Does Gender Matter?

When it comes to how we think and what we say and do, the answer is yes.

While the gender divide between men and women continues to close with respect to workforce and household equality, there are still significant differences when it comes to how we think, react, shop and watch.

We can trace these differences back to our origins and the development of our brains. While male and female brains may look alike on the outside, there are differences within them that are directly correlated with how men and women process information, express emotion, interact with others and approach their daily routines—including watching video, using mobile devices and shopping.

Research from Nielsen NeuroFocus tells us that women’s brains are hardwired for:

Big-picture thinking
Multitasking
“Gut” reasoning
Social and verbal skills
Worry/empathy

Conversely, men’s brains are preconditioned for:

Concrete thinking
Goal-oriented tasks
Logical solutions
Competition/defense

Understanding these differences, which drive behavioral tendencies, can provide marketers with an invaluable advantage in creating more effective advertising and marketing campaigns. For example, women ages 13-34 respond positively to ads that are upbeat in tone, are aspirational and occasionally silly, but not mean spirited. Older women, ages 35-54, respond favorably to messages that are sentimental, highlight real-life activities, are family-friendly and feature relatable situations. Men, on the other hand, respond best to movement, competitive activities and prefer suggestive humor.

Women Browse, Men Are on a Mission

Men are goal-oriented shoppers. They’re on a mission, and they shop to win or to complete a goal. Men are also inclined to pay a higher price. Conversely, women are more likely to shop around and look for deals. According to findings from the Q3 2012 Nielsen Global Survey of more than 29,000 respondents with Internet access from 58 countries, men are more likely than women to buy designer brands (men 51% vs. women 43%) and pay more for them (men 47% vs. women 40%).

While women are more attuned to discount and promotional news than men (men 57% vs. women 62%), men are more apt to compare prices using their mobile phone (men 37% vs. 30% women). In fact, men are more likely than women to use their mobile phone rather than their PC, laptop or tablet to get information about products across many product categories. Men also trust mobile ads more than women (31% men vs. 26% women).

What this Means for Marketers

When advertising to women, use creative elements and styles that resonate with the way her brain works. For example, using emotion-based visual imagery will be more effective than relying on facts and figures that focus on altruism. And be authentic. Don’t use overt messaging such as “offer expires” or “call now.” Women appreciate and pick up on nuance. The female brain is programmed to maintain social harmony, so messaging shouldn’t focus on conflict.

When marketing to men, get to the point quickly, clearly and directly using active, declarative statements. Men prefer products created just for them. Men are compulsive shoppers, so consider placing messages near the check-out area and demonstrate cost savings at the point of sale. Now is also a great time to consider using mobile advertising as part of your marketing mix.

To view more and large charts CLICK above on ‘More Images’.

For more information at http://www.nielsen.com