Archive for 2007
Sunday, June 24th, 2007
Friend of Forty Weeks (author, writer, Mommy) Pamela Paul brought her interest and insights on the business of baby to the New York Times business section today. Pamela spends some time with another Friend of Forty Weeks, giggle founder, Ali Wing as well as other retailers and consumers around the country. The bottom line: the bottom line continues to get bigger and bolder with baby registry. As we know, and see over and over again, we are in a time of no apology spending around baby. And the products and services keep coming…
Pamela did an outstanding job (she always does) on capturing the essence of our baby-spending state of mind. And her well written piece gives a clear snap shot for all to consider. I am sure the response will be overwhelming (you know I live for these moments where people suddenly get indignant about where we are as a culture) – so I would stay tuned to her comments for the next few days, for sure!
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Friday, June 15th, 2007
“The Mom Show” will hatch in syndication in fall 2008….according to the Hollywood Reporter:
The multisegment, hourlong show aims to bring together celebrities and authorities in the field of parenting, touching on family topics and sharing the latest trends in the areas of cooking, fashion, fitness and finances. The goal of each episode, hosted by a panel of celebrity moms, is to offer “viewpoints delivered to mothers from mothers,” placing emphasis on raising and communicating with kids of all ages.
So of course I am curious, and of course I am skeptical – so far this genre has not been done justice…so come on guys make me smile (give me a call and I will be happy, happy to tell you how)!!!!
And – thanks to Lauren Cook Deen for the heads up on this one…
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Wednesday, June 13th, 2007
It has been fast and fabulous here at Forty Weeks. So much happening and really, shame on me for not sharing. Here’s what’s news with us:
Doris Lee, Formerly of Bugaboo has joined our New York team! We are thrilled, thrilled that she is bringing her creativity, energy and talent (along with her deep appreciation of Shake Shack) to Forty Weeks. She will specialize in Forty Weeks signature retail driven programs – helping our clients to craft effective and powerful strategies for opening and maintaining key accounts. We are beyond thrilled!
Gina Contrusi is working her way back to the mother ship! She will be official in July!
Teena Metternich is adding Momfiltration to her ever-growing role at Forty Weeks…look out Manhattan!!!!
Julie Bernstein (aka, Intern Julie) has joined our MD office for the summer. She has hit the ground running with an eager and open mind!
Hushamok has joined our client roster. This is the type of new product launch that is uniquely suited for us and we are all quite focused getting Julie and crew ready for ABC and beyond.
Silver Cross is another fabulous new client. This is a truly classic brand with a whole lot of innovation on the way. Their existing team (including INK PR in LA) is energized and on the move. We are all hard at work and focused on the “what’s next”.
In Style Magazine (June) includes my latest BABY BY DESIGN which has been very well received. The next installment is in October. If you have not made plans to be included, do give me a call!
OK – so there you have some very broad strokes…stay tuned
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Monday, May 14th, 2007
Sometimes when I talk to future or present clients about “Momfiltrating” (this is the Forty Weeks method of reaching new and expectant women) it feels unclear to them. They ask how it is that we are able to touch Moms in key markets so well, on such a regular basis. Of course, the messaging, the strategy, the methodology are all part of the hard work that we enter into with our clients. As for the Momfiltrating – sometimes we design and develop large scale, customized programs (for example, Fashioning the Future last fall for Graco) and on other occasions (mostly but not always dictated by budget) we work with key groups across the country. One such group is METROPLEX MOMS – an expectant and new Moms group in the Dallas/Fort Worth market. Now, less you imagine a play group (for some reason, people imagine living rooms filled with expectant women when I discuss this topic) I thought showing you what a retail space filled with expectant women, pens and pad in hand and eager to learn about product (presenters included Oopa Baby, Graco, and more) might go a long way. This is a recent and very successful event in Dallas. Above and beyond working with our clients we also work with these groups to keep it going. Their success in linked to ours. And really – what an ideal situation!
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Friday, May 11th, 2007
Bumble Bags – one of our latest and greatest clients is having a fantastic May. It started off with their bag being featured in In Style Magazine – their Jessica Bag (in Pink Latte) was the goody bag at a very exclusive party for Vickie Iovine’s Girlfriend’s Guides which included such mega Mommas as Gwen Stefani, and Nelly Furtado. With the month only 11 days old they have had a crazy number of hits (all good!) and today this “A” review on Posh Cravings.
Congrats to Gina and Teena (I know, too cute) for being such a powerful team. And special thanks to Amanda for always making it so! And of course to Ruth and Jen for watching my back and keeping me in forward motion. I am (I know you know where this is going) so loving all of my Forty Weeks Mothers (greatest MILES in the business) this Mother’s Day!
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Wednesday, May 9th, 2007
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Tuesday, May 8th, 2007
As many of you know (because I say it to anyone who will listen), I believe my friend Celebrity Baby Blog publisher, Danielle Friedland is well positioned to do amazing things with her site. And the month of May seems to be proving me quite right! Celebrity Baby Blog was listed by Oprah Winfrey on her “Guilty Pleasures” list (we love that!). And her post featuring Maggie Gyllenhaal breastfeeding in public late last week has been a very hot topic on blogs (do we have water coolers anymore?) big (Gawker, Babble) and small alike. Not to mention the volume of conversation about the post on her site alone (very pro breastfeeding, as you might expect). So really just so thrilled for Danielle…and looking forward to what comes next for my very hard working friend!
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Monday, May 7th, 2007
It was a beautiful day in New York. I was at the gym early and made the most of a Monday with a “to do” list much bigger than me! Beyond busy,and happy becuase I got to connect with some of my “best girls” today:
A quick strategy summit via tele while walking up PAS with Bravado! Chief Chica, Kathryn From.
A inspired plans and more plans conversation with my Left Coast Sister – Nedra Fabito
An out of the blue e-mail from Katie Fogerty, co-founder of Real Deal Productions
A funny, funny call from Teena who was stuck on Staten Island with Lila
A super fab lunch with raven haired godess Shaye Strager – ever the amazing optimist
A very kind thank you call from Denise at Born Clear (and a coffee date for later)
A get your self editing memo from (taskmaster) Ruth
And a few too many missed calls
Still, a Monday like this does set the pace for an action packed week…stay tuned!
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Tuesday, May 1st, 2007
Elizabeth Hasselbeck announced yesterday that she was expecting in November. Add the ever-adorable View co-host to the NYC bump brigade that seems to be multiplying (sorry – bad, bad pun) daily! She wore a ton of Meet me in Miami last time around – I bet Debbie O has already got a box on the way! Also add her to the growing trend of families short spacing their babies. She and husband Tim have been openly trying for a while – meaning they would have gone even closer! So exciting news, and also – some things to consider (yeah, yeah – today is a thinking post, humor me)
A few industry implications:
- Gear for multiples and/or short spaced families is more in demand than ever.
- The lifespan expectancy of gear becomes longer…manufacturers begin to steer away from disposable product, the shift towards quality and design is a central trend.
- “First Timers” remain key – and most open to pregnancy and baby information gathering. Reaching families during their first pregnancy becomes critical as second pregnancies, especially those in short order, result in much less spending, and certainly product choices and brand loyalties are fairly set by this point.
- Expect higher spending from first and multiple pregnancies based on life-span expectations of product (as well as the excitement and newness factor, of course).
- This is especially true in strollers and maternity fashion – two areas where consumers are now open to spending more for quality.
- Gift giving, showers, etc. tends to go down with second babies. Though the trend towards gifting all family members at second birth remains true.
And now you know…
You may resume your Spring Fever now….I know I will!
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Tuesday, April 24th, 2007
New York Magazine’s Sex and Love Issue includes a read on the MILF phenomenon. And for once this exploration of the MILF movement (they said movement – not sure about that one) was a worthwhile read. It delivered beyond the usual review of hot moms and the jeans they love. (Yes, I know – I did say New York Magazine). Extra credit for stopping to acknowledge both the objectification issue (this is a problem) as well as the allure of making MILF and the status it (appears to) offer.
All of which leaves us a little conflicted about the movement. We, like many modern women, are trapped between two fears: that having kids will make us unsex, and that trying to stay sexy will make us ridiculous. Our inner feminist tells us that MILFdom is not a solution but rather a self-destructive form of female-chauvinist piggery, to borrow Ariel Levy’s term: Are today’s mothers really so afraid of seeming past their prime that they accept objectification as a compliment? In this light, the MILF mandate is just another superficial standard for women to try—and fail—to live up to, the final, exhausting step for alpha moms trying to “have it all.” First, there is the pressure to be alluring during pregnancy—to carry it off like Heidi Klum rather than getting puffy-faced like Kate Hudson. (Yeah, turns out it’s now okay to call a pregnant woman fat!) Then there’s the race to get back into shape everywhere (“Kegels! Kegels! Kegels!” order the moms on UrbanBaby). Next, the small matter of resurrecting your libido from the diaper pail. And finally, MILFhood. (Though anyone who saw Dame Helen Mirren at the Oscars might argue that it doesn’t even end there: Hello, GILF!)
And again, the issue – yes, this is about an attempt to hold on to aspects of pre-maternal life. And this is not, can not be limited to physical success (what does that mean anyway?). As I have said and heard over and over – “cute is the easy part” – and really being a MILF – aspiring to be a MILF is a journey down very shallow waters (with lots of rocks and other ways of quickly getting injured)….and I say this as a woman who is known for meeting the criteria (physically, I mean). Being a MILF is cute, one-dimensional – very few women I know aspire to cute. It is a one note song and frankly, boring as hell. And despite the the author’s attempt to elevate the MILF by suggesting new, more stringent criteria for making the club (in short you had to NOT have been a sleaze before or during your MILFdom, you know, been respectable)….I am going to still go with BORING.
Like most of my contemporaries I choose to focus on being a MILE – Mom I’d Like to Employ (see my February Blog index for the results of the MILE Awards). A MILE is, in short, a woman who strives to remain full, vital, alive and YES – she is sexy as can be. A woman is does not fear being past her prime because she finds herself more firmly rooted in her sense of self and her values with each passing day. A woman whose passion for her family and her work radiate from within, keeping her beautiful in a much more profound way – in an authentic “this is who I am now”, non-apologetic, and confident way. And yes – we MILES do go through many of the MILF motions (we workout, we shop, some of us own lots of bags, lip gloss and great shoes, we have a mani/pedi/blow-out thing happening) – we just do that AND then some (me for example -of course the work – and I read, I cook, I spend time with friends)…and not to have it all – rather to be ourselves. And that, as I have stated over and over is sexier than almost anything I can imagine.
As for Em & Lo’s attempt at tying the MILF phenomenon into a bi-product or a continuation of the “new pregnancy” – no I am not going to buy that. Cheep, easy arch (shot) that does tie this all together, for sure – but does not fly.
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