The document discusses how digital technology helps fill in the cracks for busy moms by providing efficiency, validation, and social momentum. It describes how 89% of moms are regular internet users and use their smartphones as personal assistants. Moms are task-oriented online to efficiently accomplish their to-do lists. Digital also provides validation as moms seek reassurance they are good parents by connecting with other moms. Finally, moms use social media to build social momentum for their kids and stay connected as their lives change. The key is for brands to determine how they can be the digital glue that helps moms in these important ways.

1. Filling the Cracks
Sloane Beaver, Rilee Harman, Divya Lulla, Cristina Hall
VCU Brandcenter, Research Methodologies

2. Let’s talk about
families.

6. Mom holds the family
together

7. How?

8. How?
Efficiency

9. How?
Efficiency
Validation

10. How?
Efficiency
Validation
Social Momentum

11. This is nothing new.

12. This is nothing new.
Multi-task
Read parenting books
Join the PTA

13. This is nothing new.
Now digital Multi-task picture
is in the
Read parenting books
Join the PTA

14. Her Digital Family

15. Her Digital Family

16. Her Digital Family

17. Her Digital Family

18. Her Digital Family
89% of moms are online regularly
61% of moms call themselves the
Chief Technology Officer
50% of moms used a social
networking site on the day their
child was born

19. You know moms are
online.

20. Do you know why?

21. Mom uses digital to make
life better know why? her
Do you for her and
family.

22. How?

23. How?
Efficiency
Validation
Social Momentum

24. What is Mom Efficiency?

25. What is Mom Efficiency?
Being faster
Being smarter
Making it all happen

26. What is Mom Efficiency?
Being faster
Getting more productivity bang
Being smarter
for her energy buck.
Making it all happen

27. She’s a mom on
an online mission.

28. She’s a mom on
an online mission.
90% of moms describe themselves as
task-oriented internet users. When
she’s online, she has a purpose.

29. She’s a mom on
an online mission.
“I barely have enough
90% of moms describe themselves as
much else, so
time to dointernet users. When
task-oriented
she’s online, she has a about
I’m very focusedpurpose.
my internet use.”

30. She’s actually
on
10 missions.

31. She’s actually
on
10 missions.
54% of moms say they always have
multiple windows open at once.
They’ve mastered the art of writing
emails while looking up recipes.

32. She’s actually
on
10 missions.
54%“IfofI moms say theymom Ihave
weren’t a always
multiple feel so compelled
wouldn’t windows open at once.
to They’ve mastered the art of writing
multi-task. I’d have fewer
emails while looking up recipes.
immediate demands.”

33. Her Digital
To-Do List

34. Buy Buy
clothes clothes for
for me Tell
the kids
bedtime
stories
Organize
Plan carpool
Pay dinner
bills Her Digital
To-Do List Check
Find Facebook
exercise
Plan routine
Spring
Break
Find
Plan decorating Read
Email birthday ideas the news
friend party

35. What does she use to get
it all done?

36. What does she use to get
it all done?
89% of moms say that
their smartphones are their
personal assistants

38. Look up
Notepad
recipes
Find places to
eat GPS
Camera Emails
Find phone
Banking numbers

39. Look up
Notepad
recipes
“It’s my personal assistant
because:
Find places to
eat It can find places to eat, especially GPS
when you’re out of town or
traveling. It has GPS so you don’t
get lost. It can locate phone
numbers easily, especially if have
an appointment and are running
Camera You can check and respond toEmails
late.
e-mails while you’re at the kids
games.” phone
Find
Banking numbers

40. It’s her scrapbook in fewer
than 10 clicks.

41. Take
photo

42. Instagram
it
Take
photo

43. Instagram Upload to
it Facebook
Take
photo

44. Instagram Upload to
it Facebook
Take
photo Tweet
it

45. Instagram Upload to
it Facebook
Take
photo Tweet
it
Email it
to
Grandma

46. Instagram Upload to
it Facebook
Take
photo Tweet
it
Who Email it
wants ice to
cream? Grandma

47. Digital is not just her
personal assistant.

48. Digital is not just her
It’s her secret lover.
personal assistant.

49. “It draws me away from my
family.”

50. “It distracts me from my
kids.”

51. Litmus Test

52. Litmus Test
Are you helping her accomplish more?
Are you helping her accomplish it faster?
Are you streamlining her to-do list?

53. Litmus Test
Don’t be a distraction.
Are you helping her accomplish more?
Help mom have more time and
Are you helping her accomplish it faster?
more energy for the things that
Are you streamlining her to-do list?
really matter.

54. What is Mom Validation?

55. What is Mom Validation?
Moms are looking for reassurance that
they are helping their kids and
that they’re on the right track.
They want to know they’re normal.

56. This is Kristin.

57. This is Kristin.
Before Kristin was born, her mom
had nothing in her life more important
than herself.

58. This is Kristin.
Before Kristin was born, her mom
had nothing in idealife more important
She had no her what to expect.
than herself.

59. A Moms Over 30 message board
allowed her to share the birth of her
child, fears and frustrations and her
TMI “only a mom would get it”
moments.

60. A Moms Over 30 message board
allowed her to share the birth of her
She was more confident going her
child, fears and frustrations and into
motherhood. get it”
TMI “only a mom would
moments.

61. When Kristin was born 2 lbs lighter
than her twin her mother posted a
photo to RAMOM.

62. One of the members
immediately sent her an
email saying:
When Kristin was born 2 lbs lighter
“don’t worry about one
than her twin her mother posted a
photo to RAMOM. the
being smaller than
other. My twins were like
that too.”

63. Kristin’s mom received an email about
colic from a friend.

64. Kristin’s mom able toan email about
She was received reassure
colic from a friend.
another mother in return.

65. Kristin went through a Mean Girls
Phase in school. She stopped
receiving invites to parties.

66. Her mother used the
Kristin went through a Mean Girls
internet to try to
Phase in school. She stopped
receiving invitesbullying.
understand to parties.

67. When Kristin started hanging out with
the fast crowd, Mom used Facebook
to make sure Kristin was doing ok.

68. Keeping tabs on Kristin
When Kristin started hanging out with
can help her Validate her
the fast crowd, Mom used Facebook
to make sure Kristin was doing ok.
efforts as a mom.

69. She asked her Facebook friends for
advice on being an empty nester.

70. When Kristin left for
She asked her Facebook friends for
college, heran emptyknew
advice on being
mom nester.
where to find support.

71. That was Digital
Validation.

72. That was Digital
Validation.
But what does Physical
validation look like?

73. Digital Validation Physical Validation

74. Digital Validation Physical Validation

75. Digital Validation Physical Validation
Anonymity leaves her
judgement-free

76. Digital Validation Physical Validation
Your friends might give
Anonymity leaves her
you answers, but they
judgement-free
know your dirty laundry

77. Digital Validation Physical Validation
Your friends might give
Anonymity leaves her
you answers, but they
judgement-free
know your dirty laundry
She doesn’t have to
wait for Google to call
her back

78. Digital Validation Physical Validation
Your friends might give
Anonymity leaves her
you answers, but they
judgement-free
know your dirty laundry
She doesn’t have to Friends, family and
wait for Google to call doctors aren’t on call
her back 24/7

79. Litmus Test

80. Litmus Test
Are you allowing her to be open and honest?
Are you making her feel comfortable
asking questions?
Are you making her more nervous?

81. Litmus Test
Engage her her a straightforward
Are you allowing
in to be open and honest?
& non-judgmental dialogue. Let
Are you making her feel comfortable
her know it’s okay to have
asking questions?
Are you making her more nervous?
questions.

82. What is Social Momentum?

83. What is Social Momentum?
Helping her kids gain social traction
Preventing them from being the
kids stuffed in the locker
Avoiding embarrassing mom stigma

84. What is Social Momentum?
Helping her kids get ahead
Helping her kids gain social traction
Preventing them from beingto not
and knowing when the
kids stuffed in them back
hold the locker
Avoiding embarrassing mom stigma

85. Moms build Social Momentum for their kids

86. Moms build Social Momentum for their kids
As kids age, their moms’ online presence shifts gears
Get them
ahead

87. Moms build Social Momentum for their kids
When kids join Facebook, this is
a huge game changer.
Get them Don’t
ahead hold them
back

88. Moms build Social Momentum for their kids
“Being a mom - I learn to
do it their way because I
Get them love beingDon’t
a part of their
ahead lives.”
hold them
back

89. Moms build Social Momentum for their kids
Get them Don’t Walk
ahead hold them together
back

90. Litmus Test

91. Litmus Test
Are you helping her promote
her family & herself?

92. Litmus Test
It’s not just her profile, it’s
Johnny’s Mom’s Facebook
Are you helping her promote
profile. Don’t&assume her
her family herself?
social presence is self-
centered.

93. Efficiency
Validation
Social Momentum

94. She’s doing those
Efficiency to
things online
Validation
make her family’s
Social Momentum
life better

95. This is her life

96. Nap
Soccer time
Game Laundry
Work
Cook Friends
Dinner
Grocery Shopping Carpool
Give
PTA Advice
Braid
daughter’s Clean
hair Dentist

97. Nap
Soccer time
Game Laundry Fix-It
Work
Cook Digital is theFriends
glue that
Dinner fills the cracks
Grocery Shopping Carpool
Give
PTA Advice
Braid
daughter’s Clean
hair Dentist

98. Who can you learn from?

103. Fill the cracks.

104. Fill the cracks.
Efficiency

105. Fill the cracks.
Efficiency
Is your brand bringing
disparate worlds together?

106. Fill the cracks.
Validation

107. Fill the cracks.
Validation
Is your brand one she feels
comfortable talking to?

108. Fill the cracks.
Social Momentum

109. Fill the cracks.
Social Momentum
Is your brand helping her
promote her family?

110. Fill the cracks.
Efficiency
Validation
Social Momentum

111. How can you be the glue?