Innovative and Interactive

2008 was a tough year for most media outlets but there were a two leaders that launched innovative and interactive applications that will appeal to mom’s values and motivations:

SavvyMom Media, publishers of savvymom.ca, launched ShareSavvy.ca an online community where moms can share local resource recommendations. This user-driven city guide invites moms to ask or answer questions about mom-friendly finds.

SavvyMom co-founder Minnow Hamilton is quoted in saying the reason they started this micro-local content site is because over the past three years they have received hundreds of submissions from readers who want to share their finds, but they are not always relevant to the wider SavvyMom audience. They know that mom’s love to share and want a source that saves them time when searching for information and solutions.


Canadian Living launched a smartphone application right before Christmas that automatically delivers and stores content to a user’s handheld device. Need a recipe on-the-go? download m.canadianliving.com to your iphone or blackberry.

Appealing to moms' need for convenience and feeling of accomplishment, this application puts some of the most popular features from the printed magazine directly into a mom’s hands; placing a focus on a free service that saves times, provides freedom, and makes her life easier can only strength the reputation of this icon in the Canadian magazine industry.


A final note: 2009 stands to be the year of engagement with those wanting to reach the powerful mom-market making steps to take marketing efforts to a whole new level. “Employing” mom influencers to help promote your brand is crucial as word-of-mouth continues to be the most powerful external force affecting a brand.

Consider Xbox’s new marketing plan which is targeting moms by inviting 1,000 women from across the USA to host a house party to showcase their Xbox 360 console and new services, including Netflix and Xbox live. They got an Xbox party pack of freebies that included microwaveable popcorn, Xbox trivia game Scene It? Box Office Smash, an Xbox universal media remote control, a three-month subscription to Xbox Live, and 1,600 Xbox Live points (used for game, movie and TV show purchases).

The moral of this post is that moms trust and act upon third-party endorsements. Tapping into media outlets and mom influencers will leverage your brand to new heights.