With the first wave of Boomers turning 60 this year, the place to be investing your money is in corporations like Zimmer, the joint replacement company. Statistics show that in the U.S., 400,000 people undergo knee replacement surgery each year... and nearly 2/3 of those are women.
Being ever so smart in the R&D category, Zimmer has just announced the Gender Solutions High-Flex Knee, the first knee replacement created specifically to fit the anatomical shape of a woman's knee.
Their webpage is a refreshing change from the typical medical website - warm, friendly, yet loaded with information that's not intimidating. Take a look at the page and see how deceptively simple it is to speak to the specific needs of individual women.
Some just want to feel reassured that knee replacement is right for them & they'll be out shopping again in no time. Others want to know how the Gender Solution knee is different - they're looking for education on knee replacement. Still others would like to go deeper into the medical aspects of knee replacement, with disclosure on possible complications. Zimmer also makes it easy to find a doctor that specializes in this new knee replacement procedure - they come across as warm, knowledgeable and user friendly.
Zimmer has done an excellent job of peeling back the generic "marketing to women" label by addressing the questions, "What are her individual needs? What are her motivations?" By recognizing and acknowledging women as individuals with specific needs, they are almost certainly guaranteed phenomenal success as increasing numbers of Boomer women seek joint replacement to maintain active lives.
Hmmm... I think I'll go call my stockbroker...
Zimmer did well here on several points...I'm also in medical devices. The female knee is different from the male knee...not just smaller. Subtle differences in aligment, largely due to different hip orientations. This is a key reason why more female athletes have knee surgery than male athletes...it all just lines up a little differently.
Interestingly, our society's focus on gender equality gets in the way of such a discussion or development. Pity, but true. Zimmer here does a nice job of handling this and should be commended.
Also amazing that Zimmer is located here in Indiana, and a rural part of Indiana to boot, not your typical "aware of women" region.
Your point is well made, Michelle...it isn't that difficult (or, as many say in Indiana, "it ain't dat tuff") to make an offer appealing to women. It DOES take some different thinking.
Posted by: Joe Ely | June 05, 2006 at 11:38 AM
Zimmer is a great example of how medical and pharma companies can create relevant and compelling branding around innovative products that add value to women's lives whether they are athletic or not. Interestingly, the Society for Women's Health Research is championing alot of gender research and is getting the word out for women to be part of clinical trials as they haven't been in the past. Thanks Michelle for bringing this interesting case to the forefront!
Posted by: Kelley Connors | June 05, 2006 at 08:12 PM