Summary
This report discusses the growing feminisation of technology and why brand owners cannot afford to ignore the unique attitudes and behaviours of women, whether in marketing, product design or company management. It is based on a series of presentations at Internet Week New York. The magazine company Meredith’s SVP of digital sales argued that it was a myth that only men are interested in technology, citing women’s heavy use of social sites like Pinterest and online shopping activities. Despite the imperative for L’Oréal, the cosmetics giant, to understand women’s online behaviour, its VP of digital strategy and innovation noted that finding technologists of the same gender remained difficult. To redress this situation, the company has rolled out the in-house Women in Digital initiative, which endeavours to provide greater opportunities for existing and new female staff across its digital marketing, technology and IT functions. A UX designer and product lead at Zappos, the online retailer, argued that women have a different motivation in using digital tools. She contended that they are more likely to focus on specific ends rather than enjoying the technology itself (as is often the case with men), so the company tries to mix the aesthetic and ergonomic.

Summary
This paper analyses the state of midlife women, aged 45-64 years old, around the world. The proportion of midlife women is highest in mature markets but by total numbers, most live in China and India. While there are increasing proportions of women in paid employment, they still do not earn pay equal to men and many value time as much as work. The presentation also includes charts that cover midlife women's desire to try new products and services, political representation and celebrity influences.

Summary
This article looks at how the beauty and personal care industry has been growing in Brazil, Russia, India and China (the BRICs), with these countries becoming global trend setters. Brazil boasts the strongest growth of beauty and personal care in recent years, with hair care over-performing amongst older women and make-up being used more by the younger group. This is driven by the belief held by three quarters of Brazilian women that it is important to be attractive to the opposite sex. Keeping a young look is especially important to Russians and although growth in Russia's market is slower than the other BRICs, fragrance continues to recruit new buyers and make-up and cosmetics are used by almost 9 out of 10 women. India sees relatively low penetration levels indicating future growth potential. Skin whitening products are popular, while make-up and cosmetics have the highest penetration and are equally used by all age groups. Half of Indian women try to keep up with latest fashion trends and agree they are influenced by celebrities in their purchase decisions. In China, skin care is the most important segment of beauty, with skin whitening and anti-wrinkle products seeing the fastest growth. While two thirds of Chinese women believe it is important to keep young looking, only one third claims that being attractive to the opposite sex is important. China also shows a big generation gap between the under and over 35s. Suggestions for growth opportunities are included.

Summary
This paper looks at recent changes in the role of women in Asia Pacific, and the economic, cultural and social consequences of these changes. The authors conducted a research project, consisting of interviews with women from 12 Asian nations. The key findings are that, across the region, the impact of economic growth and exposure to the outside world on the lives of women has been immense, and that the Asian woman is unique, because while her identity is still deeply rooted in her traditional culture, but at the same time she is coping with new opportunities. Significant differences across the region are revealed for the question of how these women view personal empowerment: there are tensions amongst women that are relative to their level of empowerment or the ability to make choices for themselves on matters that are important to them. The authors discuss implications for brand strategy suggested by these findings.

Summary
This report discusses a range of insights about middle-class women in Asia, who are experiencing new opportunities and new tensions, as attitudes towards education and employment relax. Asians in general are getting more liberal towards gender equality, but cultural traditions may impede this progress. At the same time, Asian women are feeling pressured – both for time and due to a lack of family-friendly work practices. However, Asian women are expressing themselves with greater consumer freedom and are using individualised technology to their advantage. And, for all this new-found freedom, looking beautiful remains paramount to them.

Summary
This article, based on an international sample of 64,000 men and women, shows a consensus in how male and female values are defined and a general wish for "female" values to be more dominant. Respondents talk as if they live in an age of 'extended anxiety', have concerns that their children will not have better lives than their own, feel that institutions have accumulated too much power and express worries about society's basic fairness; all of this contributes to a general dissatisfaction with "male" structures. Traits that were attributed to female thinking are expressive, reasonable, loyal, flexible and plans for the future - and were all also related to good leadership. An example of this form of leadership in action comes from Iceland's financial recovery, where women have won leadership positions in government and big banks. However, feminine values can be seen in leaders of both genders with countries with more developed economies and a 'higher reported quality of life' have citizens who are more likely to have both feminine and masculine traits and behaviours.

Summary
While most analysis of women in the world focuses on how social and economic conditions affect their roles and identities, this paper takes a different approach by exploring how women act as catalysts for fundamental changes shaping everybody’s world. It argues that understanding women is important, both because they are potential new sources of growth, and because the changes in how women think and act have repercussions for their wider society and, by implication, for popular and consumer culture. It explores four key dimensions in which women's changing circumstances, attitudes and behaviours are effecting change: Decision-making; Workplace & economy; Communication & identity; and Innovation. In doing so, it points to the new opportunities which arise from a world where women are agents of change.

Summary
Mobile mass ethnography and online communities can offer a more accurate, holistic picture of consumer behaviour by allowing stories to unfold rather than pre-framing their context. This paper describes a recent project for Kellogg's, the cereal manufacturer, in which this approach was successfully used to create engaging insights for its Special K brand. Kellogg's knew that in order to unlock penetration growth, it would need a more emotional communications and NPD strategy for its target segment. By using mobile and digital platforms, Kellogg's was able to gain a deeper understanding of the role Special K could play in the target group's lives and discern insights that would inform its 2013 brand planning process.

Summary
Using the example of Kate, a working mom in the US, this article explains the five distinct stages in the snack food path to purchase, using qualitative research undertaken by Microsoft Advertising and Ipsos OTX. The aim of the research was to go beyond the basic behavioural information to understanding the psychology behind how purchase decisions are made and how the right media and content can influence these decisions. It shows how a deep understanding of each of the decision phases - and the channels, people and devices that influences whether people will try a new product, buy it and become loyal users in the future - can help marketers invest their budgets where they will have the most impact.

Summary
Global research conducted by McCann WorldGroup's Truth Central suggests that marketers need to rethink their assumptions about Asian mothers, as technology and changing social values render obsolete some of the region's stereotypes. This piece includes comparative data from major markets such as the US, UK and Brazil and looks at how new insights into values and technology usage amongst mothers should encourage marketers to rethink their assumptions about Asian mothers.