Retailers Trust That Mothers Know Best

JULIE GALLAGHER

BENTONVILLE, Ark. — Wal-Mart is hoping to gain entrance into women's “momtourage.”

The sponsorship of expert tips on how to start a dinner co-op and peer advice about sharing child care are among the resources the retailer is hoping will gain it admittance into the support system that moms rely on to help get their job done.

It's attempting to reach members of the demographic by sponsoring content on momtourage.com, part of iVillage Inc., which hosts an online community designed to connect women. iVillage.com draws 31.4 million unique visitors and facilitates idea-sharing through social networking tools.

Wal-Mart's involvement with momtourage.com is the result of a multimillion-dollar deal it forged with NBC Universal, according to reports. As part of the partnership, the retailer will sponsor similar content on NBC's “Today” show.

Wal-Mart's efforts are an extension of its “Save Money. Live Better” campaign, which emphasizes cost savings as a means to improve one's life.

“Several months ago, Wal-Mart decided it wanted to stand for something more than price; it wanted to provide an experience that people value,” said Ted Taft, managing director of Meridian Consulting, Westport, Conn.

By establishing this online presence, Wal-Mart is broadening the consumer base that can benefit from its value-added services, noted Frank Dell, president of Dellmart & Co., Stamford, Conn.

Last year it targeted new and expectant mothers with its in-store “All Things Baby” and “Baby Solutions 1-2-3” seminars, which featured local family care experts.

“Because of a poverty of time, consumers almost have to make an appointment to ensure they'll be there; with the Web, you can look at it anytime you want,” said Dell.

Wal-Mart's choice of a social networking site may help the company establish a level of validity that would be hard to achieve on its own, observed Jim Hertel, managing partner at consulting firm Willard Bishop, Barrington, Ill.

“There is a credibility attached to a peer recommendation that is stronger than many institutions can achieve,” he said. “The larger a company is, the less likely that people are to assume it will be an authentic voice.”

Wal-Mart is not the first retailer to use maternal camaraderie to its advantage.

In May, Safeway introduced “mom to mom” — an 80-item private-label baby line that bears the tag line “sharing wisdom.”

In-store displays and shelf-talkers featuring parenting tips are used to help enhance the line's “by moms, for moms” brand messaging.

Safeway introduced a website to promote the line at www.momtomom.com.

Visitors can read product testimonials and learn how insights gleaned during Safeway's research were incorporated into the products' design.

Mom to mom toiletry bottles, for instance, have sturdier, wider bottoms, because moms told Safeway that they'd like to be able to open them with one hand while steadying their baby with the other.

“Safeway is doing something very clever by putting a personal face on a fairly classic research approach,” said Hertel. “Any CPG company would do focus groups, quantitative research and home use testing.”