Instabrand babies

A tougher economic climate, larger financial imperatives and support networks based largely on digital systems.

These are just some lifestyle factors symptomatic of becoming a parent, in an age where social media defines many aspects of life.

For brands, shifts from traditional parent-child and parent-brand relationships means adopting to and adapting with modern parental needs, many of which are met from digital platforms.

These were the main findings of creative agency Unity’s Join the Dots breakfast event, which focused on the new generation of so-called Digital Mums, and how brands should interact with their needs.

Targeting online surfing habits was key, with Unity finding that 52% of mothers cite online networks and forums as providing them with the support required in raising a child. ‘Sharenting’ is also as a key trend for new generations of mothers – submitting baby photos to platforms such as Facebook has become a key way for mothers to interact with their peers.

Unity note that brands must adapt to women being more likely to return to work soon after the birth of their child, with 72% becoming ‘working mums’. This shift sees traditional brand touchpoints such as daytime television advertising or fixed branding in frequented spaces being less likely to impact female spending habits.

Instead, online communities have sprung up around digital spaces such as Instagram and Twitter – for brands, this means less space is available, yet the same impact on the consumer is required. While this shift can present its own issues, such as navigating consumer preference for private social media accounts, it is necessary for brands to adapt and become more tech savvy.

Socioeconomic factors are also fundamental in the way many women approach parenthood, however. Buying and owning your own home, once an achievable aspiration for many people, has become a sought-after dream due to the rise in house prices and decline in traditional nuclear family set-ups.

The more transient nature of communities has thus impacted on the willingness of parents to engage with community affairs.

A warier view of the world combined with less impetus to forge ‘real-life’ relationships with fellow residents means parents have become more insular, with Unity finding that women in particular are more concerned with their home interiors than helping the community through schemes such as recycling.

Targeting the new generation of digital parents based on their reliance on technology must not fall into the trap of treating them as a homogeneous group, however. Findings by Unity also highlight the influence of social media in allowing women to express personality.

While 44% of parents have bought something for their child after seeing it advertised on social media, women are just as keen on ensuring their online presence presents them as revelling in individuality – they are keen to eschew being labelled as only ‘a mother’.