Shows like "Mad Men" illustrate the dominating influence of white males during the advertising boom of the 1950s and '60s. Less than 60 years later, marketers are at women's feet. What happened? According to the Boston Consulting Group, women make over three out of four purchasing decisions in the home. Maybe they always have, but now the research is there to validate it. 

Marketers care more about the female consumer. In fact, Fletcher Marketing PR's whole identity is based on creating measurable results for campaigns that resonate with women. Why? Because we recognize how powerful female consumers are. Time and time again, we're thrown statistics like Bloomberg's that say women hold 83 percent of purchasing power. Female audiences are finally getting the attention they deserve - but, what some companies fail to realize, is that not all female buyers are the same.  

Slapping pink on a product doesn’t automatically relate to all female audiences. The "young professional" isn't interested in the same products as the "empty nester." The millennial isn't thinking about retirement. Here are some ways we categorize female consumers by life stage: 

The Millennial  

• Operates on her own 
• Supported by social and family interactions 
• Tech and media savvy; aware of new innovations 
• Engaged on social media 
• Most influenced by external environment 
• Best reached through influencer marketing and social media 

The Young Professional  

• Independent and driven 
• Focused on building future 
• Purchases needed items frugally 
• Interested in travel/adventure 
• Willing to take risk on purchases 

The Mom 

• Often stereotyped 
• Focused on needs more than wants 
• Considers multiple elements 
• Logically influenced 

The Empty Nester 

• Willing to try new products/experiences 
• Focused on health, aging, experiences and leisure 
• More likely to be economically secure 
• Focused on self and relationship  

Post-Retirement Superwoman

• Skeptical to new innovations 
• Uses logic 
• Focused on leisure and interests 
• Solidified values

Multiple factors must be considered when targeting a specific female audience. Geography, socioeconomic status, lifestyle and life stage are some of the most important. Women can fit into many different subcategories at once, such as the Retired World Traveler, Social Climber in the City, and the Mom Who Works to Make Ends Meet.  

The first question a company should ask when considering a female audience is "who is she?"