Forbes Contributing Writer

Picture it: you’re sipping a glass of wine surrounded by plush furnishings and crystal chandeliers. Modern music is playing in the background and the soothing sound of a courtyard fountain elevates your mood. You’re not sure whether to order another glass of wine, a crisp salad, or both. You decide…

Visual communication has risen in parallel with women’s economic power, which means it’s a smart idea to conduct a review of your marketing images to make sure they’re still relevant. In our work at Female Factor, we help businesses optimize their marketing initiatives with insights from women consumers. Here are…

The Rolling Stones make it look effortless, but keeping your brand cool as it ages is no easy feat. Enter Quaker Oats. Clocking in at over 130 years old, Quaker has been marketing to its core base of women consumers since petticoats were still in fashion. How has a brand…

The last time you waited for a drink at Starbucks, what did you do to pass those under-caffeinated two minutes before your name was called? If you played a quick round of Words with Friends or Candy Crush Saga, you’re not alone. 155 million Americans play video games, or just…

Like many women, I’ve logged countless hours at my neighborhood Walgreens. I’ll walk in for something small, like ChapStick, and inevitably check out with a full basket. I’ve always admired the company’s ability to sell so many disparate items — from Sudafed to shampoo to sushi — in one manageable…

No matter how much research a woman has conducted online, or how many times she’s seen an ad, the critical purchasing moment often comes down to that “last three feet of the sale.” This is when she’s standing on the sales floor, talking directly to a salesperson, hands on hips,…

One of the world’s greatest emerging markets is closer than you think. Women are the world’s most powerful consumers, and their impact on the economy is growing every year. The global incomes of women are predicted to reach a staggering $18 trillion by 2018, according to global professional services firm…

2014 was a watershed year in marketing to women. We witnessed female-empowerment advertising campaigns from brands like Pantene (Not Sorry),Under Armour (I Will What I Want) and Always(Like a Girl); we saw a sweeping effort to update women’s images in stock photography with the Lean In Getty Images Collection; and…

Did your personal stylist select the outfit you’re wearing today? Me neither. Mainly because I don’t have one. That might change, however, thanks to a retailer that’s opened up a market – personal fashion styling — once exclusively associated with socialites and celebrities. (How many women have opened a tabloid…

“Is it good for me or bad for me?” That’s the kind of question that used to be reserved for buying products in categories like food and pharmaceuticals. Not anymore. Wellness has gone mainstream. It’s emerged as a key component of consumer decision-making, whether we’re talking about a can of…