Sony Bravia - Marketing to Women?

Sony has some interesting ideas when it comes to marketing their Sony Bravia flat screen TV to women.    They have focused on the one thing that really matters to women when buying a TV - shoes.

Yup, that's right - shoes.   Because we know, when it comes to women's deepest desires and motivators, it's all about shoes.   When it comes to technology, what women really care about is.....shoes.    Want her to buy your television set?   Lure her in with.....shoes.   

Think I'm kidding?   check out this landing page.   There is a video that shows a man and a woman looking at a Sony Bravia in a store window - the video stops mid-stream and you get to pick the ending - you must choose "men" or "women" to see your gender specified ending

For the men - they get a choice of a football coach or video game action hero.  That is the theme of both endings - they guy as hero who gets the girl because of his heroics.

For the women - they get a choice of "Shoesical" or "The Heart Specialist".   Shoesical is just what it sounds like - a Broadway number about shoes where the star gets to be a shoe model.   It is as cliche as cliche gets.   

Now - there is another choice, "The Heart Specialist" where the woman is a doctor.  This one isn't nearly as bad, though the "sap" level is through the roof.  (Think Lifetime only worse)   But at least there is this consistent theme of "hero".

So why "Shoesical" - it doesn't seem to fit in...at all.   Sony appears to be suggesting to her that men want to be heroes, and women want to buy shoes.   

And I must ask, at the end of the day, what does all of this have to do with the Sony Bravia Television?   

Let me warn you - it is dangerous to separate out men and women unless there are truly different products for each gender.  (think clothing)   When you do that, you are stating "this is what we think of each of the sexes and what they want".   You risk stereotyping at best, and offending at worst.

Why not have an assortment of endings and let people self select which one they would prefer?   Women are video game enthusiasts - perhaps they'd like the video game action hero ending.   Men are doctors or look up to them - perhaps they'd like the Heart Specialist ending?   

Sony's whole campaign is based on the premise that men and women want different things from their televisions.    They may have different buying processes, needs, and features or benefits that appeal to them.  But to dumb it down to "men want performance, women want beauty"........you are coming dangerously close to Stereotypeland.   

read more about the Sony Bravia campaign and what others have to say about it.

Comments

[Mary Schmidt]

Hmmm...so where does that leave a woman like me? I hate buying shoes; I hate to wear uncomfortable ones (Manolo huh?) I watch Sci-Fi and Spike TV yet find most sports very boring. Lifetime and Oxygen shows make me leave the room.

So, one eye-roll and a yawn from me to Sony Bravia. They did the easy thing - go to the stereotypes and slap 'em in the campaign, even though as you note, what the heck does any of this have to do with buying a television?

The next television I buy will be based on the tech specs, consumer reviews and what my friends say.

P.S. Even my friends who like to buy shoes, don't talk much about them. Ane, when we talk about buying technology - of any kind - it's not because it's painted pink or we liked the frou-frou "targeting." We talk about the same things as the guys - how the product or service performs, is it compatible with other boxes/apps, can we download/upload, what's the speed, resolution, etc. etc.

[Tami Anderson]

Holly, This is really timely. Have you seen the new Roundtable Pizza commercial where football is combined with the ballet and the statement the announcer makes is that when you try to please both men and women you end up pleasing neither? - except, of course!, with Roundtable's new whatever-it-is pizza which combines "manly" pepperoni with a "girly" cornmeal dusted crust (my adjectives - not theirs). Appreciate the attempt at humor but the "women don't like football and men hate the ballet" stereotyping is uninspired to say the least.

[Michele Miller]

Good Lord, just when you think perhaps you're making headway... guess our work will never be complete, will it? :-)

Great post... and great find! This is a definite "DON'T DO" example for seminars...

[Leslie MacDonald]

Holly,

I think maybe Sony got your message - when I clicked through this morning to the Sony site - the spot didn't have the seperate endings you spoke about - they have a list of benefits.

Cheers
Leslie

[Lisa R]

I noticed that too Leslie and wondered if it had been changed or if I hadn't clicked the right area.

[Lynda K.]

Greetings,
I just discovered your blog and so enjoyed the posts (especially since our soon to launch other businesses are targeting women) and if you have a minute I'd love to have you submit your blog to our newish blog directory at www.delightfulblogs.com. We have thousands of women (and some men) visiting daily looking for new blogs to bookmark.

Best,
Lynda

[Kim Palmer]

I totally agree! I don't think it necessarily follows that women prefer pink things, either...

[Mark A.]

I saw that commercial and its kind of offensive, it actually moved me to write a comment on their website, something I rarely do, about how offensive it is to men, women, straight or gay and generally unimagitive. I hope they didn't pay the ad ageny much for the concept.

[Jen Smith]

I think the point is the ads are supposed to be stereotypical. That's the joke.

If you watch the beginning up until you choose the ending, they're satiring movies in general.

Then, the endings come along and all 3 are satire of the different genres they represent (anime, sports movies, and musicals).

I don't think it's meant to be taken seriously.

[Michele]

I am an engineer that moonlights as a radio DJ, HATES shopping, LOVES anime, and I was a little disappointed that there were no cool anime endings for the women. However, the whole thing just makes fun of stereotypes from movies past, and I liked them all except "The Heart Specialist." I laughed so hard at "Shoesical" that I almost fell out of my chair! If anything, "Shoesical" inspired us for several bits on our radio show using the audio, and it was a hit!

[Rosie Sanger]

I have to agree with both you and Seth Stevenson (Slate) about Sony Bravia. The "paint" and "balls" ads are fantastic but "The world's first television for men and women" ad... lets say it left a lot to be desired. I'm certainly not convinced by a few shoes flashing up on the screen.

It's true, the "balls" and "paint" ads are visually stunning. They don't just advertise the product, but actually build an effective connection between the product, the benefits and the audience. That is what would convince me to buy their flat screen.

[Nick Kent]

Just remember, this is Sony. This may be their least-offensive advertising campaign. Sony is known for racist ads, ads that imply suicide ("Take the leap!" at a place where young people are known to jump in front of traint), have a festival where they mock-butcher goats, have ads where women are sitting on the toilet... come on guys...
This is like being offended by a Klan member who calls Colin Powell "colored". Well... what do you expect?

That, plus this advertising campaign is just plain stupid. Anyone want to explain to me why televisions weren't ever "made for women" before?

[Sara]

Oh my god!
So many of you are overreacting and it's absolutely ridiculous.
The fact is that more often than not, if a girl sees a shoe store, they are bound to look with interest. If a male sees a football game on, he will probably watch while his girlfriend does something else.
Just because Sony is trying to subconsciously attract both male and female viewers by using dramatized scenarios does not in any way mean they were intending to insult a single person. Nor does it mean they were making the statement that all women love shoes.
If you really think it should be something taken to heart, then shouldn't men be just as upset the Sony would be so bold as to assume all men drool over football and dream of being a hero who gets "the girl" in the end.
I myself tend to be a bit feminist, but the fact that so many of you are up in arms over such a petty matter is mindblowing--especially because you are proving their joke to be reality in a sense.
Also, the note about "men want performance, women want beauty"--
I would like to know how many women who posted this apply make up to themselves. Also, how many of you own more shoes than your partner? How many of you spend any time at all in Victoria's Secret to find lingerie, perfume, or accessories? Victoria's Secret is plastered with pink, ruffles, toy dogs and anorexic models. Our makeup reads Bronze Goddess and Great Lash. If our shoes didn't come in the color we wanted, we wouldn't necessarily slip but we would feel as if we were settling. All of this concerns the "frou-frou," as someone said earlier, of things. We don't complain that we have such a selection of shoes to choose from at the store--oh, it isn't sexist in that situation. But once commonly held notions are displayed for the public to laugh at, there is suddenly a huge problem.
And thank you Jen Smith. At least some people have common sense.

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