Babymoons — vacations taken by a couple before the baby arrives — are poised on the brink of mainstream recognition as a significant life event — and a focal point for marketing to women. A January cover of US Weekly, for instance, highlighted a “Kardashian Babymoon.”
Expectant Parents Stay Domestic
One positive sign for babymoons becoming an established marketing term is that despite an uncertain economy, couples are still procreating. These parents-to-be are older than previous generations and tend to have more disposable income, reports the Pew Research Center. They also want one last free-for-all before their children arrive.
Three in 10 couples took babymoon vacations in 2011, according to TheBump.com. Those who took babymoons last year spent an average of $994 for a getaway typically lasting five days. The vast majority (79%) vacation within in the U.S. For most pregnant women, the second trimester is the preferred time for reasons of both physical comfort and confidence with appearance.
The most obvious marketing opportunities for babymoons center around travel-related services. Starwood Hotel’s The W Hotel brand, for instance, offers Baby Me packages that include a pregnancy style guide for mom, and mini-moccasin shoes and a one-piece outfit for the baby. The hotel has created a special “Womb Service” menu designed to cater to the cravings of expectant mothers.
Royal Palms Resort and Spa in Arizona has expanded upon the typical mom-focused babymoon package by catering to both expectant parents. While moms-to-be receive massages, books, and food, dads-to-be are treated to 60-minute massages, cigars, and cognac.
There are opportunities for entertainment studios and book publishers to tie in with travel packages as well. Nearly all hotel packages include pregnancy guides and several include DVDs of classic pregnancy movies, such as Look Who’s Talking and Three Men And A Baby.
Aside from aligning directly with vacation promotions, babymoons can be offered as contest prizes. Several independent retail chains have offered contests awarding “babymoon” bed-and-breakfast stays.
For example, Bright Starts, a maker of infant products, offered a vacation sweepstakes awarding a seven-day trip to the Virgin Islands in 2010. Company executives say the number of entries “exceeded expectations” and that the company plans to offer a similar sweepstakes in the future.
There doesn’t seem to be much potential in creating specific greeting cards, but there is an opportunity for manufacturers of stationery products to create photo albums and picture frames that can memorialize the trip.
It remains to be seen if babymoons continue to grow in popularity and whether they will be endorsed by mainstream brands beyond those offering travel services. At the very least, the concept provides advertisers with a catchy term.
Source: Bright Starts (Kids II), Ryan Gunnigle, CEO, 3333 Piedmont Rd., #1800, Atlanta, GA 30305; 770-751-0442; www.kidsii.com.
The Knot (The Bump), Jacalyn Lee, 462 Broadway, #6, New York, NY 10013; 212-219-8555, x1013; jacalyn@theknot.com; www.theknot.com.
Royal Palms Resort and Spa, Erin Stremcha, Director Marketing, 5200 E. Camelback Rd., Phoenix, AZ 85018; 602-808-3185; estremcha@destinationhotels.com; www.royalpalmshotel.com.
W Hotels (Starwood), Carlos Becil, VP Global Brand Management, 1111 Westchester Ave., White Plains, NY 10605; 914-640-8100; carlos.becil@starwoodhotels.com; www.starwoodhotels.com.
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