Mom’s have a new late-night guilty pleasure: sneaking in some tube time while the family is sound asleep. Realizing women are the main advertising demographic for primetime television, Nickelodeon has decided to jump onboard and create a late-night segment, coined NickMom, especially for moms under the age of 40. Researchers conducted extensive research on the habits of young moms, and it determined was that 9 p.m. to 1 a.m. are coveted TVtimes for them. It’s the only hours of the day they can relax and momentarily indulge in themselves.
As more and more moms are taking on the dual role of career woman and housewife, they’ve become responsible for majority of spending in households. In fact, since 1999 their spending has increased by 24% – totaling an estimated $2.1 trillion a year. Programs catered to woman already flood the dial, with women comprising 70% of the prime-time viewing audience for many channels. Specifically, moms between the ages of 18 and 49 are the biggest contributor to evening television shows such as “The Biggest Loser,” “Dancing With the Stars,” and “American Idol.”
The rising generation of mothers is significantly more diverse than those of the past, and nearly all women are technologically savvy. Their viewing habits for television have shifted as most moms have jam-packed schedules during the day, and leisure time is left to late at night. To cater to the current market, Nickelodeon is launching a website that allows moms to communicate with each other. Cyma Zarghami, president of the Nickelodeon network, explains that instant bonds are formed between mothers whether their children are toddlers or graduating high school. The website will allow moms to connect with each other, and offer support and friendship.
Executives are putting together programs that appeal to mother’s sense of humor. One idea that has been tossed around is a show called “Double Mom,” in which a mom is replaced by a comedian for the day. Another option is replaying episodes of “The Brady Bunch,” but adding pop-up bubbles that provide thoughts for what was really going on in the characters heads. The segment will be aimed especially at mothers who grew up watching Nick at Nite as children.
The network aims to “capture those truly funny moments of motherhood,”explains Zarghami. Moms tend to be their own worst critics, setting extremely high expectations for themselves. Realizing they’re not alone and that other moms are making mistakes too, is a huge relief for young mothers. Women tend to thrive off shared experiences and yearn for reassurance in their decisions.
There are currently over 30 NickMom projects in the works. The content is diverse, ranging from game shows and talk shows, to stand-up comedy, and even a “spoof” news show which will be anchored by comedian Annabelle Gurwitch.Five advertisers have already signed on for significant contracts, including General Mills and Reckitt Benckiser. It is estimated the advertisers will spend $25 million during NickMom’s premiere season. Mark Addicks, the chief marketing officer for General Mills, is confident there’s a current need on television for programs featuring moms communicating with other moms.
Nickelodeon has a leg-up due to the fact “co-viewing” is already prevalent on the network. The term refers to parents watching TV with their children. Executives are hoping the practice will assist the network in getting the word out and gaining a following for NickMom. Although Zarghami says the segment will not be profitable the first year, she is hopeful for its future. Advertisers drop billions of dollars per year on media targeted at mothers, and the trend known as the “mommy tsunami” seems to be here to stay.
About the Author
Brandon Mercury is a writer for InGoodMeasure.net. He grew up on the beaches of the Deep South before moving to the mountain tops of Salt Lake City. He focuses his writing on home improvement and interior design topics. Brandon is an avid football and basketball fan. You can find Brandon on Google+
