Merkle (www.merkleinc.com), a leading technology-enabled, data-driven performance marketing agency, announced that it has released a new report in conjunction with the Association of National Advertisers (ANA) and the Alliance for Family Entertainment (AFE), titled Sports Car Stereotypes: The Truth about Gender Purchase Psychology and Marketing. Merkle partnered with the ANA AFE to support the #SeeHer initiative, which seeks to accurately portray all girls and women in media, so that by 2020, they see themselves reflected in advertisements as they truly are.

Marketers have long sought to market their products effectively to women – and many attempts have fallen short, leaving consumers turned off by the effects of cognitive bias. In a psychology-based study examining the purchase decision process for sports cars, Merkle’s Neuroanalytics™ practice and ANA AFE examined the priorities and motivations of each gender. A key finding is that women want to be treated like thoughtful, diverse human beings and represented as such in advertising. It seems like an obvious answer, but marketing campaigns over the last century have proven otherwise.

“We developed the insights included in this report using Merkle’s Neuroanalytics™ practice based on means-end theory,” said co-author Ethan Hanson, associate director, advanced methods and research at Merkle. “The research gave us an understanding of both the product needs that consumers have, as well as their connected personal benefits, ultimately allowing us to paint a full picture of the decision process.”

Marketers can learn more about the report insights by attending the complimentary webinar, featuring the ANA AFE, on Thursday, May 4 at 11:00 a.m. ET. The webinar, Stopping the Stereotype: Purchase Psychology by Gender and What it Means for Marketers, will be led by Hanson and Stephen Quinn, chair, ANA AFE. Quinn is the prior CMO of Walmart and Frito-Lay, among positions at Johnson & Johnson, Procter & Gamble, Pepsico. Hanson and Quinn will provide attendees with a transformational look at buyer motivations, gender representations in advertising, and where the industry is headed.

About Merkle

Merkle is a leading data-driven, technology-enabled, global performance marketing agency that specializes in the delivery of unique, personalized customer experiences across platforms and devices. For more than 25 years, Fortune 1000 companies and leading nonprofit organizations have partnered with Merkle to maximize the value of their customer portfolios. The agency’s heritage in data, technology, and analytics forms the foundation for its unmatched skills in understanding consumer insights that drive people-based marketing strategies. When combined with its strength in performance creative and media, Merkle creates customer experiences that drive improved marketing results and shareholder value. With more than 4,100 employees, Merkle is headquartered in Columbia, Maryland with 16 additional offices in the US and 8 offices in Europe and Asia. In 2016, the agency joined the Dentsu Aegis Network. For more information, contact Merkle at 1-877-9-Merkle or visit www.merkleinc.com.

Merkle Inc.Sarah Bourdeau, 443-542-4288SBourdeau@merkleinc.com