The Sochi Winter Olympics offer marketers the opportunity to reach millions of viewers by tapping into the emotions that surround the games. Not surprisingly, the most powerful and often mentioned campaign is Proctor & Gamble’s “Thank You, Mom” series of ads. I honestly can’t make it through one of these ads without my throat clutching and eyes welling up. While most of us can’t relate to being a world-class athlete, moms everywhere know about sacrifices and proud moments. And P&G knows the importance of reaching moms. They are, in fact, the most powerful people on the planet. As we underline in our just-released book, Momarchy available on Amazon.com, Eighty-five percent (yes, 85 percent!) of all U.S. retail spending flows through the hands of adult women, and 75 percent of women over 20 are moms, according the U.S. Census Bureau. Drill that down to each humble mom, household CEO, or what authors Maria Bailey and Bonnie Ulman call the trillion-dollar mom, and you’ve landed on a real economic sweet spot. Globally women control about $20 trillion in annual consumer spending.  That figure is expected to climb as high as $28 trillion in the next five years. Their $13 trillion in total yearly earnings could reach $18 trillion in the same period. In total, women represent a growth market bigger than China and India combined! Moms influence the spending (not to mention the decision-making, behavior, health and well-being) of not only their children, but their spouses, co-workers, social and professional networks. And, in order to reach her, you need to relate to her. It may help to know the average mom puts in 94 hours per week of mom duties, in addition to anything else she does. So, “Thank You, Mom” is a very good place to start. About the guest author: Colleen Burns Harristhal is co-author and owner of Momarchy.