Ahhh, caught you looking! While you are here, you might as well read on and share your comments.
If you visit this site often, you will know that we are not afraid to call a spade a spade. We are also not afraid to 'put stuff out there', random thoughts, questions and finds. We try to look at products, services and ideas with an open mind.
If by chance you - reading this - have any influence with marketers, advertisers, agencies, then please, take these thoughts back to your office with you.
As always, there is a reason for today's thoughts. I personally receive and review many magazines and ezine articles. I trend watch, I search, I collect data. The tirade I am about to embark upon began with a bit of fuel from an ad placed in the Saturday edition of our city's paper.
I can only assume that Sony has on their retainer, advertising specialists with a mandate to put more Sony products into the hands of women. This time they are not doing it with pink coloured electronics though, they've gone upscale. Sony is marketing their new BRAVIA LCD TV with the power of female endorsement.
That's right. Sony's newest version of 'pink marketing' (that is ad speak for ploys to get us girls to buy products because they make them pink) is simple, take a full page ad out, use one side to talk tech with the 'guy in our lab' and the other side of the page for the endorsements.
Here is an example: Barbra Atkin, Fashion Director at Holt says 'It's thin, sleek and stylish and adds beauty to my decor'. (just what is she talking about?) Amanda Blakley National Manager of Special Events for Rethink Breast Cancer says 'BRAVIA really brings the in-stadium or front-row experience to your couch while watching anything from sports to fashion shows'. (come on Amanda, how many fashion shows and sporting events do you really watch?) My favorite is from Jane Kerr, Senior Executive of Accenture who says 'BRAVIA HD has transformed the way I watch TV'. (What the heck?) I just don't get it, do you?
I would be willing to bet that Sony dolled out $100,000's of dollars both for these endorsements and for the full page ads. Did they hit the mark? Am I just skeptical? Does it matter to you when you make a big ticket purchase that a woman, selected by the company endorses it? Personally, I think companies need to hire average working women to tell them how to market to our segment. I would also bet that this ad was created by a firm in NYC, predominantly male team, calling themselves 'trendy' and 'in the know'.
Continuing on the subject of marketing to women, I'm going to take a run at a woman's magazine next. (we beat up on the poor boys over at AskMen all the time) This week I picked up a copy of "More". I don't know why, its title was in pink this month - kidding. I'd actually never looked at the mag prior, but caught a title that said 'celebrate your life after 40'. Needless to say, I got my knickers in a knot and paid $5 to take a closer look.
Here's the background. More magazine will be published in Canada starting in the spring of '07, by Transcontinental Media, who have this to say: 'More is the defining magazine of a powerful and empowered generation – a growing community of women over 40 who are more accomplished, more confident, more influential and more resourceful. With features on health, beauty, fashion, food and lifestyle, finance, foreign and national affairs, the arts, travel and more, More gives established women more of what they want to get more out of life.' Currently the magazine 
is still published by it's source, Meredith Corp. out of
My gripe about this magazine..... Well first - how many women really want to be reminded that they are over 40? No need to answer that one. How many women want to look like they are over 40? Dido. Now 'More' defiantly pushes the '40' something time of life. Someone want to tell the man to the right that 'he's getting older'? Go ahead and make his day.
As for content, it is pretty diverse. Everything from recipes (as if we have time) to what to do when you are Pink-Slipped after 40. Ads (lots of them) for weight loss solutions, meals in a box, products that lubricate your joints and help you sleep at night oh and we won't forget that unless we invest every penny we have right now, we are likely going to be held up in a hovel by the time we are 60.
I did like some things about this magazine there was the 'Luxe Life' a photo spread about luxury items - I think. Some of the spread showed women (yes, not 12 year old girls made up to look like women) with boobs. No kidding, and arms/legs that were not stick thin. There was another fashion spread on 'accessories', boots, shoes, and belts - pretty to look at though 90% of the pieces featured were way out of the range of most working women (come on, $2900 for a python evening bag).
Overall.... don't waste your $5! It reminds me of Oprah's magazine without the content. I also don't like the whole marketing to women over 40 thing. I just don't think these types of publications get it. It's okay to be getting older, just don't remind us that we are.
I'll leave you with this thought a friend of mine shared 'the media, the retailers and society in general makes us feel old - it is time we fought back and said 'shove it', I'll do what I want until I can't anymore, then maybe I'll consider slowing down!' I like her way of thinking. Have a Hot Cherry Day!
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