One thing I found very interesting is that women's products are typically more expensive than men's products, even when the two products are the same, just in different packaging. I believe this is because women are encouraged to see their bodies as projects, and are therefore more willing to spend money on products that claim to improve their bodies.
I also found the gendering of non-gendered items as ridiculous. A few years ago, when Bic Pens for Her originally came out, Ellen Degeneres talked about them on her talk show.
One problem with the pens for women is that it genders all other pens as male. Therefore, women will be encouraged to spend more money on these pens because they are "specifically made to fit a woman's hand." On their website, Bic even puts Bic For Her under "Added Value Ballpoint Pens." What exactly is the added value? The pink color of the pen? The "For Her" written on the package? It just doesn't make any sense. And yet, women will buy them even though they are just like all other pens on the market. Ellen's commentary shows how ridiculous the whole idea is.
Because marketers price women's products higher than men is the exact reason why I buy men's razors and shaving cream. I actually prefer the men's products better because the razors are more durable! I understand a company wanting to make more money, but their tactics are getting ridiculous.
ReplyDeleteAnd the Bic Pens for Her are absolutely insane. I would never buy a pen like that. I really don't understand the appeal of buying something like that. Watching the Ellen DeGeneres clip above really showed how crazy the binary categories have become. It's really kind of depressing because sometimes it doesn't seem to get better.
I love that you mentioned this because I remember reading the Amazon reviews about the pens "For Her." They were hilarious, the top review says:
ReplyDelete"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 and it has really given me the self-esteem I needed to start a book club and flirt with the bag-boy at my local market. My drawings of kittens and ponies have improved, and now that I'm writing my last name hyphenated with the Robert Pattinson's last name, I really believe he may some day marry me! I'm positively giddy. Those smart men in marketing have come up with a pen that my lady parts can really identify with.
Where has this pen been all my life???"
They are all so entertaining because the product is just so ridiculous! It's also interesting to consider how it really does make any product not labeled "for her" seem to be for men. Companies need to learn to stop putting gender labels on things, especially pens!
And I'm ashamed to have not noticed the difference in prices of men's products verses women's products but will definitely consider that when shopping next time because it's not fair at all.