NYT study reveals purchasing power of affluent women

NEW YORK The New York Times Customer Insight and Advertising Groups announced today the results of a study that for the first time offers detailed information about reaching a key group of affluent, female consumers who have an exponential influence on purchase decisions – the ones who spend more, know more and talk more about the products they like. This is the first major public study ever released that focuses on word of mouth among affluent women.

The study defines an affluent woman as coming from a household with an income of at least $100,000.

The study identified the women as "marketing multipliers." These women have different media behavior, especially online, and are active contributors to the virtual world, not just passive readers.  For example, they are twice as likely to post to blogs or to publish their own Web pages, compared to other women.  They are also discriminating in vetting their sources:  71% of marketing multipliers say it is important for an ad to be “on a Web site that I consider trustworthy.”

Marketing Multipliers in the consumer electronics category have almost five times as many conversations about these products than other affluent women; they spend more than twice as much; and more than half (52%) say they accompany family members on shopping trips to advise them on consumer electronics and other tech items.

Marketing Multipliers in the fashion category spend more than twice as much as other affluent women on clothes and accessories.  They serve as walking, talking ads for their favorite brands:  76% are asked by others where they bought the clothes they are wearing (compared to only 24% of other affluent women).

“In a time of tight marketing budgets and an increased focus on return, this study provides advertisers a much better understanding of consumers who are powerful catalysts for purchase behavior and brand influence,” said Denise Warren, senior vp and chief advertising officer, The New York Times Media Group.  “The Marketing Multipliers research will help advertisers effectively reach and communicate with this key group of customers.”