He’s beautiful.
This precious boy with deep, chocolate-brown eyes is staring straight into your soul. And, as you cradle his brand-new body, breathing in that heady, newborn scent — you know, life will never be the same.
That’s it.
He’s stolen your heart, at only a few hours old.
Now, let that sink in.
You’re a beacon of light.
This brand, your brand, is the one a new mom will turn to. She’ll lean on you for comfort from his colicky cries, hungry outstretched fingers — and her fears of feeling just a bit unqualified.
No pressure 😅.
So, we asked 200 moms walking out of Target to tell us all about their favorite formulas, baby food – and how they decided on each brand they love. All to help you strategize, better. Here’s what we found.
The new mom.
She’s tired.
After all, 75% have at least one kid — and, 34% have a baby that’s a year old, or younger *stifles a yawn.* You can be sure she’s not getting enough sleep.
What she is getting…is baby formula.
Across the board, 84% of moms with young kids have used formula at some point – and 28% are buying it right now. On their most recent Target trip, 36% shopped for formula and 40% found it easily.
So, there’s something you should know.
This mom’s purchases are based entirely on trust.
Entirely.
Baby formula is built on trust.
Think about it.
One of the first, few places a new mom will go with her snuggly, new baby – is a doctor’s office. And, if she’s struggled with which formula to offer, this is where she’ll ask for help.
She won’t be alone.
55% of moms find that they needed a specific formula for their little ones.
And, here’s why that matters. A new mom will trust her doctor to make that recommendation. In fact, 79% of moms received formula samples while still in the hospital, or at a baby checkup. The doctor gives her a formula sample and all that mom hears is…
“This is what I suggest you use.”
These words are music to her ears.
See, she’s still unsure of her new role. So, with her doctor’s words, she can breathe a sigh of relief. It’s an answer to her biggest worry. She’s found a formula to feed her baby — and 8/10 times she’ll go buy it.
You’re right.
If you guessed that she’s headed to the store now, to pick up that sample brand after her appointment, you’re 100% correct. That’s what 84% of moms will do — buy the same brand doctor recommended.
Now, that’s word of mouth marketing.
So, what brands are moms buying?
Glad you asked.
You can see, that Similac Advance is the number one formula brand, followed by Enfamil Premium and Gentlease. And with 57% of moms hearing about the brands above from their doctor or hospital, you can probably guess these brands are creating great relationships with a pediatrician near you.
Now, that’s smart marketing.
But, the doctor’s office isn’t the only place people learn about baby formula brands.
While mom may trust her doctor most, she trusts others too. At 35%, family and friends fall next in line to give their input on formula, while 24% simply re-buy a brand that worked on her older child.
So, what happens as the baby grows up?
She’ll turn to Gerber.
In brands we trust.
Marketing to a mom is different. It’s all about making her feel safe and in charge. So, when 63% of moms buy Gerber baby food, it’s because of trust — 53% buy it for that one reason.
And, it’s true in snacks too.
The top snack brand at 54% is Gerber Puffs Cereal Snacks. Lil’ Crunchies, also by Gerber is at 41%. Sure, 42% said they got a good deal on these snacks, but the #1 reason they bought the brand?
You guessed in…
52% trust Gerber.
Clearly, if you’re looking to do business with new moms, the only way to do it — is to gain their trust. And, here’s one place they don’t quite trust for baby, yet…
Online shopping.
Moms don’t buy online.
At least, when it comes to baby food.
See, we all love a little simplicity in life. So, a new mom is down to buy toys (41%), diapers (25%), and even clothes (23%) online.
But, don’t expect her to shop for baby food there, anytime soon.
Even post-pandemic, we’re still preconditioned to believe we need to see food in person to buy it.
That’s why 66% of grocery shoppers find it hard to assess freshness online. Now, compound that by a woman who’s worried about making the right food choices for her child, and it’s no wonder that…
96% of new moms buy baby food in-store.
They simply don’t trust the online process, yet. We’d expect that to change in the future, as technology makes it easier to see, assess, and feel like you’re in front of food. But for now, when it comes to baby food and formula (at 92%) mom is sticking to buying her favorite brands inside of a store.
Want more?
Check out 15 months of COVID shopping insights. Or, email us for help on your next project.
