And voilà! A women's laptop is born.
This isn't the first time we've seen Dell market their products to women in a ridiculously cliché and sexist way, but their newest product was worth noting. Meet Della, the new Dell mini netbook that is being pitched to women as cute, compact and in colors with lady adjectives like Promise Pink (which actually donates $5 of your purchase to the Susan G. Komen Foundation - a good thing) and Cherry Red.
As Kristen Shoemaker at Liliputing says, it's not so much the references to everything cute to draw women that's so insulting, but when the "Tech Tips" section suggests you use the Della to manage your diet and exercise program, we have a wee problem. What's interesting is the note at the top of this section saying that editors have changed the article in response to some "feedback," which I believe (and hope) may be because of some of the complaints that women tech bloggers like Kristen and Nicole Price Fasig have made.
But regardless of what they've omitted, marketing a product to a woman by dumbing down the language and making it cutesy and fashionable isn't good marketing - it's insulting. The very pitch on Dell's homepage website featuring Della says, "Find out how technology fits your lifestyle." I guess in this case, "lifestyle" seems to be your gender.
This is not to say that there's anything wrong with accessorizing your laptop or finding a netbook adorable - it's when you assume that only women will have interest in it is when a line is crossed.
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So if Della is for women, then the regular Dell is for guys? Thanks for insulting my intelligence once again... it's not like I get that enough in the technology department at school...
That's one thing I find so interesting about Della. Dell hasn't changed its original site, so do they see Dell as masculine or gender neutral? OR does Dell see gender neutral as masculine? Hmmmm....
"This is not to say that there's anything wrong with accessorizing your laptop or finding a netbook adorable - it's when you assume that only women will have interest in it is when a line is crossed."
Word. I'm getting a new laptop that happens to be pink, and while I am thrilled to have a pink computer, because they are pretty and I love bold colors, I am ultimately buying this computer because it has the best combination of price and features. I am bracing myself for the bombardment of shit I will receive from my friends for having a pink computer. Actually, it has already started.
Unfortunately, a side affect of these patronising ad campaigns directed at women is that any woman who does buy a machine with a non-standard chassis is then patronised by default.
The situation is really quite bizarre if we think about all the kudos which men get for owning technology/gadgets (especially cars) with a non-standard appearance!
I suppose that the difference is due how we unconsciously absorb the tone of the advertising.
It seems to me that if women care about how a piece of technology looks, they are automatically shallow, whereas men are just seen as factoring appearance into a host of other criteria that go into the purchase. I think it definitely has to do with the advertisements; if enough of the woman-targeted ads have pink polka-dotted crap in them, then eventually people assume women only want the crap because it's pink polka-dotted. And, since the pink polka-dots are not in the man-targeted advertisements, then people assume men want a slick, snazzy machine with loads of features. Pisses me off.
Side note that has been confusing me: I have a purple phone and a purple iPod, and no one has given me shit for those being a traditionally feminine color. Why is it just computers? Or, if my phone and iPod were PINK, would that make the difference? Something tells me the pink color is the biggest factor in deciding how "shallow" the female buyer is.
I'm in the same boat-- I love brightly coloured gadgets (mainly because I find black and blue rather depressing colours to be around). However, I've found that manufacturers will often jack up the price for a 'pretty' chasis. I was in Best Buy yesterday, looking at laptops. There was a cute bright red netbook-- it cost $300 more than the exact same netbook in black!
So what if I want to support breast cancer research, but hate the color pink? I might like to get a blue or purple or patterened laptop, but I HATE pink. I'm SOL, I guess.
Well, you could buy the blue computer, and donate $5 to whatever breast cancer research organization you like. The Susan G Komen Foundation isn't the best to donate to, anyway, in my opinion.
Honestly, the $5 donation is a ploy to get you to buy something you probably don't need, something that makes you feel good, but isn't actually better--just like this whole line of computers.
http://www.thinkbeforeyoupink.org/
Thanks for the link to think before you pink.
Didn't mean that to rhyme.
Like (probably) a lot of you, I get sneers when I don't support some pink organization ("Don't you care about women?") and I'm glad to see the mask removed.
Fuck off, Dell.
if we had that stupid Dell boy making those commercials, then I DEMAND we have a Della girl to make TV commercials.
but if they put her in a flowery spring dress and have her hold a Cosmo cocktail, then I will aim my Doc Martens and throw them HARD at the TV set!
Yes, I suggest one of these computer companies, Dell, Apple, whatever, get a female spokesperson soon. They had the "Dude, you're gettin' a Dell" guy, and they have the popular Mac vs. PC commercials that have two guys (because I guess computers are male ya know), so now it's time for an ad campaign with a female. NOW damnit.
Microsoft has those ads where "Lauren" (who apparently is a different actress in different ads) goes shopping for a computer and misrepresents the prices and capabilities of Macs.
Novell made 3 Mac / PC / Linux commercials (didn't air, just for fun, released online) where Linux is a woman. Ctrl+F and search for "youtube" to see all 3: http://reverendted.wordpress.com/2007/03/19/mac-vs-pc-how-would-linux-fit/
This is something of a chicken/egg problem for me. Corporations don't manufacture things that won't sell -- so obviously there is considerable demand for all of this "feminine" pink stuff.
So, do I blame the supply or the demand?
kbz
Well a big part of capitalism is not just giving people what they want, but TELLING people what they want. I don't think that without the social conditioning that tells me that cute and feminine = loved, successful and happy, my immediate reaction to this would have been 'oooh, I quite like the purple one!', though, maddeningly, that was my first thought...
I don't necessarily think it's the demand that's the problem, it's the way they're interpreting the demand. I would love to have a laptop with different colors and would, I'd imagine, many people, both men and women. However, in marketing people's minds the reason women want something like this is all related to the Vagina and Vagina-like concerns so that's how they go about marketing it.
It's a catch 22 for women: We all have different tastes and desires but, with the way the world interprets certain desires, we feel like we're buying into a stereotype and may be reluctant to do so.
That's exactly what I was thinking too.
Dell wouldn't have launched this unless they had considerable market research and a proper business case to back it up. They probably did focus groups and the whole bit before proceeding down this path, and all that must have shown them they would make money this way.
So in one sense it's hard to blame them for wanting to make money and catering to demand, but on the other there is the very valid question of why is there demand for this sort of thing? I'd like to see a good discussion around that question on here.
Personally I approve of the new marketing. Dell's are poorly made machines and they have terrible customer service. Anything they do that encourages someone to buy something else is great.
I'm both a manly man and a total geek who love hardcore technology, and I have to say that these computers look awesome. I would love to have a computer that looks like any of those in the image.
Here's a tip, Dell: instead of using a patronizing and ridiculous marketing strategy to specifically target women (although I don't quite see how being insulting is good marketing), why don't you just say "Hey, our computers look great, much better than our competitors" Instead of patronizing women and turning of men, you might find that both sexes will be more likely to buy them.
I'm sick and tired of these arbitrary divisions of style between men and women. Obviously, because I have a penis, I must love computers that are either pitch black or completely white. And obviously, people with vaginas must love computers that are pink!
What is this, the 50s?
yes, I was also wondering why they would want to only market to half of the consuming population.
Oh, it has nothing to do with your genitals, it's in your brain chemistry. *rolls eyes*
As a man, I can say that I think my laptop is cute, and that that is something that makes it appeal to me more.
I do like that they are using more colors though. I like my silver laptop, but I certainly wouldn't mind some nice options. I might have taken a green pattern if available, for example!
I was just on Dell's (regular) site looking for a new laptop the other day. Totally missed the "for girls!" section.
What's really insulting is when you click on "products," you get a page of netbooks. *Just* netbooks. What would ladies need with 3GB of RAM and a dual core chipset?
The kicker, though, is that it looks like the prices are different. Try it yourself: go to the main site, and look at the price for the Studio 15. Starting price: well, you have three options from $649 to $929, depending on what features you want. Now go through the Della site and try to buy the same model. The starting price is $978. No options, other than to pick a color.
Screw you, Dell!
Someone needs to sit Dell's marketing team down and gently break the news to them that laptop skins exist, and they cost less than three hundred dollars.
Yeah, seriously. I highly recommend personalized re-decoration of tech machines of all kinds! You can get a new skin for your laptop, or get a cool decal-type-thing for like $20 in any number of different colors/patterns to cover the top surface. I've also seen some excellent use of stickers. Nothing wrong with not wanting a plain old machine--and we don't need to adopt ridiculous and patronizing gender stereotypes to spiff up our computers.
Did they change all of this stuff? I looked at the site to see if they offered the colors for "man" laptops, and I don't see a reference to Della anymore.
It's good they reacted so quickly, if so. Someone there is thinking right.
There is an Apple store in my city whose website I was browsing one night reently. They have a seperate listing for products geared for women, but the only product in that category is a box of chocolates.
http://www.neural-net.ca/store/index.php?cPath=45&osCsid=cf3160cd36ddabc70636a0c58ed525f5
I wish HP made pink laptops. I have always had HP, but I'm tired of boring black and silver computers. Plus, it would match my home's decor.
Tacky, but that's not an Apple Store website.
I saw this yesterday and it felt apropos to share now:
http://cdn.holytaco.com/www/sites/default/files/images/Dell-Honest-Ad.jpg
Yeah, I just looked at the site and it looks like Dell made some quick changes. It now just says "Dell: Your is Here."
Right! I'm never buying Dell in the future.
You try to pitch that crap to any of my techie women friends and they will tell you exactly where you can stick the USB cord. Or me, for that matter.
I like pink. I like cute colours. I often put stickers on my laptops. Not the one I'm using currently. It's dark graphite grey, silver and black. It's a shiny Toshiba Satellite, and I love her just as she is! Sleek, dark and dangerous! And most certainly not girly!
But if anyone dares give me lip for my sparkly pink Nintendo DS, they will get the Xena stare out of me.
Damn it, why can't women just be free to enjoy technology like everyone else? :(
The guys or whoever came up with Della must have jello or dello for brains. Or maybe they have been watching that Mad men show too much. Just too dumb. Can't sat the Apple is better but don't think they'd be as dumb.
Can't wait for the IBMa and the HPa. Live and don't learn describes most of my gender it seems.
Should be up for some awarda no?
The name isn't "just adding an 'a' at the end", it's slightly cleverer than that. It looks like a play on the word "dela", which means "hers" in portuguese, and probably other latin-based languages. Not that this makes the concept any better, just the name isn't as lame as it may seem at first.
"della" in Italian and "de la" in French mean of/from the + feminine noun; I don't speak Spanish... (writing from Italy btw)
Has the lack of possible color styles prevented a woman from buying a laptop? Ever? I feel like stickers would do a better (and cheaper) job.
Now I would buy a pink computer... if it had a pirate skull and crossbones on it. I think they are missing out on the "I like color, but I also want to kick ass" look.
*Yawn* Dell makes terrible, over-priced prefab machines. Pardon me while I go off and play some Portal on my super-sweet hand-made game-box. It's all glowy and leet! I don't need no stinkin' pink laptop. I doubt one would even need to stage a formal protest against this sort of thing... it's gonna bomb terribly.
Kristen's blog post is spot on. It's like, "hey, I can use my computer to find recipes and schedule yoga? NO! WAY!"
Ugh.
I imagine the reason they're marketing to women that they apparently think don't know the internet from a microwave is because they already know that tech-savvy women would *never* buy a Dell. We already know from experience how crappy their computers are :-P
http://en.community.dell.com/blogs/direct2dell/
This is there blog post explaining the changes they made for the site. The author claims that Dell is listening to our complaints, and yet none of the changes made really reflect my (our) main concerns.
Check it out and let me know what you think.
I meant "their," of course, not "there."
The changes are good. The tech tips are still not very impressive and don't make me want to buy a Dell, but they aren't stereotypical and patronizing anymore. And the top bar is now black instead of pink (given that they're advertising colorful computers, I would have still gone with a colorful theme, just not all pink).
(I don't get why, in their tech tips, they're advertising websites that you can use on any computer, rather than hardware or software that is specific to Dell or at least specific to Windows)
For the first time EVER, I am so glad I have a Gateway.
I'll just stick to my nearly pitch black laptop with non-cutesy stickers on the lid.
The computers are cute (not that I'd ever switch to Windows) but its the marketing that bugs. If the website touted all the wonderful tech capabilities and then said "its also cute," that would be ok. But instead of advertising processing power, they give patronizing "tech tips" about losing weight. Overall they make it sound like women ONLY care about the color, not that the color is a cute perk on top of everything else.
"But regardless of what they've omitted, marketing a product to a woman by dumbing down the language and making it cutesy and fashionable isn't good marketing - it's insulting."
*rolls eyes*...I don't necessarily agree that Dell is dumbing anything down, nor that there's anything wrong with marketing 'fashion tech' to women any more than its wrong that Gillete markets razors to men by way of fighter jets, and Ford pitches trucks via men who sound like they've been smoking cigarettes & gargling w/ scotch & razor blades all day...but the nice thing about a free market is that if it isn't good marketing it won't be sold for long...
Wow. There is actually one model on the site using a black laptop.
Most makers have long assumed that only women or the young would be interested in products in colors other than plain black, white, grey or metallic. That, or they feel offering variety would cost too much. I want bright colors like red or blue. I'd also like patterns like digital camouflage or leopard, because it would be cool and might better hide fingerprints and scratches.
I have been waiting since 1990 for a laptop under four lbs. with a good screen and adequate power (I want to play the Sims 3) for a few hundred dollars.
If they made one with the NY Yankees colors and symbols (imagine pinstripes!) I would...still be too poor to get one for mere aesthetics no matter how awesome that would be...
Heard about this yesterday. My first thought was that I feel kind of dirty for owning a netbook now.
At least mine is black...wait, does that make me a femdom?
One last thing... $479 for a netbook? I think Dell is doin' it rong.