Factor9 Helps Companies Pursue $5 Trillion Sales Opportunity

Viewing Women as a Niche Audience is Over
WINSTON-SALEM, N.C.--(Business Wire)--
Factor9, a marketing to women consultancy and subsidiary of Wildfire, today
announced that it is working to change the perception of marketing to women from
a `nice to do` to a `must do`.

The power of women in the marketplace is undisputed. Today, women buy or
influence the buying of more than 80% of all goods, and account for over 50% of
purchases even in non-traditional categories like automotive, home improvement
and travel. This represents $5 trillion in annual sales across all industries
and sectors. Yet, despite this burgeoning economic clout, marketing executives
worldwide often do not see a need to do more than have a superficial
understanding of what motivates women to buy their products.

Factor 9 is re-shaping the way companies view marketing to women. It has adopted
a gender neutral name to set the stage for convincing senior marketing
executives - many of whom are men - that women want brands to overlay the
functional sale with an emotional reason to buy. Men may be happy with the
functional sale alone, but Factor9 believes if you combine strategies you can
win with both audiences.

"Marketing to women isn`t just about uncovering some warm and fuzzy insights
that make women feel good," says Janie Curtis, Chief Strategic Officer, Factor9
"It is about creating more successful sales strategies that will lead to
stronger long term brand loyalty among both women and men."

At Factor 9, a total of nine factors have been identified that drive women`s
brand choices, with at least 3 of these factors being highly relevant to men as
well. It all comes down to creating a system for reaching women that does not
draw a line in the sand that says `women only` but rather lays the foundation
for more effective communications solutions that make direct connection with
women, and indirectly reach men as well.

One of the unique tools that Factor9 uses to create successful sales strategies
for its clients includes a Factor 9 audit. They evaluate all the communication
touch points between a brand and its consumer target (including packaging and on
shelf impact) against the nine factors, and provides its clients with a strategy
for strengthening different aspects of their brand`s presence with women.

Since launching in 2008, Factor9 has quickly become known for innovative
approaches to digging deep into the psych of the female consumer by using
reality based research. Factor9 works with companies across all industries and
market sectors to develop successful integrated marketing to women strategies.
Factor9 executives offer extensive experience and knowledge in categories such
as consumer electronics, automotive, beer/distilled spirits, financial,
entertainment, and retail. Recent client wins include; Country Inn & Suites,
Kraft Foods, Hanes and Salem Academy.

Notably, Factor9`s research for Country Inns & Suites helped them understand the
mindset of the female business and leisure traveler. This research was used to
launch their new national advertising campaign called `I love this Country`.

"Factor9 conducted qualitative research among women business and leisure
travelers and helped us uncover insights regarding what each group is looking
for from their travel/hospitality experience" said Kevin Hanstad, vice
president, Customer Research and Insights, Carlson Hotels Worldwide. "They did
an outstanding job helping us identify key factors in the relationship between
Country Inn & Suites and women travelers."

For more information on Factor9, please contact Janie Curtis at 336.354.0682 or
e-mail: jcurtis@wildfireideas.com.

About Wildfire, LLC

Started in May 2002, Wildfire is a team of Marketing Stratecutionists with big
agency strategic expertise offered to you with executional efficiency and the
agility of a small shop. Our ideas connect the right message to the right target
audience, at the right point of contact, using the right voice to motivate them
to take action, buy, be aware or try. We call it Connective Communications. It`s
our commerce-based creative approach that delivers your bottom line growth. And
we put it to work across the entire marketing mix. To learn more about Wildfire,
visit www.wildfireideas.com.

Factor9
Jane Welch-Westgate, 336-209-9276
janewelch@triad.rr.com

Copyright Business Wire 2009