McCann Truth Central Reveals Truth About Moms

• 83% of moms rank happiness for their children above success and riches;
• 71% of moms want their kids to know the “real me” warts and all;
• 65% of today’s moms are rejecting the myth of the perfect “supermom”;
• 50% of moms would give up their engagement ring over their personal technology.

Such are the findings of the latest study published by McCann Truth Central, the global intelligence unit of McCann-Erickson. McCann launched the study July 17 at the Crosby Street Hotel in New York, hosting a presentation delivered by McCann Global Research Director Laura Simpson followed by a panel discussion. The event’s timing couldn’t have been better, given the news that new Yahoo! CEO Marissa Mayer has just announced she is pregnant and will be working through maternity. What a news hook.

Jenny Rooney, editor of Forbes CMO Network, moderated the panel consisting of: Jamie Lynn Grumet, the mommy blogger from that Time magazine cover about attachment parenting; Ann Lundberg, EVP of CafeMom; Wendy Sachs, author of How She does It: Successful Stories from Stay-at-Work Moms; and Linda Fears, editor-in-chief of Family Circle.  You can check out Jenny’s blog post here.

A few take-a-ways:

• The panelists aren’t so sure that Ms. Mayer will be able to work through maternity leave; Wendy shared stories of post-partum depression and all panelists agreed that being a new mom is exhausting.
• It’s hard to balance the desire to have a happy child and one well-prepared for the future. It’s something that moms think about every day.
• Women are rejecting the supermom notion—none of the mothers on the panel expressed an ability to reach perfection all the time.

You can check out other panel highlights by perusing the #truthaboutmoms conversation on Twitter.

In addition, Melanie Wells, chief content officer here at DGC, attended the session and had a few things to say.

THB: Melanie, how do you think brands should communicate with mothers?

MW: I agree that brands should speak to moms’ “lifestage.” More specifically, I believe the “powermom” segment is a lucrative niche that goes overlooked by marketers. These are moms with money who are looking for ways to make their lives easier, make sure their kids are happy, and will pay more for brands that “get” them and their busy lives.  Give me quality food, technology, financial advice, and clothing that I can buy quickly and count on always.

THB:  Happiness or success?

MW: There’s not a “vs.” here. I can be a great executive and a terrific mom. It takes a lot of “work,” but I find happiness in being successful at several things. And when I’m happy, my daughter is happier.

THB: What did you think about Marissa Mayer’s announcement?

MW: Executive moms like Marissa shouldn’t make plans about what their working mom life will look like until they are holding a baby. No woman can anticipate how a child will affect what they want.

THB: Do celebrity moms make ordinary moms feel bad?

MW: No one is fooled by celebrity or executive moms who seem perfect. They aren’t! We’re all just doing the best we can and figuring it out as we go along.  It isn’t easy, obviously, or the topic of working moms wouldn’t generate so much media coverage and debate!

THB: Any tips for other working moms out there?

MW:

• Have work-at-home space that is for WORK. Your time there is sacred, just like there is family time that is sacred (and Blackberry-free);
• Be honest at work when you need or want to attend a school event or need to tend to a sick child;
• Find a super sitter who can cook (at least occasionally);
• Be honest with your employer about what you need to make work “work.”