top of page
Search

PINK Is Definitely NOT The New Black

Writer's picture: emilyspensieriemilyspensieri

Updated: Jul 8, 2020



Women aren’t blindly pledging their loyalty to brands anymore. So, if your brand’s marketing-with-women strategy involves adding a little pink here and casually mentioning a social cause there, you’re not going to win her loyalty, you’re more likely to gain her indifference. Why? 80% of women say they don’t trust brands anymore, and this tension has grown over time, with 42% saying they trust brands less than they did 20 years ago.

This is a statistic brands need to care about. With women purchasing 80% of all consumer goods, including up to 50% of all male-targeted products, it matters what female consumers think, regardless of the end user.

Unfortunately for brands, wooing women’s loyalty isn’t about throwing a little ‘pink’ at the situation. In fact, making it pink will likely sabotage a brand’s best intentions for a few reasons. First; if a brand makes its packaging and product pink so that she can easily identify that it’s made for her, she will interpret the strategy as patronizing, because it is! Women are much more than pink and frills – this is an antiquated strategy that needs to stop. Second; women are now leery of products that are supposedly made for her, as there’s often a surcharge that comes with the distinction. That surcharge is referred to as the Pink Tax in the industry. It’s the extra amount women are charged across a plethora of products and services for no particular reason, other than it’s pink and it’s made for her! Thanks to the Pink Tax, Women Pay an Extra $1,351 each year on basic goods and services compared to men. We’re talking about the exact same product as a man’s – THE EXACT SAME! It’s infuriating and women are now looking for the differences that warrant the additional cost before they pay for a product made for her, and they will readily stop purchasing the brand that clearly believes she’s not smart enough to notice there isn’t any difference.

So, what is she looking for? She’s looking for brands that are with her, not just for her. Women want to feel cherished and valued – that’s what brands should use as their marketing plan’s foundation. Remember, that women also respond differently to advertising messages, sales tactics and research settings – take all of these factors into consideration to create effective brand strategies to engage women.

So, if you’re thinking about throwing a little pink at the situation to win her loyalty, stop! This is not the road to profitability, it’s the road to indifference and scorn. Don’t play games, cherish her, and you will win her trust and loyalty.


7 views0 comments

Comments


CONTACT

Emily Spensieri
President/Brand Strategist

emily@herbrandconsulting.com

WBE_logo v052018-07.png
  • LinkedIn
  • Instagram
  • Facebook
Want to chat? Give us a shout!

Thanks for submitting!

© 2024/25 HerBrand Consulting

bottom of page