Child's Play Communications

You probably saw the headlines last week about the news that women are the sole or main breadwinner in 40% of U.S. households, according to recent Pew Research Center analysis of data from the U.S. Census Bureau. Working women make up almost half (47%) of the U.S. labor force today, and the employment rate of married mothers with children has [...]

We know that moms are 20% more likely to use social media than the general population. They’re also highly represented on Twitter, Facebook, and Pinterest and are more likely to use mobile devices to engage in social media and research potential purchases. We also know that marketers are looking to connect with moms via social media. But what’s the best [...]

Who needs expensive gifts? The No. 1 present moms want for Mother’s Day 2013 is something handmade from their child. But the second most wanted? Skip the store-bought greeting cards and flowers: What makes mom happiest is a day off entirely for herself. According to a survey of 2,123 U.S. mothers with children under the age of 18 we conducted [...]

We know that moms are immersed in social media, but BabyCenter’s “2013 Social Mom Report” confirmed that moms are social leaders. In fact, moms are 20% more likely to use social media than the general population. The report found that 91% of moms now use social media regularly, an impressive 20% jump since 2010. Moms also expect their friends and [...]

Planning a summer vacation? If so, you’re not alone, according to the findings from a new “Moms and Travel” survey of 275 moms. Disney World and Disneyland topped the list of destinations where moms would like to take their kids, but Hawaii, Europe, California, and The National Parks also ranked high. “Basically, anywhere fun,” replied one mom. “They have never been [...]

These days, when it comes to marketing to moms, every day is Mother’s Day. Twenty-five years ago, when I launched an agency dedicated exclusively to bringing brands together with moms, that wasn’t the case. Back then, moms were an “undiscovered” demographic, not perceived as a distinct and worthwhile target for marketers’ time and money—except perhaps when it came to laundry [...]

Is it rude to leave a voicemail message? What about texting during a dinner party? Is it okay to send someone a LinkedIn request even if you barely know them or “friend” your boss on Facebook? In this ever-evolving digital world, old-fashioned manners sometimes seem to be a thing of the past. There are also more opinions than ever about [...]

Think about the last news story you e-mailed to a friend or shared on Twitter or Facebook. Was it a tragic news story about the devastation caused by an earthquake? Or was it a feel-good story about a little girl reuniting with her lost dog? Okay, those examples might be a little too extreme, but the point is that it’s [...]

Remember the 1983 movie “Mr. Mom,” which featured Michael Keaton as a bumbling stay-at-home dad who didn’t know how to change diapers, do laundry, or feed his kids? Today’s dads are a far cry from that notion of the hapless dad. “There’s a strong community of engaged dads that are no longer bashful or embarrassed by taking on domestic roles,” [...]

Last month, Hasbro introduced “Nerf Rebelle Heartbreaker Bow,” a new hot pink line of Nerf guns intended to appeal to the girl market. The move followed similar “girl” lines from other toy manufacturers: Lego introduced “Lego Friends” in January 2012 and in December 2012, Mattel introduced “Mega Bloks Barbie Build ‘n Style.” On the one hand, it’s great that these [...]