ASIA-PACIFIC – SINGAPORE, JULY 23, 2012: When talking about ‘the digital age’, it is not just about consumers running after the latest gadget. Because of its far-reaching effects, the word ‘digital’ now has numerous sub-categories that brands should look into in order to hit the right audience.
A recent study conducted by McCann Truth Central takes a look into the ‘Mom Economy’ where smart mothers are conquering the world of technology. The study also highlighted the fact that today’s moms are also a major force in realigning the goals of the next generation to focus on happiness rather than riches and success.
Truth Central director in the Asia Pacific Dave McCaughan said, “The dynamics of motherhood have been changing everywhere in recent decades.” The changes range from marrying later in life, having fewer or only one child, to having less access to relatives and friends with lots of child raising experience. But what they lack in face-to-face connections, they make up for in access to information through media. Mothers turn to the Internet to address concerns about their children’s behavior and share child-raising experiences through their blogs. “That is why we talk of the ‘mum economy’, the world in which information is currency and mum’s everywhere are constantly acquiring and trading to gain credit as a good mum," McCaughan said.
First among the findings is that blogs are a foundation of the ‘Mom Economy’, where knowledge and expertise have become vital currency, with nearly 40% of online mums around the world say they write a blog; in China, where moms regard Weibo as blogging, it’s 86%. When it comes to content, Singaporean moms tend to blog about specific mother/baby issues while in India and Thailand blogs are more diary-like.
The study also found that 67% of moms surveyed believe technology helps them to be better mothers. The figures in emerging markets are larger, with 91% in China and 90% in India. According to the study, Indian and Singaporean mothers use technology to find answers to queries or homework questions, as well as tips on how to handle certain situations or behavior while Malaysian mothers turn to technology to shorten the generation gaps with their children.
The atomization of the modern family also had an effect as to how moms view technology. In Taiwan, where family size is decreasing and relatives don’t necessarily live together anymore, mums find that the abundance of information online gives them a sense of support. Furthermore, the study found that 49% of married moms would give up their engagement ring before their personal technology, with one mom in Brazil saying, “Since we don’t have the family support they had in the past, technology helps the mothers who are alone. Technology is a friend!”
Mothers were also asked about their ‘dream apps’ for their mobile phone. The common answer was an app that would allow them to time travel, chosen by over 20% of moms. While a ‘cook dinner for me’ app garnered 25% votes and mostly chosen by Japanese moms, who are the most affected by the Japanese perfectionist culture.
The study also found that the global economic battering and corporate scandals of the past few years have see moms shift goals for their children, Truth Central global director Laura Simpson said. 83% of today’s moms, from the U.S. to China to Mexico, now want to raise happy children compared with their focus on material success in the past.
Despite these new findings about mothers and technology, one thing remains the same: they want to be a good mother. “When my family acknowledges me as a good mom, it’s something priceless,” a mother in Indonesia said.
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