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Show Women's Economic Role A woman's magazine of vast circulation has long used this slogan: "Never underestimate the power of a woman." This is used as an inducement to advertisers, and points up in catchy style the fact that woman is a potential factor indeed in economic life, as well as all the other phases of human existence. However, no one knows exactly how potent a factor she is. Some of the estimates have been extravagant - "including "in-cluding the hoary assertion that she controls 85 per cent of all consumer buying." The magazine's estimate is that the proper figure is in the neighborhood of 60 per cent. What this means can be deduced from one statistic last year total consumer expenditures in this country reached $252 billion. In some fields, obviously enough, the distaff purchaser purchas-er is extremely dominant - food, personal care (including! cosmetics), household equipment, clothing. In other fields she is also a very big factor - either as a direct purchaser or as an innfluence on purchases made by the husband and other members of the family. So an inevitable development develop-ment has been increasing attention on the part of business to try to find out just what inducements cause a woman to spend her money most freely. Much has been learned -much more, apparently, is still somewhat shrouded in mystery. Today efforts to unravel that mystery are being intensified. Among the things business has learned is that most automobiles are actually purchased by men but before that purchase is made, a woman has had a great deal to say about it. Hence, the stepped-up advertising emphasis on color and style in cars as against such prosaic matters mat-ters as mechanical features. The food industry has gone especially deeply into the subject of milady's likes and dislikes, as have the soap and cigarette people. Studies indicate that women want to be told they've done a good job. Hence from this stems a basic principle: to sell the housewife anything ... do not lecture lec-ture her on how wonderful your product is, or how it will eliminate her drudgery; tell her or imply - that using it will not merely make life easier but will surely bring her recognition and approval. Other merchandisers think women are more emotional emotion-al and venturesome in their purchasing habits than are men, and gear their sales inducements accordingly. A food chain is cited which has been successfully emphasizing unusual and exotic items along with innnovations in store arrangements and color schemes. This doesn't mean women are disinterested In questions ques-tions of functions and economy. But, it seems they like their purchasing to do something for their self-esteem. A leading researcher regards the woman as "an independent, often individualistic, creature, driven by a creative urge that manifests itself even in the imaginative way she uses ready-to-serve foods, considering herself knowledgeable and mature, rejoicing in the fact that she is harder to fool preferring 'to save happiness rather than dollars,' and disposed dis-posed to buy the better and more expensive item if she can afford it. k. Many a peaceful revolution has taken place In this country coun-try In the last 50 years or so. Not the least of them has been in woman's role in Influencing our economy. |