I’m a pop culture junkie and enjoy reading various websites to keep up with what’s going on in the world of television, movies, and celebrities in general. One morning, I was interested to see an article about Hasbro’s new line of Nerf toys marketed to girls. Now, I was a “girly girl” for the most part growing up; my favorite toys were My Little Ponies, I had a large plastic tub of Barbies and I dreaded my best friend’s suggestions of climbing trees and other adventurous outdoor activities. I did, however, enjoy a good Nerf battle with my brother from time to time and never once did I question the color or design of the toys. While I’m sure girls will find the new collectible darts fun and exciting, the line brings up the concerns some have with gender marketing.
Gender marketing is simply marketing that is targeted to one sex or the other. This type of marketing can be targeted to all ages of consumers, though many take issue specifically with gender marketing toys for children. Recently, we’ve talked about how brand loyalty can be formed at young ages and how women drive the economy. Now, let’s look at three examples of gender marketing in recent years across multiple age ranges to see what has worked and what hasn’t.
Lego Friends
In 2012, LEGO introduced a new line of products called LEGO Friends, designed to appeal to girls. Some initial reaction was negative, and the line was even nominated as a contender for the “Worst Toy Awards.” In a statement after the toys were released, LEGO noted that the company did four years worth of global market research with thousands of girls and their mothers, to determine what they wanted in a construction play-set The product line has sold twice as well as expected and won the 2012 “Toy of the Year Award” from the Toy Industry Association.
Easy-Bake Oven
The Easy-Bake Oven was introduced in 1963 and has featured 11 models over the years, enabling millions of would-be pastry chefs to cook to their heart’s content. The toy originally was pale yellow and turquoise but recent models have been predominately pink and purple. A teenager who wanted to grant her brother’s Christmas wish for an Easy-Bake Oven was disappointed to find the toy in colors that her brother disliked and created a Change.org petition to get Hasbro to create a gender-neutral option and also feature boys in their advertising. After reaching 45,000 signatures, the teen and her family were invited to Hasbro headquarters where the company announced their plans for a gender neutral, silver and black Easy-Bake Oven that will be marketed to both boys and girls.
BIC for Her Pens
As girls grow, gender marketing can move from toys to everyday items like writing utensils. A few years ago, BIC launched a line of pens called “BIC for Her,” which flew under the radar until the feminist blog, Jezebel.com, got wind of it and the conversation exploded. While online descriptions said the pens were for women, BIC actually produced a commercial aimed at tweens and teens. As more people took offense to the product, Amazon.com users mocked the pens in scathing reviews, and Ellen DeGeneres even shared some very funny thoughts about the pens on her show.
While gender inequality still exists in today’s world, gender stereotypes and traditional male and female roles are disappearing. Companies and their marketing teams need to evaluate how they are communicating with consumers of both sexes, at all ages.
How is your brand marketing to boys and girls? What about men and women? Are you aware of what your customers are looking for and – more importantly – not looking for?
The Pert Group can help evaluate and optimize your marketing and messaging. Contact me to find out more!