The Evolution of Pink

It’s October, the month that has been brought to you by the color pink.

You can’t swing a pink ribbon without hitting pink soup cans, pink spatulas, pink vacuum cleaners and pink bagels, all raising money for breast cancer research. It’s a great cause, an incredibly successful campaign, and the perfect catalyst for examining why pink has made such a resurgence in the consumer marketplace over the past few years.

From iPods to cell phones, to sneakers and even professionally licensed sports gear (I have a pink Chicago White Sox cap, and needless to say, it’s not their official color), pink is back. And of all the colors in the crayon box, few are as symbolic of the female gender – or as polarizing -- as pink.

A new study by two scientists at Newcastle University in England finds that our female preference for the color pink might actually be hardwired, and part of our genetic make up.

The controversial theory is this: in prehistoric times, when men were hunters and women were gatherers, women began to associate the color red with ripe fruits and berries. While much more study needs to be done to prove this theory, it’s opened up a lively debate about why, even outside the world of breast-cancer fundraising, pink has made such a huge come back. Is it biology or culture? Brain or Barbie? In my view, the answer is: both.

In the U.S., pink is symbolic of baby girls, and culturally, women have a hard time resisting the lure of buying cute pink outfits to put on their little ones. Young girls, in return, are absolutely obsessed with the color, whether we’re talking about pink Big Wheels, pink Band-aids or pink princess costumes. Wherever we turn, manufacturers are complying with the demand for more pink. It used to be that most toys were sold in primary colors like blue, red and yellow. Now, if you buy a little girl a toy or a bicycle in those colors, it almost feels as if you’ve bought the “boy” version.

Even adult women are embracing pink in earnest. Back in the 80s, when women were first fighting their way through corporate glass ceilings, many shunned pink because they felt the color undermined their credibility. Pink screamed lollipops and ice cream cones, instead of, “Competent executive who can hit a 20% margin.” Well, we’ve come a long way, baby. Pink is at the office, at the playground, in the stadiums, in briefcases, luggage, couture and everywhere in between. It could be that women are finally secure enough with their place in the world to embrace the traditional color of femininity, and to pass that love of pink on to their own kids. Significantly, the adoption of pink by the Susan G. Komen Foundation for the Cure has given adult women “permission” to buy pink products in almost every category.

How long will the trend last? Who knows – if the scientists are right, it could be for the next thousand years. And what’s the lesson for marketers? There are three.

First, pink isn’t a strategy. For your product to having staying power, the ergonomics and design sensibility need to come first, or the product won’t make it for the long haul. For instance, women like the pink iPod because, well, it’s an iPod. So it’s a great product, first and foremost.

Second, there are certain product categories in which women are likely to reject the color. What is pretty or downright cute in certain industries (cosmetics, consumer electronics) can be viewed as patronizing in others (automotive, financial). Which means it’s important to rigorously test women’s opinions before attempting to usher in a new era for your previously un-pink category.

Third, remember that pink is polarizing. Don’t even think about combining over-used female stereotypes (the harried mom) with the color pink in your marketing materials, or you risk dating your brand and looking like a campaign that aired during the original run of Bewitched.

For more information on the Newcastle University study, visit http://www.livescience.com/health/070820_pink_prefer.html

Evolution of Pink Timeline

1955: Dodge introduces pink "La Femme" car with matching umbrella
and purse. Women just say no, and it disappears by 1957.

1962 Emilio Pucci brings hot pink to the forefront of the psychedelic era, introducing an haute couture collection as an homage to Jacqueline Kennedy.
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1965 – Pan Am “stewardesses” trade-in traditional, in-flight uniforms for a mod-pink ensemble, complete with a stylish (and practical?) “space bubble” helmet to protect their hair from rain.

Late 1970s – Gloria Steinem decrees, “A woman needs a man like a fish needs a bicycle,” and pink languishes during the second wave of the women's liberation movement.

1980 – Lisa Birnbaum publishes The Preppy Handbook, in which pink unites with kelly green for preppy bliss. Pink Izod LaCoste shirts become ubiquitous. (Today’s preppy descendents can be seen wearing the same pink/green color pairings in Lily Pulitzer.)

1982 -- Nancy Brinker starts the Susan G. Komen for the Cure foundation, based on a promise made to her dying sister. The non-profit began promoting pink ribbons to build awareness about the disease, and started a movement.

Late 1980s -- Pink is still no man's land for women in corporate America.
Many corporations and public accounting firms enact fashion policies that mandate earth tones at the office.

2001 – Reese Witherspoon’s “Legally Blonde” character gives women everywhere the license to wear pink and be taken seriously, thanks to a great movie wardrobe from Nanette Lepore.

2007 – Pink has made a full comeback, and little girls everywhere are subjected to pink everything from birth onward.

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