Gender Specific Online Advertising - Don't Generalize, Just Assume

By Marci Lynn Crane

I began to consider gender specific online advertising when I queried my male co-workers about the “perfect doughnut experience” and found it apparent that 1) I wasn't communicating effectively or that 2) (big surprise) men and women are quite different.....even when it comes to online advertising.

The Perfect Doughnut Experience: A lead for better online advertising?The “perfect doughnut experience” was nothing more than a quest for a business metaphor for one of my online advertising articles. I wanted business professionals to understand that in order to take their business to “the next level” they needed to first understand their customers' widest desires---yes, even their wildest doughnut desires. That way, I assumed, after balancing those wild fantasies with a taste of web analytics reality, business professionals would have some knock-out ideas that would drive their existing and potential customers to their online advertising virtual venues or to their brick and mortar locations in hoards and droves. However, my idea---like most ideas---had a lot of explaining to do. So, I queried my male co-workers but it seemed that I hadn't explained my idea very effectively because the first co-worker to answer my question did mention that a wide screen TV tuned into a sports station would be nice but only included an old-fashioned doughnut and some doughnut holes on his wish list.

(My silent comment: That's nice but c'mon.....this is a doughnut fantasy and who wants to use online advertising manpower to emphasize a regular old fashioned doughnut when you can have a fantasy doughnut?)

Another co-worker wanted a doughnut that was larger in size, covered in chocolate and that had custard in the middle. The environment he was in while eating the doughnut didn't seem to matter.

I was becoming a bit frustrated and thought that perhaps I hadn't explained myself.

“Do you mean to say,” I said, “that if you could create the perfect doughnut experience you wouldn't create your own customized doughnut? You would just choose what you already knew you liked?”

“Yes” they agreed.

“We don't know what you mean by the experience,” one of them added.

“If food is good, it's good no matter where you are at,” he emphasized again.

I could scarcely believe my ears. When you have the chance for something better why stick with even the yummy familiarity?

For them however it just didn't seem sensible to run away with the idea of a doughnut experience.

Then I began to wonder, “Is this a gender related issue?”

If it is, how could this gender related issue change the way that you invest in online advertising?
Online Advertising for Restaurants and Food in GeneralIf my observation is correct then online advertising might perhaps be a process that includes some gender specific thinking.

For instance, let's just say that for men the experience surrounding food isn't as important as it is to a woman. Of course it's wrong to completely generalize any group of people but let's just assume. Based on my theory, couldn't online advertising professionals take those keywords that are strictly product related like “doughnuts”, “chocolate doughnuts” “double glazed doughnuts” and create “masculine” landing pages for these products that include great photos, and basic descriptions that focus on the size, familiarity, and basic flavors of the selection?

Then, couldn't that same online advertising professional take keywords that are more specific such as “party doughnuts,” “lemonade doughnuts”, Rolo doughnuts,” “black forest doughnuts,” and funnel online visitors to “feminine” content pages with equally great images but also with descriptions that really focus on the potential experiences that can surround a creative doughnut? These pages could also include photos of a great doughnut shop, party ideas, etc.

After all, doesn't it make sense that the more you focus on a unique experience, the more people are willing to pay “the extra mile” to see what all the fuss is about?

Maybe my male/female theory is off (generalizations usually are), but connecting your best keywords with content that is purposefully designed for specific information based keywords usually hits close to a very successful online advertising mark.

Marci Crane is a copywriter for Main10 in Orem, Utah. For information in regards to online advertising services, please feel free to contact a Main10 representative