Gender Bender, an examination of shifting gender based demographics and dynamics, featured in our Ten Trends for 2012 report, builds on a theme we’ve been following and writing about over the past few years. Namely, that with women’s educational ascendancy and growing economic power we’re now witnessing one of the most dramatic cultural upheavals in this country’s history.

In her new book, The Richer Sex: How the New Majority of Female Breadwinners is Transforming Sex, Love, and Family, best selling writer and Washington Post reporter Liza Mundy presents a fascinating perspective on what she calls the Big Shift. Drawing on many of the same sources we’ve cited in our own observations about these changes, Mundy outlines a broad variety of current indicators which speak to what’s in store for our culture as women wield greater influence in the workplace and the marketplace. For instance, fifty-seven percent of undergraduates are now female, and women earn the majority of doctorates and master’s degrees, leading some experts to predict that in the next two decades, medicine and law will be dominated by women. Already, according to a 2009 U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics Survey, in 4 out of 10 working couples, wives out-earned their husbands — essentially doubling this figure in just two decades. Mundy does note that women have not quite shattered the glass ceiling given that they still face a wage gap; women working full time earn a median wage that is eighty-one percent of what men make. Still, when we look at single women in their twenties in major metro areas, women are already out-earning their male twenty-something peers. Look out!

As we’ve noted before, many marketers continue to either ignore or misinterpret what these changes mean for today’s household dynamics. One of the Mundy’s most important observations centers on how increasing income parity is redefining relationships and changing younger Americans’ notions of masculinity and parenting. With so much evidence pointing to a more egalitarian approach to raising children, a sophisticated marketer like Kimberly-Clark recently sparked what Advertising Age called a poop storm of controversy when outraged fathers launched an online attack on a Huggies campaign which portrayed fathers as clueless and inept. At Internet speed, one outraged Pennsylvania father started a petition entitled “We’re Dads, Huggies. Not Dummies.” Armed with his own powerful demographic stat, Routly pointed out that according to the most recent U.S. census, one in three fathers acts as his family’s primary child caregiver. Lesson learned, Kimberly-Clark quickly apologized and retooled the campaign.

A broad spectrum of cultural norms will be reshaped as gender roles shift and evolve. And smart marketing will reflect these changes without distorting or misinterpreting what they mean for both men and women. Yet the road to enlightenment can be a winding one, so while we expect to see more intelligent depictions of involved fathers like those in P&G’s new Vicks campaign, we may also have to witness a few more poop storms.

But could it have the same effect on what people think about the world that frames the characters and complexity – the world of marketing? As consumers become bored with traditional advertising techniques, brands evolve by producing more entertaining, interactive, and insightful campaigns, so consumers can’t help but enjoy the creativity and innovation in content. However, they’re still wary of advertising claims, believing that brands are more interested in bolstering sales than providing consumers with products to benefit their lives.

Much like Mad Men’s uncanny ability to change culture through its poignant human insights, the show could be beneficial to the public’s perception of marketing as well. In “The Wheel,” the final episode of the first season, Don Draper pitches an idea for a slide projector to prospective clients at Kodak, who made it clear that they’re interested in running with an ad theme of technological advancement in their new product. However, by putting his personal photographs onto the projector, tainted by the heartbreak of his inner turmoil and crumbling family life, Draper effectively shows the clients at Kodak, and the viewer, that marketing is not about shiny new things. It’s about human insights, the personal relationship people have with certain products, and the opportunities brands have to capture the memories and emotions that surround human relationships.

It could just be that, with Mad Men’s gaining popularity and the growing interest in advertising (The Pitch, a new reality show centered on agencies pitching marketing ideas to brands, was hatched to strategically bask in Mad Men’s glow), the show has the power to change consumer culture’s suspicion of marketers. With a carefully-curated storyline, consumers now have an insight into Don Draper’s perspective that campaigns are made by humans for humans, with complexity and emotion both delivering and receiving each message.

Recently hitting 10 million unique monthly views faster than any standalone site in US history, Pinterest is becoming too big to ignore, especially for brands and marketers. Curious about what this site is and how to utilize it? Check out our new Potty Posting, which takes a look at how brands can use this site to “pinspire” consumer action.

The Ego to Her Id

Do you often find yourself planning a hypothetical wedding, decorating a hypothetical house, or building a hypothetical shoe closet out of items you probably can’t afford?

If so, you might have a Pinterest problem.

At least you’re not alone. Apologies in advance to anyone who’s already familiar with it, but Pinterest is a social media site for users to gather, organize and share things they find on the Internet in a visually-stimulating, digital scrapbook. With over 11 million unique monthly visitors in January and referral traffic equaling that of Google and Twitter, it’s gaining a lot of attention.

“NOOOOOOO!” you exclaim in a fit of rage. “I can’t keep track of all these stupid social networks anymore! What makes this one different?!” Geez, calm down.  Have some pins to help you relax.

A user’s Pinterest boards, or categories in which she “pins” items, are filled with inspirational quotes, entertainment ideas, parenting tips, recipes, decorating palettes, and everything else she can relate to. Even if the user doesn’t have the time, money, or energy to achieve or own all of the cool things she pins, she can still customize her scrapbook so that it becomes a visual representation of her ideal self, or what she would do if she could. Essentially, Pinterest is the organizing, rational helper to her passionate, impulsive instincts – the ego to her id.

In this way, Pinterest is the perfect platform for brands to connect with users. Whether they realize it or not, brands and marketers have been tapping in to the id and ego for decades, convincing consumers to satisfy their impulses by rationalizing those choices for them. That’s why brands have really started taking notice of this new platform. Some active brands on Pinterest, like Chobani yogurt and Gap clothing, post photos of recipe ideas and clothing combos (respectively) to allow users to save the brand as a “maybe someday” wish, without the immediate commitment to buy.

And when these brands trigger her lustful impulse to pin their attractive or delicious products, she shares it with the entire Pinterest community (there are no privacy settings on boards yet), and it guarantees that she’ll recognize it and be more likely to purchase it when she sees it in real life. Plus, on Pinterest, brand content doesn’t come in the form of a sponsored story or a traditional ad – it’s mostly re-pins from other users, which is, essentially, a recommendation of that brand by other community members. This recommendation is invaluable, because every marketer knows that people trust friends and virtual strangers more than advertising.

There’s only one problem: brands have to make it seem like they’re not selling anything. This is easy when it’s other users re-pinning a brand’s content, but with the ability for brands to create their own profiles and boards, the directness of the brand’s self-promotion could make users wary. A user’s boards are really personal – they’re an open exhibition of her philosophies, goals, dreams, and lifestyle. This puts brands at a disadvantage: a Pinterest user is not going to respond very well to impersonal ads and marketing messages taking advantage of the personal information she shares on her boards and cluttering up her ideal-self-collage.

This makes it necessary for brands to use Pinterest’s platform, and the nature of a user’s impulsive id, to do the marketing for them. On Pinterest, images take center stage, so brands should focus on eye-catching photos of their products to encourage re-pinning. Descriptions should be kept short and sweet, with just enough information to warrant a click. An important but often overlooked rule of thumb is to make sure pins are added to the right boards; if a brand offers a great product for a user browsing a “Midnight Snack” board, it’ll be a perfect match.

In addition, since Pinterest doesn’t have an established revenue plan, brands can leverage this user-driven community for creative advertising. For example, Corona could host a “Pin Your Beach” contest based on its “Find Your Beach” campaign, in which users pin images of their perfect getaway and win prizes. Her re-pinning the image, and the next user re-pinning it from her, will ensure a degree of separation that still brings a brand’s image to a user’s board, but without the directness of something that could be considered an advertisement.

The opportunities Pinterest offers brands is enormous, and by getting savvy to the platform and inspiring action in re-pinning, a brand can target a user’s impulsive instincts and ensure its place on her ideal-self-collage.

How it Works

Pick your movie details. You start by choosing a film you want to promote and the city you want to watch it in. Then enter some basics about your social network—how many followers you have on Facebook, Twitter and Google+ and how many you’ll email about the event. This helps them determine the size of theater and potential to fill the seats. (Guessing they have some fancy algorithms and combobulators to figure that part out.) At this stage you also have to agree to their promoter terms, basics on what you can and cannot do.

Promote your event. Then it’s up to you to get the word out about your event, via social networks, email, etc., and get people to sign up. Their website will soon have an area for users to browse local events to hook up with others. And depending on the film (and licensing agreement), they’ll provide digital images, clips and/or sound recordings for you to advertising the event.

Attend movie. Once you hit the required amount of RSVPs—it tips similar to Groupon-type services—you can enjoy the movie in a theater with your friends and community.

What They Offer

Tugg works with film studios and independent filmmakers to offer a rich content library. They continually add new titles including the biggest blockbusters, film festival favorites, award-winning shorts, repertory classics, and everything in between.

It’s a great opportunity for movies that have limited release or go straight to video. Right now their site is promoting two films: The Tree of Life which had limited release; and The Loved Ones, described as “Sixteen Candles meets The Texas Chainsaw Massacre” which sounds like either.

It doesn’t look like there are any limitations for brands using the service. So I’m looking forward to Pacifico’s event and screening of The Endless Summer (hint, hint).

The argument for permanent change is that frugality is the new reality, as people turn their backs on conspicuous consumption. Many pundits link this ‘new attitude’ to popular support for the Occupy Movement, which is seeking to replace consumerism with a more utopian society. Very idealistic but as far as there being a long-term shift in consumer sentiment, forget it.

Yes there’s a mountain of data to show I’m wrong. Only yesterday I read a shopper study from a well respected research group, which described the consumer’s new and apparently permanent mindset: designer purses, high-end cosmetics, high-end jewelry, maid service, facials, new jeans and new shoes, to name but a few ‘expendables’ are all out. Other media reports even tell us the recession has a silver lining, either because it’s a ‘teaching moment’ on family finance or because it has freed people from the treadmill of spending.

Now I don’t dispute the recession has had a terrible impact; nor do I challenge that much discretionary spending is way down, just as coupon use and spending in the Dollar Channel is way up. My argument is this behavior is caused simply by a lack of cash and not by any cultural shift.

But wait I hear you cry, what about the explosion in bargain hunting? What about the success of Chicago’s own Groupon? Or Rue La La? Surely that’s a behavior that will stay? Yes, but then haven’t Americans always loved a bargain? The 1980s and 90s saw the rise of Walmart, feeding consumers’ desire for “everyday low prices.” People have always lined up outside stores with big sales: last Thanksgiving it was Walmart and Best Buy. 30 years ago it was Sears and Marshall Fields. While today’s shoppers are better informed, I don’t believe they’re any more bargain hungry than earlier generations.

In any case, my point here isn’t that people won’t carry on looking for deals; it’s that even after the worse recession since the 1930s, their emotional drive to shop for things that make them feel good remains a strong as ever. Sure actual spending has dipped because the money dried up but that visceral desire to consume remains. And if I’m right, brands that tap into that pent up demand will do far better than those who behave in line with the ‘conventional wisdom’.

For support of my thesis, look at Gfk Roper’s latest Annual Perspective. Gfk Roper asks some smart questions that give a better glimpse into people’s minds than most polling.

First, over the last 3 years the percentage agreeing with the statement “I am really turned off by people’s obsession with material possessions today” has declined, from 67% to 61% for the whole population, and from 67% to 55% for those earning over $100k.

Then take a look at this Gfk Roper chart, showing the percentage of people who agree with the statement “I like to buy prestigious brand names.”

What hits me about this chart is that it clearly shows that what I’m talking about isn’t restricted to the very rich, but is shared by many middle-income households.

On a more anecdotal level, think about the current success of glitzy brands like Audi, BMW, Mercedes and even Detroit’s own Cadillac. And to judge from the crowds at this year’s Chicago Auto Show, the appeal of these high-end brands is pretty universal: their stands were far busier than Ford or Chevy. Sure most people were probably fantasizing but that’s my point: the desire for brands with style and cachet still outweighs the appeal of more worthy options like the Toyota Prius and Chevy Volt.

Finally, talking of cars leads me to the Mercedes-Benz sponsored New York Fashion Week, on as I write. The coolest aspect of fashion today isn’t the on-going success of couture classics like Chanel and Armani (nor even Marc Jacobs’ simply marvelous hats shown above), but the spread of designer labels into the real world. Olivier Theyskens at Theory, Marni at H&M and Mizrahi at Target are all brilliant examples of hip designers and savvy retailers tapping into consumers’ desire to wear a ‘designer piece’, albeit at a relatively affordable price.

My point is not that consumers aren’t hurting, they are. My point is that despite the last few years, people still yearn for possessions that truly make them feel good, be that a killer pair of Louboutins, a new Audi or a bottle of 20 year old Elijah Craig Single Barrel bourbon at over $150 a pop. And as times improve, people will go back to their old ways (check out this recent CNN article on consumer spending.)

I’d add that even if it takes years for the economy to fully recover (sadly that’s the consensus of most economists), people are going to find ways to spend on what they really love, even if it means shopping at Dollar stores for everything else. What they will not do is stop being consumers, in the full-up capitalist sense of the world.

The take-away for marketing people is that you need to think very carefully how to tap into today’s Zeitgeist or spirit of the times. Do you stick with the conventional wisdom and try to connect with the ‘frugal’ consumer mindset? Or with the consumer who really can’t wait to indulge in some spending again? My money is on the later but what do you think? And if you disagree with my argument let’s have a debate. Post your thoughts. Start a conversation. It’s what blogs are for.

Meet Pinterest, a social media site for users to gather, organize and share things they find on the internet in a visually-stimulating, digital scrapbook. There are all sorts of things on Pinterest, but the savvy user knows that most of it can be found in categories like decorations, crafts, food, and wedding planning. That’s not too surprising, considering that as of last month, 80% of Pinterest users were women, most between 25 and 34.

People use Pinterest to “pin” things around the web that they identify with, but since so much of it is too expensive for the everyday user to buy, a user’s Pinterest board represents what she would buy, what she would craft, and what she would cook, if she had the time and the means. Essentially, a user’s Pinterest board is a visual representation of her ideal self.

So, how can your brand leverage this site for your romantic Valentine’s Day campaign? Check out your target’s board! She’s already been pinning tablescapes, yummy recipes, baking ideas, and dresses, so you have plenty of information to get to know her personally. Is she pinning in a certain trend, like recipes that include chocolate or cheese? Has she been “liking” pins about fruity cocktails or hot toddies? Has she been re-pinning posts about beauty treatments?

With this information in mind, recognize your brand’s most romantic asset and how couples can use it together. Can your ingredients be used in a homemade dish that even culinary novices can master? Pin it! Does your brand offer an aroma-therapy candle or night-time bubble bath? Pin it! Does your brand’s liquor make the sweetest, more share-able cocktails? Pin it! Yoplait pins delicious dessert recipes featuring its yogurt, and HGTV even has its own Valentine’s Day board full of crafts and other visually loveable items to get your romantic wheels turning.

Remember: for best results, tag your pins correctly, and keep them short, sweet, and eye-catching. By using this great new site to get familiar with your target, your brand can make her Valentine’s Day that much sweeter.

In January, 2011, Starbucks launched its Mobile Card payment program available on most smartphones. SMART. No doubt you’re already on your phone at 8:30 in the morning while ordering a Grande Skinny Vanilla Latte, so it’s easy to flash your “Touch to Pay” barcode and be on your way. The app replaces your reloadable Starbucks card (while keeping your rewards intact), and you can preload it from your bank account within the same screen.

With the release of Google Wallet, users can now pay with a simple tap at Mastercard paypass terminals. For now, this is advancement only for those with Google phones…and a Citi Mastercard. But, with this technological groundbreaking device, users are also able to receive offers and store loyalty points via the app.  We’re attached to our phones, so what better way to reach us directly when we’re making a transaction.

Click here to view the embedded video.

Shopkick offers rewards for simply stepping inside a store and scoping out merchandise. It displays deals and discounts close in proximity to your location. The more you peruse, the more points are earned for redemptions ranging from clothes to electronics.

While cashless-ness becomes the norm, we can only assume that consumers will rely less on the benjamins, but let’s not forget about Future Fear. A lot of emphasis is placed on convenience and practicality when we look at technological enhancements. It’s our job to find the perfect balance between convenience and trust.

What we can gather from our own shopping habits is that we rely heavily on the convenience factor, no doubt about it. We’ve become increasingly comfortable with everything being accessible through our phones. We can purchase a Groupon, find our way to Alaska and back, and even count the steps we take around the office with our smartphones.

“What? I can’t just show you the e-mail, I have to print it out?!”

As marketers, we should reach our consumers as soon as they walk into the store, making it harder not to refuse a great deal on the very same phone used to swipe and pay. It has been reported that 20% of smartphone users have compared prices while shopping in brick-and-mortar stores. Additionally, 15% of smartphone users have redeemed a mobile coupon (ladies more so than gentlemen). Let’s take advantage of these time-saving, less paper-wasting social platforms that deliver instantaneous results without hassle. Smartphones aren’t going anywhere, so creating more convenient methods of in-store redemption and offers will put us ahead of the game—and the checkout line.

What will it take for YOU to go CASH-LESS?

The invitation-only site has taken the creative world by storm. It’s given users access to a seemingly endless world of “pins” that can be saved on their own categorized pinboards and titled however they see fit. See a recipe on a blog that you want to make for dinner next weekend? Pin it to your “foodie” board. When you click on it later you’ll be taken back to the original recipe. Planning a wedding and trying to find the perfect bouquet inspiration? Do a search for flowers and pin photos of gorgeous bouquets to your little heart’s desire on your “tie the knot” board. See a quotation that makes you laugh, cry or think of a friend? Pin it!

Silbermann and his co-founders took the visual bookmarking to another level. Users may “follow” friends (and strangers), and comment on each other’s posts, much like on other social networking sites. Facebook users may also recognize the “like” button on Pinterest, while Twitterers can use their beloved hashtags in their pin captions. A recently updated iPhone app and brand-new mobile capabilities for other smartphones make for easy pinning on the go. In other words, the idea that inspiration is all around us has been “pinned” down, and you can quite literally take it with you wherever you go.

As Pinterest continues to grow, brands are taking note and jumping on the pinningwagon too. The popular home goods retailer West Elm uses the site to pin not only their own catalog of products, but other inspirational images as well. From there, followers can click on or repin images that link to the West Elm website where visitors can easily purchase. It’s that simple!

Go ahead. Request an invitation here. And start pinning!

Pros. The high demand created exponential word of mouth for the promotion. Created new news for the brand. Most likely, brought in new consumers that might not already shop there. And, sold out in record time. All great for a return on investment.

Cons. Frustrated shoppers that didn’t get the offer or product. Loss of other (non-promotion) sales during the downtime. Possible negative brand image impact.

In these two promotions (Missoni at Target and Whole Foods on LivingSocial), I’m convinced the pros outweighed the cons. The offers were compelling. They created high consumer demand and the site overloads made consumers want it even more. The offers alone gave consumers a reason to care about it, and more importantly, a reason to share it with others (Facebook posts were flooded with people bragging what they scored). Ultimately, it built equity for both the Target and Living Social brands. And, most importantly, doing what promotions do best—motivate behavior.

Social media is hyperactive word of mouth, only there are so many mouths talking you need a way to know how your brand is influencing and who it is reaching. It’s not new news that brands want to connect with consumers. What is new to the speed at which they can track and affect their influence digitally. This media channel is a main conduit for brands to express their voice, promote new products and even tell a larger brand story. It’s not hard to see why and how social media efforts have become the most valuable back-channel way to communicate and build a following. (If your brand isn’t into it, work on that.)

So how do you track all your social media efforts? Who’s talking? How do we keep them talking? With Klout, the current leader in the “social analytics” provider, it all boils down to engagement based on click-throughs, comments, likes, retweets or how often your message is passed along. The number of services they track for you is growing (it now includes the top 10 digital forums, with 3 more coming soon).

Recently celebrities have been using Klout for PR pushes and testing. Brands are also reaching into the system to understand how their audience is listening or if they’re listening at all. They’re taking notes on what topics resonate and using that information to build a stronger brand presence and gaining followers as well as traction in the marketplace as a resource, leader or otherwise. Klout’s easy-to-digest “social analytics” has potential to build smarter partnerships, promotions and more believable categories of influence. Plus, you’ve got to love the dynamic nature of the data. In my opinion, “instant” is the new “ASAP.”

Don’t forget the perks for having influence. Klout Perks are great place for brands to highlight and use those influential talkers directly. It’s kinda like a social media pat on the back from brands to their fans. I’m on board—are you?