• by Aliza Freud , Columnist, May 23, 2018

Memorial Day is here and BBQs and an extra day off are only part of what Moms are thinking. In a new study, we asked over 2,000 women to tell us what is keeping them busy this Memorial Day and how retailers and brands can help serve their needs. 

What did we learn? Summer and summer planning loom large for moms once Memorial Day comes around. Moms are busy prepping for the kids’ summer break, readying their homes for summer parties (think decor and lots of trips to Home Depot/Lowe's), planning graduation events, and coordinating family vacations. This is a busy time of years for Moms as they try to juggle new schedules (or lack thereof) for their children as well as their own responsibilities including, in many cases, jobs.

So how do Moms get organized and plan during Memorial Day and in preparation for summer? Our study sheds some light and these insights can be applied to the upcoming celebration of Father’s Day, and upcoming activities (vacations, graduations, weddings, etc.).

1. Impulse Shopping for Memorial Day Sales: While about one-third of women say they intend to take advantage of Memorial Day sales, nearly 50% are not yet sure they will, which indicates a large group of shoppers who might be won over with last-minute impulse shopping trips if smartly targeted. Brands can win them over with deals sent to them via email and social. Brands and retailers can up their social footprint and promotion to benefit from a burst of awareness during this key time.

2. Online and Social Take the Reigns From Local: Women rely on online searches (51%) and social media (48%) for info on Memorial Day sales increasingly vs. local newspaper advertising (37%). And the women who will or may shop the sales on Memorial Day weekend are now more likely to shop online (60%) vs. offline (40%). This represents a shift of 20% increase in online shopping vs. in-store since 2016 when we last asked this question. Retailers and brands can incentivize moms with deals to shop online, while offering better deals for shopping in-store. Brands must also be mindful and respectful that this is a commemorative holiday as this is on her mind.

3. Clothes and Shoes are in Their Carts: Sales on clothing/shoes (61%) are the most likely to be taken advantage of this Memorial Day weekend, but she is also looking to spend on home furnishings/décor (42%). Retailers and brands should push new looks and fashion inspiration with sales to excite women and moms to purchase for upcoming events (vacations, graduations, weddings, etc.). Brands can further utilize influencers to post fashion, home decor and other inspirations to drive people to purchase online or in-store.

4. Cookout is the Event of Choice and Pinterest is Her Social Recipe Inspiration: Over half of women (56%) plan to cook for family/friends this Memorial Day weekend. Of women who plan to cook for family/friends, over half will use Pinterest (55%) or recipe websites (51%) to find ideas. Food brands can leverage food influencers to create compelling recipes and recipe videos featuring their brand and post to social channels, specifically on Pinterest and more recently with Instagram Stories. Influencer content can host discount coupons and drive direct to point of purchase. Women are already following their favorite food bloggers, pinners and grammers, so giving a boost to their feed will encourage them to use your brand.

5. Partake in Social UGC: Close to 60% of women plan to post content about their Memorial Day activities on social media. Make your brand the talk of the town. Utilize broad-scale sampling or sample to high-tier influencers and encourage them to post on social to get the conversation started with your brand.

The bottom line is that for many Moms, Memorial Day represents the kick-off to a busy summer. Retailers and brands that can help make this time of year easier and most cost-efficient as well as those who take advantage of impulse purchases have the chance to win with Moms this time of year.

Question or comments? Please feel free to tweet me @shespeaking or comment below.