The Guru of New Welcomes GuruMommy.

We Gurus have to stick together. So I immediately zipped over to check out a site GuruMommy.com, created by Linda Meadow, the author of City Baby LA guidebooks, who has three living-breathing reasons to call herself a Mommy Guru.

Unfortunately, I think I arrived at the site too soon. Much of it feels like it’s still under construction — categories either have skimpy or no content. Classifieds offer only a note about Baby Strollers. The blog has few posts. There is a lot of promise here — I especially like the Guru Seal –but the site breaks the cardinal rule of website building: before launch, make sure every category is richly populated so it looks like there’s ’someone home.’

The site also feels a bit like it exists in a time warp, where families still take pricey vacations, buy trendy gifts (Poppy Gift Store Bins for Baby Boy at $260) and face the challenge of kidlet moving up to a big kid bed that costs thousands of dollars. Perhaps GuruMommy’s LA is faring better during this R-word than other places but I know a long list of Moms in SoCal and most are watching their pennies carefully.

My favorite part was actually the post about coping with head lice. This near-universal problem was one of the shockers of moving to balmy California — and I was happy to see that Guru Mommy tackled this non-cool, always-distressing concern.

I’m looking forward to visiting this site again and discovering a thriving site chockful of useful content.

Stanford Offers Free Facebook Course for Parents. Will Twitter be next?

Although I still haven’t forgiven them for ‘The Game’ in 2007, I will admit they know their ‘Internets.’ Stanford University is now offering a free class called Facebook for Parents. The course is being offered by Stanford psychologist Dr. BJ Fogg, head of the Persuasive Technology Lab, and his sister Linda Phillips, a cyber-savvy Mom with kids ranging from 5th grade up to college.

The class experience has been designed for busy parents with kids under 18 years of age. (Parents of college-age students are also welcome.) An optional lab comes before each class, where parents can work hands-on with Stanford students who will coach them in using Facebook. (*Or maybe they could just take a Field Trip over to the Facebook offices, mere blocks away?)

Five Steps for Parents on Facebook

#1. Join Facebook.

Yes, you should sign up for Facebook. This service was once just for college students, but today it’s for everyone. Parents need to be part of this world.

#2. “Friend” your kids.

To “friend” someone on Facebook means connecting to them. Your kids will probably complain about you “friending” them. That’s normal. But if your kids are minors, you should “friend” them.

#3. Review your kids’ profile pages.

Go to the profile pages for your kids and review the content. At first, you’ll see the “Wall.” But don’t stop there. Click on the tabs for “Info” and “Photos” to see more.

#4. Review who is “friends” with your kids.

On the profile page for your kids, click on the words “See All” in the Friends box. You can then see who is linked to your kids.

#5. Select “More About” for your kids.

Watch for an item about your kids in your News Feed. Click on that item and select the “More About” option. This tells Facebook to show you more about that person in the future, sort of like turning up the volume.

What’s Next?

After these five steps, parents still have more to learn and do, but this is where to start. Sign up for the free newsletter for more info and to stay updated with the ever-changing world of Facebook. In addition, each newsletter explains new skills kids can learn on Facebook that will benefit their future.

Danger Ahead. Find the Red Flags in The Growing Green Momscape.

(In the wake of the recent MotrinGate Twitterstorm, it’s clear that marketers better dig deeper to understand emerging trends in the powerful Momscape.)

There are 82 million Moms in the U.S. opening their purses to spend some $2.1 trillion a year — about 15% of our country’s entire economy. From Baby Boomer ’soccer Moms’ to the Gen X and Echo Boom ‘iMoms’, Mom is making 85% of all household purchase decisions, carefully weighing the choices of products and services for the whole family including Fido and Fluffy.

These statistics are hardly a surprise to the marketers reading this article. Since the Mad Men days of dishpan hands and Kid-tested, Mom-approved cereals, Moms have been considered a lucrative target. But as the Mommy Market grows, so do the risks in trying to reach her.

The reason? Many of those 82 million purses are rapidly turning into ‘big green purses’, as the percentage of Moms showing a passion for all things eco heats up along with our planet. Moms are mobilizing, speaking out and feeling their power as consumers and as citizens. 89% of household Moms are online at least twice a day, massively marching across the Internet via social media sites such as CaféMom, BlogHer and Babycenter. Moms of all shades of green connect, communicate and take action online and in their communities.

But with all this link-love and Mamalutionary agitation whipping the Mom category into mania, marketers and brand builders need to be alert. There are red flags hidden in the growing green Momscape.

 

1. Brand Early, Brand Often. Reach Her Before She’s Officially A Mom.

“There is an interesting transformation that takes place for many women when they become pregnant,” explains Hilary Zalon, President and Founder of popular lifestyle destination for pregnancy and parenthood, TheCradle.com, which features a heavily trafficked ‘Eco-Cradle’ area. “When they were only taking care of themselves, they might not have thought twice about exposing themselves to toxins in household cleansers, drinking caffeine, using artificial sweeteners, etc. But once they become pregnant, they are no longer making decisions solely for themselves. Now, everything that goes into their bodies – and the decisions they make about the environment around them – affects another person. And this shift in perspective is quite profound.”

Kat Gordon, principal at Mom Marketing firm, Maternal Instinct, refers to pregnancy as ‘joining the sacred club.’ It’s at this pivotal point that Moms are most open to spending and also most open to learning and discovery; 71% claim to actively research products online. Marketers who understand this urgent quest for information about the safety and eco-impact of products up their odds of purchase and brand evangelism.

Red Flag Pregnancy and early Momhood is not the time for hip and cool green ad campaigns. Instead, make sure the Triple AAA’s are part of your new Mom messaging: Acknowledge + Appreciate + Authenticity.

2. We are not your grandma’s granola: Sustainable is sexy.
Woe unto any marketer who thinks today’s green Moms are decked out in hippie hemp and scorn any beauty product but homemade beeswax and Dr. Bronner’s Peppermint.

“I’m not tromping around Berkeley in my Birkenstocks,” said a Gen Y respondent in a recent ethnographic study conducted for a natural products company. “I don’t want to look crunchy. I can still look girly and be green.”

Rachel Lincoln Sarnoff, Founder of eco-chic site, EcoStiletto.com, wholeheartedly agrees. Her uber-stylish site is devoted to the secrets of smart and sexy green living. The thriving site frequently features eco-celebrities like Darryl Hannah and Gwen Stefani plus reviews of green goodies from kids’ organic cotton to petro-chemical free Australian shampoos.

“Forget the granola and granny panties–the idea at EcoStiletto.com is to look and feel totally stylish and sexy with things that just happen to be green! So we’ll call out a pair of organic denim jeans that make your butt look fabulous–but don’t take two-thirds of a pound of pesticide to produce. Or a fantastic organic lipstick–you’ll know the ingredients are sustainably sourced in the Amazon, but all the world sees is an incredibly sexy red pout.”

Red Flag Make sure you continually refresh your research. Keep your visual clues relevant so they resonate with your audience. Social networking sites and blogs deliver a powerful stream of fresh psychographics on a daily basis. Facebook’s targeted mini ads are an inexpensive and easy way to quick-test new concepts and copy.

 

3. Please don’t call me green.
Green, Natural, Organics, Eco, Enviro. Each of these seemingly interchangeable words comes with its own (loaded) subliminal meaning. The word that may be nebulous to one Mom may turn another one into a social media spitfire.

This post from a CafeMom member says it all:
“The other day my husband and a friend were talking and I was referred to as being “green”. The word rubs me the wrong way. I am annoyed by the connotation of trendiness and bandwagon jumping that “being green” implies. I also resent that along with the label of “green” comes a whole host of other assumptions from political, to parenting to what kind of car I drive. I don’t fit into a neat box and to borrow from the old, wise, Kermit the Frog, “its not easy being “green”.” When I wash my cloth diapers or mix my own cleaning supplies at home I don’t feel cool or hip. Every major company has jumped on the bandwagon and they produce overpriced products in slick packaging designed to draw in those who are seeking this new thing…this new lifestyle…this new buzzword.

Red Flag Eco-Moms hate being labeled. Their individualism is precious to them. Even though they often move collectively, and are influenced by popular opinion, they would prefer that some corporate entity not point this out to them. (Unless you’re Apple.) If you’re not Steve Jobs or even fake Steve Jobs, then understand the implications linked to each of these words and test them with your target. Watch for wear-out as well. Consumers are awash in green messaging and green imagery fatigue is growing.

4. Greenwashing: Blogging Against Barbie
Don’t even let a whisper of greenwashing seep anywhere near your product. Aside from the obvious evils of trying to market dubious environmental claims, it’s a no brainer: you’ll get caught. Consider Mattel’s attempt to push a new line of green Barbie accessories. In a few quick clicks, the BarbieBCause line wound up on Eco Child’s Play, a blog written by concerned parents with tips and advice on safe, non-toxic toys and clothing for children.

Red Flag Be cautious about your claims. Better to lag behind than jump on the green bandwagon without real substance and support.

 

5. Be Transparent . But Prepare for the Blogstorm
Companies need to understand they can start the conversation but they can’t control it.
Have a Plan B in case the tribes start unexpectedly pounding on their tom-toms.

A recent example: Camp Baby. Johnson & Johnson invited 50+ mom bloggers to attend an all-expenses-paid, three-day summit designed as a kind of brand building plus market research event. Unfortunately, the world’s premiere baby company didn’t anticipate ways in which the Mom Blogger weekend might backfire. News of a tiny problem with the summit spread like head lice in July. The problem? Babies were banned at Camp Baby.

To date, there are 97 outraged comments on Mothergoose.com. “To expect a new mom to ditch her newborn for three days is crazy,” said one Mom. “That’s unfortunate that [J&J] can’t see what a mistake they are making.”

Red Flag Many marketers start their WOM campaigns with the best intentions. But lurking underneath is the expectation that these efforts will unfold in the same manner as paid advertising. Check your inner control freak at the door.

 

6. Mixing Marketing with the Spiritual and Political Side of Green
The passionate stance of many green Mom sites and companies stems from the fact that green is often viewed as a movement, a cause, a holistic choice or sacred path. Phrases like ‘we believe’, ‘we’re on a mission’ ‘kinder to the earth’ ‘tell companies you won’t’, ’speak up and be heard’ are an integral part of the unique language of eco-moms. Outrage, anger and disruption are frequent themes. Share, not sell is the mantra behind sites such as Green Mom Finds, SafeMama, and CoolMomPicks, where the aim is to save busy moms time and energy by finding products and services that are better for children and families.

Sites like Moms Speak Up, is a collaborative blog: “We are women, parents, consumers, voters and much, much more and we’re fed up with the “business as usual” attitude of politicians & greedy corporations. It’s time for us to speak up and be heard!” The Mamalution is “a movement of passionate & dedicated mothers on high alert who are tapping into their instinctual wisdom to save the day!”

Red Flag Learn the language of green Moms and use it carefully. Or, rather than brand into the bloggy buzzsaw, Diane MacEachern’s Biggreenpurse.com is a savvy and refreshing blend of consumer activism, common sense and ideas for using the clout of a million women to effect change.

 

7. Confessing Your Eco-Sins

On Earth Day this year I gave a speech to a women’s group on the subject of Confessing Your Eco-Sins. I brought along a big poster of a prayerful Father Al Gore and one by one, women ‘fessed up to numerous guilty green sins: from craving a sizzling steak to long steamy showers and secretly hoarding paper towels.

From this experiment, I learned firsthand that green Moms are wracked with eco-anxiety. Their every choice is scrutinized; Mom is not only tasked with protecting the environment in general but keeping loved ones safe.

And now there’s additional pressure — or is it additional support? Instead of Cabi, Bliss or Tupperware parties, now there’s the Eco-Mom party, where the cocktail chatter revolves around CFLs, shopping locovore, and carbon-offsetting that trip to Disneyland. The brainchild of Kimberly Danek Pinkson, the California-based Eco-Mom Alliance sounds like one part “Hints from Heloise,” one part political self-help group and one part eco-Stepford Wives. The burgeoning nonprofit already has about 9,000 members around the globe, including not just the United States but also Australia, Hungary, England, France and Brazil. Springwise says the group may be training women to lead EcoMom events worldwide, as well as readying an official EcoMom seal of approval for commercial products.

Red Flag With Moms already scared out of their wits by SLS and #7 plastic bottles, marketing that makes them feel guiltier is likely not to work, especially in this equally scary economy. Solid information is the antidote to anxiety.

8. Points for Trying

The only red flag: Don’t ignore the opportunity to show that slow and steady corporate responsibility can make an impact. Moms notice and respect the baby steps companies take to improve their commitment to eco-responsibility, particularly when it involves encouraging and supporting green employee values. Adding a carbon-offsetting program like Terrapass for business travel is a small step but a worthwhile one.

Moms also notice and respect when brands resist creating buzzy advertising in favor of real facts and empathy. They also notice and respect companies who partner with non-profits and charitable organizations like the new kids’ game Emerald Island has done with its Trees for the Future donations.

The good news is that if you should happen to crash into a few of these Red Flags, the new field of Eco-Therapy is booming.

Don’t Want Your Kids To Grow Up Talking Like Elmo? Better Check Out This List of Best Educational Toys from Parenting Expert Sherry Artemenko.

Parenting expert Sherry Younger Artemenko and I bonded over Mattel’s talking-doll-classic, Chatty Cathy, a zillion years ago. Sherry’s Cathy was pristine; its blonde hair curled, coiffed and Christmas-present perfect. (My Cathy’s hair had been ‘re-styled’ by my brothers.) Her Cathy’s outfit was still neat and clean. (No comment.) Her Cathy still had its patent leather shoes. (I was simply glad my Cathy still had a foot.)

So it was no surprise that over the years, Sherry has morphed into a primo parenting expert, with a string of prestigious degrees (M.A., C.C.) and robust experience working with children to improve their speech and language, serving as a speech language pathologist in both the public and private school systems and private practice.

To help parents navigate the chaos known as the holiday shopping season, she’s released this carefully researched list of Best Educational Toys to Build Language. The list is a savvy blend of age-specific new and old favorites accompanied by Sherry’s educational tips.

Here is a sample — visit Sherry’s parent-friendly, content-rich site, Playonwords.com, to read the whole list.

Birth-1 years and up

eebee’s Adventure Play Mat and Play House (6 months to 3 years): Every now and then a toy comes along that I get really excited about. This is one. Maybe because I had an older brother and he was always making forts out of our couch cushions and planting me inside with a bowl of popcorn! This colorful set of foam sections, attachable with Velcro strips, invites your child to make a house and climb right in. Every day he can make a new creation, lift the curtain to peek out the window, catch a glimpse in the mirror, crawl through the circular hole or have a chat with a eebee’s life size face. crawling babies enjoy exploring the vibrant, textured panels even when they are laid out flat.

Language Building Tips: Follow your child’s interest and describe the colors, textures, and features of the panels. Use action verbs to name what your child is doing such as going “in” “out” or “through.” Provide a few additional props for an older toddler such as a play dishes for a picnic or tea party.

Guru’s Note: Pictured above is the toy *I* want. It’s called Chocolate Fix and I need it now. Hear that, Santa?

Sherry says:
Chocolate Fix by ThinkFun Inc (8 and up): This gold award winner from Parents Choice is a feast of fun! Take turns filling your customer’s orders at the chocolate shoppe. Flip to the page of visual clues on where to put your 9 tempting treats in three flavors and three shapes. Let’s see, the pink square chocolate is next to the dark circle chocolate. In the grid of nine positions, the chocolatier has to solve all the clues to place the pieces in just the right spot. With several levels of play, kids and adults are entertained. An added language building value is that kids love to role-play as the chocolatier and the customer.

Kid-Friendly Web Browser KidZui Launches Social Networking Features.

From what I can tell so far, Kidzui is doing everything right. What may be ‘wrong’ at least in the eyes of a gaggle of commenters on TechCrunch is the concept.

As we used to say in the ad biz “bad concept, great execution.”

KidZui is a kid-friendly web browser that recently introduced a suite of social networking features designed for kids aged 3-12.

Yup, that’s right. Ages 3-12. Add Kidzui to the growing list of kid-centric social networking sites: TotSpot, L’ilgrams, Kidmondo, Odadeo, most of which are designed for Mom and Dad’s fervent desires for tweeting, posting and friend requesting about their kids.

According to TechCrunch, KidZui launched last March as a subscription service but switched over to a freemium model just a few months later. So far, 1.5 million objects (videos, pages, photos, etc) have been whitelisted and “hundreds of thousands” of kids and parents have started to use the service. KidZui’s conversion rate for website visitors has doubled since switching over to a freemium model in June. And the average user watches 80 videos per week - a much greater number than an average of 21 photos, which suggests that KidZui is starting youth off early for YouTube as well.

Guru’s Take: Aside from the obvious safety concerns over an online area aimed at kidlets, and which Kidzui seems to be managing well, much of the controversy centers on the same-old issue: how young is too young for kids to be online? Given the state of obesity in our country, shouldn’t these pinging and posting 4 year olds be outside playing Capture the Flag and sweating off their Hot Pockets? And what about socialization? Shouldn’t the rough n tumble be face to face, rather than virtual? Does electronic socialization have the same play value? And what about Mom and Dad simply parking their 6 year old in front of the (unsupervised) computer to meet up with his e-friends? I’d love to hear what you think. (And are those 80 videos per week all talking cats?)

Celebrity-Warrior-Mom Jenny McCarthy Launches New Lifestyle Brand for Children.

Fresh from her compelling video appearance at Tech Crunch 50 in San Francisco for social media connector and start-up CauseCast, celebrity-warrior-Mom Jenny McCarthy is also busily launching a new lifestyle brand for children based on her experiences in combating her son Evan’s autism. Too Good by Jenny is a line of “affordable, safe, nontoxic and healthy products.” The line will include non-toxic bedding, apparel, feeding products, toys/activity sets, cleaning products, bathroom textiles, gluten-free food and beverages, all intended to be affordable for all parents.

Since her son’s diagnosis in 2005, the author and activist has been vocal about such causes as staggering immunizations, adhering to a gluten-free diet and eliminating chemicals in everyday products, such as lead paint in toys or BPA plastic in baby bottles. She is also a spokesperson for an organization called Talk About Curing Autism.

The launch for Too Good by Jenny is planned for next spring or summer.