Doritos for Women – Because It’s Been an Hour Since We Were Told Women Are Incapable of Something
Just when you believe the era of pink product development has had its day. The pinking of tools, appliances, tape measures, computers, flash drives, as some cue that women can actually handle them hasn’t yet ended. News this week was that women can’t handle eating a tortilla chip covered in cheese-like substance. PepsiCo CEO, Indra Nooyi, has proposed a Doritos chip designed for women because we can’t handle the crunch.
She claims women don’t like messy chips that crunch loudly, and women tend not to eat the crumbs or lick their fingers the way men do.
Perhaps she was attempting some reverse-psychology, baiting women to prove they like Doritos just as much as men by making a purchase and proving they can handle eating a chip. Or, she really doesn’t know how women work.
While such a ridiculous idea makes the rounds of talk shows and twitter comments, there is something to consider in the structure of how such an idea comes into being. Questions about the decision process and structure within the organization’s management is far more serious.
All Agree A Female CEO Should Know Better – So What Gives?
Researches provide constant updates, ideas and market research to CEOs. Bad ideas come packaged in pretty slideshows and charts at a consistent basis. The only way to fight the excitement and momentum over such a bad and insulting idea is to hire more women in management.
More women in the research process can give perspective on what really interests women. Having more women in management, in marketing roles, and in research roles impacts the research and results. From the types of questions that are asked, to the research demographics, women should play a key role to ensure the voice of real female customers are included in the decision process.
Want to protect your brand from insulting women? Have women be part of the decision process.
What Women Want In A “Snack Designed For Women”
However, we may be exceedingly excited about her desire to soon launch “Snacks designed and packaged for women” because maybe we’ll find our missing $0.22 / dollar / hour that we really want when CEOs consider something of benefit for women. It’s more likely we will all soon see pink Doritos.
This CNN Report summed up he ridiculousness nicely:
