Another Pink wash...
I was quite surprised to see the Pink PSP adverts in the bus shelters. Though I shouldn't be. Cars are appearing in shades of pink and so are phones and many other electronic gadgets. This has been the marketing 'make-up' mantra of the not-so-creative variety. A veneer of pink may help some products fly off the shelf - but Pink PSPs?
Allow me to expand on that - Games and gaming seem to be the domain of males. The players are males (a decent 85% if stats are to be belived), the game scenarios are designed for males and predominantly by males. I have yet to come across a serious female game player - essentially because games are designed to be bloody (or blood thirsty) - lack adequate attention to detailing characters (or developing them) or a strong narrative. The fights, blood and gore often substitutes for storylines or characters. Games are symbolic of gender stereotyping.
Should games be for men or women - commonsense suggest otherwise. I am sure that there is a healthy middle ground or a gender neutral scenario. Or more female game designers. A shallow Pink-wash simply isn't the solution.
A quick search over the net led me to a Wired.com article by Janelle Brown - Girl Gamers, written on 19 Nov. 1996 - almost exactly 10 years ago. Little seems to have changed apart from the skins on PSPs. And will the Girl gamers who compete with the boys on equal level, trade in their Black PSPs for the Pink ones? Or is it an optimistic illusion of some of Sony's bright marketing/sales execs? Lets keep an eye out for the latest pink Phenomenon...
Also see: The Girl Gamer's Manifesto
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1 comment:
Quite interesting ad. I play games, both boys games and some friendly games,but I am not a big game fan. Because I don't want to be addicted. As far as I know, more and more girls are playing games now, including me and some Chinese girls around me. In China, there are 2 kinds of popular girl-games, the RGP and internet games. Some girls play the game because they love the cartoon characters in the game. Playing game is like to watch a cartoon film with their own desire. Some of them playing internet games as they can chat and know new friend instead of only play for fighting.
Some boy-games could also be accepted by girls nowadays. Maybe it is a good way to let out. In my case, I like to play Diablo when I feel frustrated or be peeved.
I think some of the game players play games, because they believe game-playing is a 'in' activity. So they pursue games. However, at the same time, they want to be different. They try to creat their own distinguishable characteristic. So girls can choose a pink one to distinguish the other boys and girls. Maybe the pink wash means the power of girl gamer is increasingly growing.
Some girls playing games are influenced by their boyfriends. If my bf have a black PSP, I really want to have a pink one to play games with him. Ah, if I can afford it~~~ ^^
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