Marketing to Women

Mainstream marketers continue to miss the mark when attempting to develop and market their products to women. While I’m all for companies spending more time creating and promoting products that serve the particular needs and desires of women, most products and/or marketing campaigns that aim to attract women leave me unsatisfied at best and more often offended. The marketing departments at Dell and Mars, for instance, have demonstrated with their recent marketing campaigns that they are extremely out of touch with women.

Dell created a separate section of their website for women’s PCs and named the section Della. The major point of differentiation from Dell’s other PCs is the smaller size and weight (cause all women love small things!) and more color and design options to choose from. Dell provides superficial advice that demeans the very market they target, which includes things to do on your Dell like shop for clothing and track calories. These “features” have nothing to do with Dell computer capabilities, but rather are activities that anyone with Internet access can engage in. C’mon Dell, don’t patronize me! Mars, a company that sells chocolate candy of all sorts, has developed a new candy bar for women called “Fling” which uses sex and pink wrapping to convince women to buy chocolate.

When will marketers realize that using pink wrapping, and selling sex will never be as effective as developing products and marketing campaigns that treat women as intelligent, multi-layered, multi-tasking, with diverse backgrounds and interests? Marketers need to understand that women are not a niche market that need a separate section on a website, but are instead part of the human family, with needs and desires that should inform and enrich products, websites, etc that have been previously molded primarily according to men’s expectations and desires.

First Large-Scale Art Exhibition Featuring All Female Artists

The Centre Pompidou

Camille Morineau has organized the first large-scale art exhibition solely showcasing the work of female artists, entitled, “elles@CentrePompidou.” The exhibition, which opens this Wednesday at the Centre Pompidou, a world-renowned Parisian museum, includes 500 pieces created by over 200 women. In an industry that has historically recognized and showcased male artists, the emergence of this exhibit could generate awareness of lesser-known women artists and work and could serve as a catalyst for greater appreciation of female artists. The exhibit also prompts visitors to recognize how much discrimination against women has persisted in this industry, a fact that Morineau believes goes unnoticed by most museum visitors.



After reading about the new exhibit, I was reminded of a feminist activist group, the Guerilla Girls, who have been exposing sexism in the art world since 1985. The gorilla-mask-wearing group members create billboards and posters (like the one above), write letters to curators and take to the streets in their masks in an effort to encourage more museums to diversify their collections. The Guerilla Girls are concerned with increased access and representation for women artists and artists of color.

I think the ideas promoted in the "elles" exhibit are ones that are needed, and I'm glad that such a prominent museum has come forth with the exhibit, as it sends a clear message of support for female artists that I hope they will follow up with long-term investment in more works by female artists and artists of color. I would be interested to see a push, not only for increased representation, but also for a larger number of works by women and people of color whose work does not follow the artistic themes throughout history, but instead tell their own, alternative story that cannot be found in the prevailing style or theme of the time. Of course female artists whose work rivals Van Gogh’s, DaVinci’s and Radko’s are important and should be recognized, but artists who have a different concept of what art is and can expand and diversify that dialogue will really help to transform the art world and forward the conversation.

Women's Participation in Business Could Lift Us Out of Recession, BBC Reports

The BBC reports that women could help lift economies out of the recession by starting their own businesses. A conference held in London this week, which attracted businesswomen from all corners of the globe, as well as a small group of businessmen, aimed at discussing how to break the glass ceiling universally and encourage more women to develop their own businesses.

Interestingly, the BBC reports that male attendees were among the “strongest advocates for encouraging women to become entrepreneurs.” Britain’s Business Secretary, Lord Mandelson, who attended the conference is quoted:

“Women have a huge amount to contribute to businesses at top levels. There are barriers holding them back. This is wrong. It’s not just for the women as individuals; it’s unfair to the rest of us because our economies are losing out as a result.”

The article repeatedly reiterates that promoting women in business is not just good for women and that the conference is not just about developing strategies for overcoming social and economic barriers that have made it difficult for women to participate in business for women’s sake.

I’m all for the acknowledgment that women play a vital role in society. Such recognition helps more people understand and value the work that women do. I also think that the assertion that women can and do have an extremely positive impact on the economy and that the work they do can help get us out of a global recession is correct, albeit obvious. But this shouldn’t be the reason for us to remove barriers and encourage women to start their own businesses. We should want increased access for women because it benefits women and because women should have access to opportunities that will improve their lives. Why is it that the work women are doing is only widely acknowledged when it benefits men, children, or society at large? When will the work women do ever be valued simply because it benefits women?

Is Common Ground on Abortion Possible? Should We Aim for It?

The number of Americans identifying themselves as “Pro-Life” has surpassed the number of Americans who identify as “Pro-Choice” for the first time since Gallup introduced the question in 1995. The poll reflects a right-ward shift of independent and moderate Republicans on this issue, with Democrats’ views remaining consistent.

In response to this news, some “Pro-Life” advocates are stating that there is a growing consensus that abortion “can be avoided through education about abstinence and birth control.” Where are the pro-life voices advocating for comprehensive sex-education programs? Affordable and accessible birth control? While there must be some pro-lifers who recognize that comprehensive sex education programs and increased access to birth control will reduce the number of unintended pregnancies and abortions, any efforts among pro-life individuals and groups to advance programs and access are not covered. Is this because such efforts are virtually non-existent, or because the media wants to only depict the polarization of this issue? One of the things I find so perplexing about the mainstream pro-life movement is that its strategies for reducing abortions are actually counterproductive. The pro-life movement is focused on limiting education about and access to contraception and promoting a restrictive, impractical (for many), and sexist standard of female sexuality. These strategies restrict the options women have to prevent pregnancy and result in more unintended pregnancies.

Obama has focused his efforts on limiting the polarization that so often characterizes the abortion debate, bringing attention to a goal that most people on both sides of the isle can get behind: reducing unintended pregnancies. However, while there is agreement that unintended pregnancies should be reduced, there is much disagreement between pro-choice and pro-life advocates about how to effectively go about doing so. This may explain the somewhat inconsistent moves Obama has made surrounding this issue. Obama’s proposed 2010 budget reduces the amount of funding available for abstinence-only sex-education to 25% of teen pregnancy prevention funds. However, he has opted not to include federal funding for birth control, which would ensure affordable contraception was available to millions of Americans. While I think his efforts help move discussion past whether abortions are morally permissible and toward developing constructive solutions that engage both sides of the aisle ultimately could benefit women, the compromises that seem to be taking place as evident in the above decisions could also continue to prevent women from receiving the education and access they need. Furthermore, should women’s ability to freely govern their bodies be an issue where we should seek common ground if it means that compromise is needed? Any thoughts?

Erotic Ads Eliminated from Craigslist

Following the highly publicized “Craigslist Killer” case and mounting pressure from several state attorneys general, Craigslist has agreed to remove its erotic services section nationwide. The section will be replaced by an adult section that will be monitored manually by Craigslist employees for illegal activity.

What interests me about this change is that it has been framed as not only a step to eliminating illegal activity, but also as a protection to women. Illinois Attorney General Lisa Madigan has stated that “The steps they're taking are the only effective way to prevent the exploitation of women and children.” Is Madigan really so out of touch that she believes that simply eliminating a portion of Craigslist will keep women safe an unexploited? In fact, Craiglist provided a comparably safe atmosphere for sex workers, providing women refuge from selling their services on the street and allowing many to screen their clients before committing to a time and place. The wide client-base Craigslist attracts enabled many sex workers to set their own rules and work independently. The structure of Craigslist “lessen[ed] the class divide found in nearly every other shadowy corner of the sex trade.” While no avenue is completely safe, Craiglist’s erotic services section provided sex workers with more safety than they could hope for on the streets and prevented the exploitation previously suffered at the hands of pimps.

The only effective way to prevent the exploitation of women is not, as Madigan insists, to eliminate erotic services from Craigslist. Funding programs that educate boys and men to see all women as human and not as disposable sex objects that can be used and discarded at will could be a start. Recognizing that the line of sex work does not exist independently of a market of hundreds of millions of men who pay for these services, and that combating exploitation by focusing efforts on the client who exploits, could be more effective. However, these steps would also garner more criticism. It is much easier to disenfranchise a portion of society that has historically been marginalized and silenced.

Supreme Court Justice Pick: “The Best” Choice

Articles abound as President Obama gets closer to nominating a Supreme Court justice to replace Justice Souter. One recurring theme I’ve seen in many of these articles and in the comments section of these articles is the sentiment that the best person for the job should be chosen without regard to race or gender.

But just what is “the best”? What characteristics, education and experience should the “best” candidate for the Supreme Court possess? Perhaps one of the criterion for an ideal Supreme Court justice replacement should be that the candidate is of a different racial and/or gender make-up than the vast majority of those justices already serving on the Supreme Court. Of course, gender and race should not be the only considerations, and it is equally important that the nominee be anti-racist and feminist (which white men can be). Yet, it is also high time that the make-up of the Supreme Court begin to reflect the demographic make-up of the United States. For far too long, the criteria for “excellent” Supreme Court justice nominees have been shaped by a white, male elite paradigm. Paul Campos writes about the potential problems with appointing yet another Harvard or Yale law school graduate:

“Limiting Supreme Court nominees to those who [follow the typical Supreme Court career path] largely limits the field to members of a social and intellectual elite who generally lack much in the way of either practical political experience, or contact with people outside their rarified socio-economic status. The court is ultimately a deeply political institution, and, as the history of the Warren court illustrates, being immersed in politics for much of their lives may serve justices better than having gotten straight A’s at one of two law schools.”

“The best” for me is a candidate who breaks the mold, who brings something new to the table, who is not more of the same, who doesn’t fit outdated, gender, race and class “neutral” notions of best. Campos believes that President Obama’s own unique road to the White House could prompt him to nominate someone who has not followed the typical Supreme Court career path. I hope he’s right.

Male Contraceptive Shot and Pill May Be Coming Soon to a Store Near You

Two scientific discoveries may spur advancements in contraception. Scientists in China have been testing the effectiveness of monthly testosterone shots as a form of male contraceptive. Following the identification of a “genetic fault that leads to male infertility,” scientists from the University of Iowa suggest one outcome of further study could be the development of male contraception similar to the Pill for women. If these male contraceptives make it through test phases to the general public, they have the potential to dramatically alter the current contraceptive landscape.

One part of the article on the male contraceptive shot stuck out to me:

“Previous attempts to develop an effective and convenient male contraceptive
have encountered problems over reliability and side effects, such as mood swings
and a lowered sex drive.”

While I think it is important to limit the negative side effects that contraceptives have, female contraceptives have side effects that are more numerous and severe than mood swings and decreased libido, and women have been using them for years. The development of these products was not halted until every side effect could be removed. The article leaves me wondering where the impetus to delay development comes from. Are potential male customers unwilling to use contraception that has side effects?

Ultimately, having a wider range of contraceptive choices will be beneficial to men and women. I hope the emphasis on eliminating the side effects of male contraceptives will prompt manufacturers of female contraceptives to work to eliminate serious side effects from their own products.

I also wonder how men will respond to the availability of a new male contraceptive. What kind of men will the pill or shot appeal to? How will the introduction of the pill change the discourse around contraception in the United States? Erica’s question, “how in the world are drug companies going to market this option to men?” has also sparked a lot of interesting debate.

Redefining Work in the Recession

This March, the number of women in our nation’s workforce surpassed the number of men for the first time in U.S. history. The rate at which women are becoming the primary breadwinners in their families is also rising. While the recession could have a transformative impact on gender roles, helping to debunk the traditional gender role myths, instead the recession is increasing the burden on many women. With growing numbers of women in the workforce, more women are performing “double-shifts” – putting in a full day at work and then coming home and performing the majority of the housework and childcare responsibilities. While non-traditional gender roles in the workplace and home have become more socially acceptable, the U.S. American Time Use Survey suggests that traditional gender roles still persist in most households, despite the increasing number of men who find themselves at home without a job. According to the survey, the amount of time unemployed males devote to children and household responsibilities is equal to the time spent by men who are employed. Work time is primarily replaced by watching TV, job search and sleeping, the survey found. In contrast, the number of hours spent on childcare by women who become unemployed is almost twice the amount of time employed women spend on these duties. The U.S. American Time Use Survey also found that employed men spend less time on childrearing and household responsibilities than employed women.

Many positive changes have and could continue to result from the collective efforts of women in the workplace fighting for pay equity, demanding sexual harassment be taken seriously and arguing for more flexible work schedules. A change in how our society structures work as well as the way our society views home responsibilities needs to continue to transform to reflect the importance of work/life balance and its availability to women and men of all socio-economic classes, as well as a more equitable division of home responsibilities and childrearing.

Chinese Politician Proposes 'Women-Only' Sections on Beijing Subways

The recent proposal of “Women-only” sections on subways in Beijing could serve as one effective way to prevent sexual harassment frequently carried out by men on public transportation in a direct and timely way. Wang Zhuo, a politician from Beijing who has developed this plan, notes that the addition of these ‘women-only’ transport carriages would also help address overcrowding, a growing and significant problem in Beijing.

It strikes me that, creating a whole new section of the subway for women, is a reactionary strategy to curb sexual harassment. Adopting a preventative strategy such as educating men in an effort to prevent sexual harassment and objectification of women seems more beneficial to women and more effective in the long run. On the other hand, while education must be seen as an essential step to curb harassment in the long run, women-only buses fulfill an immediate need and protect women from the abuses that can take place, while also allowing children to be sheltered from witnessing the harassment of their mothers. The introduction of women-only buses could help the Chinese government demonstrate that they see sexual harassment as an issue that must be addressed and that they will take a more serious stand against the daily abuses women suffer.

The introduction of these carriages may be seen as a first step to show that initiatives to help prevent sexual harassment are needed, appreciated by women and can work effectively. While these carriages will not prevent all sexual harassment, they might help provide women with a feeling of increased safety in one avenue of their public experience. The carriage proposal is not a means within itself to eliminate sexual harassment, but is evidence of the increased effort to recognize and begin addressing issues of importance to women. If implemented correctly, the program could serve as a pioneer program that could encourage other regions to make efforts to prevent harassment.

I have mixed feelings about this proposal. What are your thoughts?