Coldwater Creek and Stereotyping Girls

I have to start out by saying I'm normally a fan of Coldwater Creek's advertising. So I was intrigued by their new TV commercial, "Sisters." It's a great premise, a family of 5 girls and the story of how they try to outdo each other.

 

I was waiting for great things, until the spot listed out what the girls competed with each other about -

• Who had the prettiest haircut
• Whose jeans fit the best
• who got the highest grades
• who had the cutest boyfriend

Wow. Coldwater Creek missed a real opportunity here - an opportunity to break out of stereotypes, and negative messages about girls. Yes, they tossed in good grades, but that's the only competition that isn't a negative stereotype. Yes, sisters can fight about these things, but there are SO many ways sisters compete with each other:

• Who got their training wheels off first (bicycle)
• Who did the best in sports
• Who got to help dad work in the garage
• Who the family dog loved the best
• Whose mother's day gift mom liked the best
• Who got into the best college
• Who had the best Halloween costume
• Who read the most books in one summer

The list is endless. Since Coldwater Creek 's audience is women and moms, there was an opportunity here to paint girls in an authentic, but positive light. There was also an opportunity for more of their trademark humor like these commercials....

 

 

Here's a tip for everyone who markets to women - after you write your first draft, go back through and look for any stereotypes or cliches and replace them with specific, authentic and positive details. Then watch women flock to your product or service.

 

Comments

[Kat Gordon]

Great insights, Holly! Even better would have been if they had casted for a real family of 5 girls and let them narrate their truths without scripting. Authenticity, authenticity, authenticity, folks.

[Nadine]

Hi! Great article! The videos are set to private though, is there anyway that I can view them? Thanks!

[JanetEngel]

Great points on this! They could have done something so much more authentic and leading edge at the same time!

[The confidence guru]

I can't watch the videos!!! help!

[Rosalba Ioppolo]

intriging articles - bu videos are private. WHY??? it's a pety