Five things you need to know about: Marketing to mothers in China

1. The segment is too large to be painted as a stereotype

A demographic segment larger than the population of the United States can’t be homogenous.

Go getting mothers (29.4 per cent) are focused on their careers and expect their children to follow their own path towards success. Being in control of family finances, they also spoil their kids to compensate for the lack of time together.

Dedicated mothers (35.7 per cent) push their kids hard, and believe that society judges them by the way their kids turn out. They design strict routines for the child, often to accommodate their own schedules.

A growing segment of easygoing mothers (34.9 per cent) feel relieved that with the child’s arrival, the pressure is off. They find joy in the little things their kids do, not just in the major milestones, and hope their kids grow up to be socially well-adjusted.

2. She is the heroine, not the brand

It is the mother who puts in all the hard work and makes all the sacrifices. She is not willing to let go of the credit she is due. The brand can at best be her enabler – it should help her to look good, simplify her life, and if needs be, compensate for her absence (but she should still get credit for thinking things through or anticipating).

A little humility on the part of the brand would go a long way with Chinese mothers.

3. What she seeks is appreciation; what she gets from society is intense scrutiny

Everyone is waiting with bated breath to see if the mother will stumble. If her child fails at school, they blame it on the mother being ‘too career-oriented’. If she is distracted at work, it is because ‘she has left her sick child at home.’

This constant glare kills her. She deserves a pat on the back, every day. Both the online and retail environments have plenty of opportunities to do just that.

4. She struggles to reignite her social life

The majority of the post-80s generation of Chinese women are suddenly forced by motherhood to give up their free spirited days of going out to eat, singing karaoke with friends and leisurely shopping, to the travails of staying up late with a crying baby, rushing back from work and preparing meals for demanding youngsters.

Yet she needs time and space to chat with friends, or sometimes find new friends, as her still-childless friends do not quite understand her new compulsions. This is why QQ Groups are so popular among new mothers. They allow her to have a thriving social life even while at home. Imagine how popular a restaurant could be if it offered childcare for mothers who need time to catch up with friends over a meal!

5. Her parents and in-laws, not her husband, are her greatest allies

Regrettably, for the most part, the new mother gets little support from her husband. She first turns to her own parents, and then her husband’s parents for their physical presence and help with household chores. They are the unsung heroes of the modern Chinese family, but are often shown as the ones who get in the way of modern ideas. The mother (and brands) that recognise their contribution are more likely to receive their continued support.
 
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