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Targeting Moms in the Big Game

Feeling the love: The CBS Cares spot starring dreamy Mark Sanchez coaching women to be careful of heart health was the most overtly female targeted spot of the night. And manners aside, one of the Doritos spots, also female focused, showed moms that even a spunky 8-year-old can have your back. Showing men in ads works for women, as long as it's the right men.

Being momma bear: Unfortunately, there were plenty of graphic and violent promos for CBS shows and new video games that left many moms wanting to shield their kids from the screen. As one mom shared, "Our youngest son was upset about the one with the tornado. He was worried people would be hurt." And don't get moms started on the animal cruelty innuendos from Denny's.

Mars/Venus give and take: Women took the ads that played on male/female relationships with a grain of salt. Consider the Dodge spot with the guy conceding to all his mate's "nagging" in order to get the car he wants. You'd imagine that women would be turned off by the mockery. Instead, the spot was quite well liked by those we surveyed. We think it's because moms themselves are experts at compromise, so they could relate to the idea of men compromising. 

The marketing truth is, women maintain 90 percent veto power over whatever car is bought. So, before he takes that "last stand," she will ultimately bless (or not) the purchase anyway!

So, what's the verdict? Entertain, target, or just make good ads? For many moms, much like it is for many dads, the Super Bowl is a night off. It's not a night to be offended. It's not a night to have political debates (which may be why the Focus on Family ad ended up as a non-event). A good game, a good laugh and good company of friends. (Note that all our moms watched the game at home or at parties with friends. Zero watched it in a bar.) If creative types write spots for bar laughs, like the Budweiser Voice Box, maybe it's time to rethink the humor that works in a more male/female environment. Women are happy to laugh at themselves, though it was kind of ironic that Dove, the brand who put "real women in their underwear," was afraid to do the same with men, and instead went the earnest "comfortable-in-their-skin" route. It's especially funny since Dockers and CareerBuilder.com proudly put unappealing men in their skivvies.

The Super Bowl, bottom line, is not really targeting moms at the register. And while men might be wearing the pants again thanks to Dockers, the real boss remains mom, the chief wallet watcher of the family. 

Tracy Chapman is insights director at Just Ask a Woman and co-author of What She's Not Telling You: Why Women Hide the Whole Truth and What Marketers Can Do About It. She can be reached at tchapman@justaskawoman.com.