When an idea isn't better pink!

Over at Learned on Women, Andrea reminded her readers that October is Breast Cancer Awareness month--and that it's also the month that companies make everything in pink.

Everything?

Yes. Everything.

That, by the way, is a pink 20-gauge Remington 870 Junior shotgun.  With matching pink hat.

(From the BrandBuilder Blog.)

Products like that come about because a company decides that they want to appeal to women shoppers.   But ideas like that are designed to fail because the only thing new about them is their color.

Cosmetic changes don't get attention from new customers, or inspire renewed loyalty from loyal patrons. 

People, whether they're men or women, want to be impressed by how a new product or service will improve their lives.

Helping someone look cute out hunting is not enough incentive to make a purchase.

Helping someone be more visible (e.g. with the bright orange) so that they're less likely to be mistaken for an animal by another hunter IS a good incentive.

When companies decide cosmetic changes will make a product appeal to a new demographic, they're being lazy. 

It's easy to paint something pink and say it's for women.

It's hard to develop a new product or redesign an old one so that it genuinely benefits a different customer.

But, if creativity were easy, the benefits wouldn't be so great.

(And there would be significantly fewer pink things to buy every October!)

So, please, stop thinking pink when it comes to making things for women.  We know that it's just a layer of paint.

That goes for products for men too.  After all, how many guys want to buy traditionally female-focused products like lotions?

It takes more than a cosmetic color change to interest guys.  They want to see the specific benefits for them too.

So don't be mentally-lazy and think that easy things like changing color will make a great idea.  Start thinking of what would make people actually want to buy a product!

Comments

[Daniel Sitter, Idea Seller]

You're exactly right Katie. I will be amazed if Remington has any success at all selling pink rifles and hats! Who thinks up this stuff??

Again, I am reminded of the recent movie, What Women Want, with Helen Hunt and Mel Gibson. That film opened my eyes with more than simple entertainment.

I like your statement "start thinking about what would actually make people want to buy a product." We must intimately know our target customer if we truly want to have a real opportunity for success!

[erin]

pink gun? seriously, what is wrong with this picture. let's take something with a sole purpose of taking life away and make it appealing by associating it with an organization/event with the sole purpose of saving/prolonging life.
that is disgusting. and i'm glad you pointed it out.

Erin, I didn't even notice that contradiction when I wrote about the rifle! Thanks for pointing that out! Very ironic. If the rifle is pink to raise money to prevent breast cancer, then the company should probably have spent a little more time thinking about their branding!

What a way to shoot themselves in the foot!

[greebs]

Hm - as a graduate of the University of Chicago, I think I'm supposed to say, "If folks didn't buy the pink outfits and pink clothes, no one would make them." The market is obviously telling all of these companies that women DO buy pink items. (Just go to any sports game and see the horror of a pink Yankees cap, 49ers jersey, etc.)

Wish that it weren't so. That being said, I really agree with you that the companies could stretch themselves a bit more in trying to expand their customer base.

But a pink rifle...wow.

You're right. If people didn't buy the pink stuff, companies wouldn't make them. But I have to wonder... do women buy pink things because they love the pink, or simply because it's a welcome (and perhaps more flattering) break from all the normal colored stuff. If black is the only option, pink might be pretty appealing.

Interesting thought. A friend and I were in the Werder Bremen soccer club's shop, and we came across a bunch of bags and wallets that had the Werder name, but were more alternative and subtle than most of the team stuff. We both thought a wallet was great... until he opened it and it said "Women's Wallet".

Whoops. It went right back on the shelf and we walked out of the shop empty handed. If it hadn't said that though, he would have bought it.

What I'm thinking from this is that perhaps the pink stuff is popular because people (not just women, although usually only women buy pink) are looking for alternatives. I wonder if yellow or light blue would also get a good response.

But, that pink rifle is a little much! I wonder if they'll sell any. Probably.