I've written before about what I think of the use of pink in women's advertising. Though it is also the official color of breast cancer awareness, that is not always the reason it is used. It has seemed to be true, especially in the gaming world, that the use of pink is meant to be a beacon to notify the women: "This product was made for you. It is unlikely to differ from existing products in any other way besides the fact that we made it pink, and perhaps added some flowers or cursive type."
Recently I went to buy a water bottle. I had some specific requirements, but as I shopped there was one factor more important than anything else. I was shopping for a water bottle because my husband was constantly using mine and I would not see them for long stretches of time.
As I looked over my wall of options, I had a revelation about pink. I never picked it before because for the most part, I don't care for pink. But I thought about one of my few pink-colored purchases: a dual-shock controller. When we bought The Show, my husband was offended that his only option was a pink, sparkly controller. He didn't want to touch it, even in the privacy of our own home.
This made me think: maybe all this pink isn't as much pro-girl as it is anti-boy. This is the ad that they should have. "Look girls! A pink controller! The men in your life will hate it, and therefore leave it alone and not break it! You no longer have to hide things you don't want them to mess up! Hide them in plain sight with pink!" I bought a nice translucent pink water bottle that my husband has not so much as touched, and it's making me rethink pink.
