Key Takeaways
- Women influence a majority of consumer tech purchasing decisions, yet most tech advertising is still built around men.
- "Apex Woman" is a persona for a highly educated, urban, affluent, career-driven consumer with strong spending power and a wellness-first mindset.
- She's active on mobile and social platforms, favors independent boutiques over big retail, and tunes out traditional TV ads and celebrity endorsements.
- Reaching her means leading with emotional benefits, showing up in the spaces she already spends time in, and working with influencers she genuinely trusts.
- A Little Bird has applied this targeting approach for brands including Gressingham Duck and ZICO Coconut Water.
Quick Links
- Introducing Apex Woman
- Where You'll Find Her
- Where You Won't Find Her
- How to Reach Her
- People Also Ask
- Frequently Asked Questions
Did you know women influence the majority of consumer tech purchasing decisions? You could be forgiven for not knowing this, as, surprisingly, most tech advertising is still aimed at men.
Tech comms peddle long lists of specifications that often don't mean anything to consumers, focusing on features rather than benefits. Women have long been the more active gender online, and even the once male-dominated realm of online gaming has seen a female shift: nearly half of players and purchasers of games are women, according to the Entertainment Software Association.
If tech companies want to keep up, they need to take notice, because women are overturning male-only stereotypes to become one of the biggest new markets.
Some savvy tech brands are now manufacturing products specifically targeted at women, but the answer certainly isn't pink mobile phones and more female video game characters. Instead, they're targeting a very different type of woman. So who is she?
Introducing Apex Woman
She's highly educated, urban, and affluent, with an entrepreneurial spirit.
She's empowered by her career success and has increased spending power as a result.
She seeks products and services that emphasize fitness, well-being, and mind-body strength, anything to help her achieve her goals.
She facilitates her life through mobile technology, talking and texting noticeably more than the average man on her phone.
She loves products and services that add real value to her lifestyle.
Q: Why doesn't "Apex Woman" respond to typical gendered tech marketing, like pink devices?
A: Because she's not shopping based on color or gimmick. She's evaluating whether a product genuinely improves her life, career, or well-being, so marketing that leads with a superficial "for women" gesture rather than real benefit falls flat.
Where You'll Find Her
- On her mobile device, sharing pictures via Instagram and her thoughts and opinions on her blog, anywhere she can connect and communicate
- Playing social games; she's significantly more likely than men to play games on platforms like Facebook, thanks in part to her social nature
- Visiting vintage markets and boutique stores. Although she likes to stay connected, she values her individual style and doesn't want to present herself as a carbon copy of her peers, so she seeks out unique pieces for her wardrobe and home in independent stores
- Relaxing at festivals and socializing with friends over a drink
- Seeking out culture
- Bargain hunting, for premium items
Where You Won't Find Her
- In faceless retail shopping centers
- Paying attention to a brand's latest TV commercial or celebrity endorsement
How to Reach Her
We have a fair bit of experience reaching Apex Woman. She's been a key target for some of our brands, including Gressingham Duck and ZICO Coconut Water. Here are a few of our learnings on how to reach and effectively communicate with her:
- Tap into emotional benefits rather than physical ones: how can your technology enhance her life?
- Share her interests: go where she goes and present something that's a natural fit for her lifestyle rather than a bolt-on
- Don't patronize her: forget pseudo-science, and just show her how your product can make a difference in her life
- Tap into her influencers: work with the people she trusts to tell your story
- Empower her as an influencer: create a moment she can share with her online community and invite her friends to attend
Looking to build a campaign that actually speaks to this audience? Contact us.
People Also Ask
Who is "Apex Woman" in tech marketing?
She's a persona for a highly educated, urban, affluent, career-driven woman with strong spending power who values fitness, well-being, and products that add genuine value to her lifestyle.
Why do most tech ads fail to reach women effectively?
They tend to focus on feature lists and specifications rather than emotional benefits, and rely on gendered gestures like pink packaging instead of showing how the product genuinely improves her life.
Where should tech brands try to reach this audience?
On mobile and social platforms like Instagram, through independent boutiques and vintage markets, and through influencers she already trusts, rather than through traditional TV ads or big-box retail.
What marketing approach works best for reaching Apex Woman?
Lead with emotional benefits, meet her in the spaces she already spends time in, avoid condescending messaging, and work with influencers and communities she genuinely trusts.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the "Apex Woman" concept?
Apex Woman is a marketing persona describing a highly educated, affluent, career-driven female consumer who has significant influence over tech purchasing decisions but is underserved by mainstream tech advertising.
Do women really influence most tech purchasing decisions?
Yes. Despite most tech advertising being built around men, women influence the majority of consumer tech purchases, making them a critical audience for brands to understand.
What marketing tactics resonate with this audience?
Emotional, benefit-driven messaging, authentic influencer partnerships, and a presence in the mobile, social, and boutique-retail spaces she already frequents work far better than traditional TV or celebrity-driven campaigns.
What brands has A Little Bird helped reach this audience?
A Little Bird has applied this targeting approach for brands including Gressingham Duck and ZICO Coconut Water.
Who can help my brand build a campaign around this audience?
A Little Bird designs experiential and social campaigns built around genuine audience insight. Contact us to talk through your goals.