JEDDAH, 27 March 2006 — Style, quality and freshness in advertising is what attracts women consumers the most, and because women are the main buyers of a family — and increasingly income earners in their own right — what attracts women consumers is increasingly an important issue in the Kingdom.

“There has been a shift in marketing focus over the last few years,” said Amar Zahid, managing director of Tetra Pak, Saudi Arabia. “Women are now not simply spenders but increasingly earners, too,” he said, adding that it is important to them to follow the latest in this significant shift.

Bilal Kaissi, the regional advertising manager for IPSOS KSA, spoke about the strategy in analyzing what women gravitate to in marketing. IPSOS conducted a study in this regard on 401 Saudi women in the age group of 18 to 45 from Jeddah, Riyadh and the Eastern Province. The women were divided into four groups: 31 percent of them were considered traditionalist, 44 percent mainstreamers, 16 percent devoutly religious and 9 percent mavericks outside the mainstream.

Women of the first group appeared to value homemade and handicraft. Once the “traditionalists” have chosen a brand, no advertisement, promotion or discount will make them change, said Kaissi. The so-called “mainstreamers” are more interested in Western lifestyles and brands, and tend to be more susceptible to advertisements in order to learn about and experiment with new, popular brands.

Kaissi said that mainstreamers tend to look for special promotions. The “religionists” prefer locally produced or low-cost generic products instead of premium foreign-branded products. The “mavericks” aren’t value-seekers, but rather are willing to spend their money on innovative products that distinguish them from others.

Assistant General Marketing Manager of Quest Consulting, Rasha Al-Nashar, said that according to her company’s study, the role of women is no longer limited to her home obligations.

The most effective advertisements targeting Saudi women, according to Al-Nashar, are those that contain a storyline that tells a message not just about the product, but also about the lifestyle.

She cites a commercial for Damas Diamonds about a man who bought his wife a diamond ring.

The advertisement has been successful “not just because it sells a diamond, but also because of the way the man in the ad searches for ways to present his gift,” Al-Nashar said.