure. As a mother myself, I find these statistics sobering. As much as I adore being a mom, and love my kids, there is a burden attached — sometimes a silent one — that we must start to acknowledge more openly as a society. When it comes to the role that brands play in this environment, empathy with the challenges that mothers are facing, alongside efforts that contribute to boosting confidence, can make a large impact in assuaging fear and anxiety.
