Gender-Bending Vision

Issues relating to brand by gendering

Examining the market potential for a gendered brand becomes the first step while introducing such a product. How would the target audience react to such a product? Is it already at the back of their mind that the product is for their gender?

The issues relating to gender adherence in branding and product differentiation are:

Gender Attributes. The stereotypical roles set for both genders reflecting in brands or products. For instance, feminine gentleness is seen in Johnson and Johnson products while masculine strength is evident in almost all shaving products.

Gender Concerns. A marketer before making a conscious decision regarding genderising the brand, must carefully examine the concerns of the two genders. What is the concern of a woman using a fairness cream? Beauty, apart from other things. The brand should come across as addressing her concerns rather than just needs.

Sex Role Prohibitions. Women don’t just buy a brand, they join a brand. For women, it’s all about creating a bond - a relationship. On the other hand, for men it is more of a utility issue. Why this difference? Society plays a major role in deciding what is masculine and what is feminine. This extends to the brands we buy.

Negative Reactions. If a brand aspires to cut across boundaries, it must clearly define the kind of response it hopes to get from consumers. The way a vacuum cleaner is branded and sold in India is different from the way it is sold elsewhere, basically because the woman's role in India is different from what it is elsewhere in the world. To avoid any kind of negative reaction, brands must appeal to the roles, which consumers play.

Opposite Sex Rejection. The one danger in branding products as feminine or masculine is limiting its use by the opposite sex. Kinetic Honda was once seen as a feminine brand but what about the male users? Men and women often use products that are branded for the opposite sex. Dove is used by both sexes. Analysts say that men are more likely to reject feminine brands than women rejecting masculine brands.

Age. This is an important factor that drives consumers to traditional typecasts. Men and women who fall in the middle-age bracket will have a strong adherence towards gendered brands. For instance, a forty year old will be more receptive towards masculine toothpaste than otherwise. Similarly a middle-aged lady will be more comfortable using a feminine soap than the one targeted at males.

Subtle Gender Symbols. Colour, shape, texture and packaging define the gender of a brand to a great extent. For instance, dense colours and rough textures suggest masculinity. This is communicated through advertising and promotion.

Gender Credibility of the Brand. Will consumers believe that it is a feminine or a masculine brand? This credibility amongst other things comes from good advertising through which perceptions are created in the mind of the consumer. Why should a man purchase masculine toothpaste? Would it attract the opposite sex? Answers to such questions must be provided through effective communication.

However, sex roles are a thing of the past. No longer do men and women strongly adhere to them. The sooner marketers take note of this, the better. The way marketers gender brands might also become obsolete in the not-too-distant future. Marketers have already started approaching brands with “neutral” perspective.

Related Reading:
“The Carousel of Genders”; Smelik, Anneke; www.let.uu.nl/women_studies; University of Utrecht; Aug 2000.