I came across this little gem in my Internet wanderings today.
Bic pens specifically designed and marketed to women. Click here to see them!
Their slender, bedazzled sheen is supposed to appeal to the femininity hiding within us — so the marketers claim. It seem though that the public has only sarcastically bought into such a marketing ploy! The reviews are delightfully snarky.
For instance, the top rated review by Tracy Hamilton read: “Someone has answered my gentle prayers and FINALLY designed a pen that I can use all month long! I use it when I’m swimming, riding a horse, walking on the beach and doing yoga. It’s comfortable, leak-proof, non-slip and it makes me feel so feminine and pretty! Since I’ve begun using these pens, men have found me more attractive and approchable. It has given me soft skin and manageable hair… My drawings of kittens and ponies have improved, and now that I’m writing my last name hyphenated with Robert Pattinson’s last name, I really believe he may some day marry me! I’m positively giddy.”
I enjoyed the wit behind that review and also the gentle jab at advertisers who think making the package pink can significantly sway how I spend my money. I think that advertising and marketing and crucial and I’ve had to learn loads more and more about them recently. But good advertising is subtle. I think of it more like inception or persuasion than yelling and commanding. It made me laugh to see how “un-fooled” the public was! I hope you got a chuckle out of it too!
Now I’ll get back to writing with my light, slender,feminine, sparkly, writing utensil. Perhaps their not-so-subtle marketing scheme worked after all!