Acclaimed Marketing Journalist, Author Fara Warner Salutes Powerful Women Consumers With Blog Launch; Executive Insiders in Business, Government Will Guest Author

Fara Warner, author of the new book, "The Power of the Purse: How Smart Businesses Are Adapting to the World's Most Important Consumers - Women", has launched a provocative blog on women consumers. Each Friday, Fara will provide a candid new must-read perspective on the world's most important but misunderstood consumers. Influential executives and observers will also guest author and be regularly interviewed.

Ann Arbor, MI (PRWEB) March 16, 2006 -- Fara Warner, “The Power of the Purse” author and a veteran journalist with access to managers of some of the world’s most successful brands, announces the launch of her provocative blog on women consumers at www.thepowerofthepurse.com/blog/.
   
Each Friday, Warner will provide a new candid must-read perspective on the world’s most important but misunderstood consumers. Influential executives and observers whom she’s come to know and respect in business and government will also be regularly interviewed on women consumers and invited to respond in a “Five Questions” format. The first guest will be Andrea Learned, co-author of “Don’t Think Pink,” who on March 17 will share her work on the growing power of “solo women”, or single women, an increasingly important global demographic.

Warner’s unique insight developed over 15 years covering marketing, advertising and consumer trends for the Wall Street Journal, the New York Times, Brandweek and Fast Company.

“I’ll write about trends in women’s economic power that inspire me, or make me angry. I’ll highlight marketing efforts that I think are good, and those I think miss the mark,” says Warner. Her new book, “The Power of the Purse: How Smart Businesses Are Adapting to the World’s Most Important Consumers – Women” (published by Prentice Hall), has been lauded by recognized business leaders and provides an extraordinary behind the scenes look at a dozen business successes where savvy companies discovered the immense power of women consumers and achieved breakthrough results.

Business management expert Tom Peters, bestselling author of “In Search of Excellence” and “Re-imagine!”, says Warner’s work should “wake up any sane person – including males – to the world’s #1, largely untapped marketplace opportunity.”

Carolyn Woo, Mendoza College of Business dean at the University of Notre Dame, said Warner’s observations “…make it clear that nothing short of a full transformation is required to reframe women consumers as the majority segment.”

In a nod to Women’s History Month, Warner debuted her first column March 9. She cites research reported in the New York Times showing that while women have made great progress in entering the workforce, progress is stalling as some women opt out to care for their families.

“Work is both a financial and emotional imperative for women,” Warner writes. “Moreover, we can’t afford to lose women’s voices inside of business organizations, either as voices that inspire new ways of working or pushing for institutional change that will make it possible for everyone – men and women – to take more active roles in being parents and spouses.”

With a call for better childcare and even more flexible work initiatives, Warner asks readers to share their thoughts about what would make their life of work and family easier.

Warner aims to develop the blog into a meaningful online community recognized for rich dialogue with and between readers, empowering women and enhancing the work of the greater marketing community.

The Power of the Purse website and blog was created by Enlighten (www.enlighten.com), an interactive marketing, web design, data analytics, and strategic consulting firm building innovative online experiences for a diverse roster of brands including Audi of America, Sony, Pulte Homes, Hunter Douglas, Amgen, Comerica, Itron, and GMAC. Based in Ann Arbor, the privately-held firm was founded in 1983 and has been recognized by Advertising Age as one of the nation's top interactive agencies.

A graduate of the Columbia University Graduate School of Journalism, Warner is completing a Knight-Wallace Fellowship at the University of Michigan in April.

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