Hey Mommy!

About a month ago I had the opportunity to experience the madness that is the world of mommy bloggers. I heard of them being 'major influencers' and 'power players' but thought all of that was just crap. And then I went to BlogHer '10.The Mommies were out in force, wearing crowns, tutus and pinstripes. They wore name-tags that read: 'Barbie'. Some were coiffed perfectly. Others wore leather and chains. They were all on a mission and so were the brands trying to sell to them.I have been to my fair share of conferences and have the swag bags to prove it. Nothing could compare to the amount of free stuff that brands were throwing at the mommies. Some carried three and four branded bags on each arm that were stuffed with coupons, toys, gadgets and Swiffer Wet Jet refills. I was amazed.Mommies are powerful. This week, a report was released that reinforced my belief.Moms are among those who are most likely to buy products that benefit a cause, according to a new Cone Inc. survey. Nearly two-thirds of mothers here in the US bought the products in the past, that are associated with a cause.  They are also more likely to switch brands based on association with a cause (93 percent versus 80 percent of all Americans.)Actually, all Americans are becoming far more interested in buying such products: Two out of five consumers have bought a product or service in the past year because it was associated with a cause or issue. In 1993 only one out of five did so.Young adults also are highly likely to buy products tied to a cause—more than half have bought such a product in the past year.The top issues they would like companies to support are: economic development (77 percent); health and disease (77 percent); hunger (76 percent); education (75 percent); access to clean water (74 percent); and disaster relief (73 percent).A message to all of those who want to change the world: if you're serious, solicit a powerful mommy or two and you're on your way to making real change happen.