Colorful New Pelikans

[dr.grace]

Some Pelikan designs, like the raden M1000s, are sublime. But some of their designs are incredibly tacky. I often say to myself, "What were they thinking???"

[VertOlive]

Hmmm. I am a huge fan of pink, but this doesn't fly. Something about it and it's packaging says "Exotic Dancer's Pen" to me.....

[Laura N]

Some of these comments are causing me that think that maybe Pelikan is deviously brilliant with the pink one. Is it possible that the packaging and the whole look were designed to appeal to men? Who would then buy it for the women in their lives? A Victoria's Secret concept, extended to pens.

[carlc]

Some of these comments are causing me that think that maybe Pelikan is deviously brilliant with the pink one. Is it possible that the packaging and the whole look were designed to appeal to men? Who would then buy it for the women in their lives? A Victoria's Secret concept, extended to pens.

Only if you're married to Barbara Cartland.

My wife would ask if I kept the receipt....

[Laura N]

Some of these comments are causing me that think that maybe Pelikan is deviously brilliant with the pink one. Is it possible that the packaging and the whole look were designed to appeal to men? Who would then buy it for the women in their lives? A Victoria's Secret concept, extended to pens.

Only if you're married to Barbara Cartland.

My wife would ask if I kept the receipt....

A wise woman.

[tandaina]

My husband is wise enough to know buying me a pen isn't smart. He steps back and lets me buy my *own* pens.

[reprieve]

The funny thing about the pink pen is that I actually really like the pink stripe part. I like those shades of pink, they complement each other, they're bright, and they're fun. But I really don't like the pink paired with the white cap, piston knob, and section. It's too much. If it had pastel pink accents instead, or brown, or black, I would probably be excited about it. For some reason, the white accents turn me off. It reminds me of sickeningly sweet, half-melted cotton candy at the fair on a sweltering summer day--uncomfortable, leaves a bad taste in your mouth.

[inklord]

Wow! I seriously thought we were beyond these cliches of Ladie's thisandthat and masculine thisandthat - at least when it comes to pens. I don't mind a pink candystripe pen, but this ad is a bit worse than the common leftover sexism from yesteryear.

[migo984]

Wow! I seriously thought we were beyond these cliches of Ladie's thisandthat and masculine thisandthat - at least when it comes to pens. I don't mind a pink candystripe pen, but this ad is a bit worse than the common leftover sexism from yesteryear.

According to some over on the 'other' forum, those who think the pen/box/advert is tasteless are suffering from political correctness.

Dinosaurs! *sigh*

[naimitsu]

Wow! I seriously thought we were beyond these cliches of Ladie's thisandthat and masculine thisandthat - at least when it comes to pens. I don't mind a pink candystripe pen, but this ad is a bit worse than the common leftover sexism from yesteryear.

According to some over on the 'other' forum, those who think the pen/box/advert is tasteless are suffering from political correctness.

Dinosaurs! *sigh*

Well said, inklord!
And migo, thanks for pointing out part of why I've avoided posting much on the "other" forum. From the various threads I've read, I get the feeling that some of my opinions may step on some "delicate" sensibilities and I'd get my hand slapped for nothing more than voicing an opinion.

Speaking of opinions... I like the purple pen, but the pink one... that's precisely why I abhor pink. I spent the first five years of my life stuck in a pink and white hell. Actually, if I remember my childhood pictures well enough (I don't have them, Mom still has the mass load of them!), it may have been the same shade of pink!
I hate the "girly" pigeonhole some have tried to stuff me into. Yes, I'm female, and no, I do not want to play with your dolls. Give me my Legos, Spiderman bicycle (which BTW was the best bike ever! it had solid rubber wheels that could never go flat! and I had a handlebar shield with Spiderman's face on it!), and comic books any day!

[mhosea]

I showed it to my wife, and she liked it. I mentioned they were marketing it to women, and her response was that she didn't think they were going to sell it to men. There was no outrage, no railing against gender stereotypes. I suspect that her view is more prevalent than what we see represented here.

[Lady Onogaro]

I just think it's ugly. Like a lot of women on this board, I just don't understand the whole pink = girls in a fountain pen design, just as I don't look at the other pens in the Pelikan line as appealing to the members of one sex or another. If they want to market a pink pen, that's fine. But why is it a "Ladies'" pen? Goulet did not go that route with the Cherry Blossom Edison Nouveau Premiere. Pelikan could have gone the "Candy Cane" line with this pen (or something similar), and thus not promote it as either a women's pen or a men's pen. It seems a bit archaic to me to market pens with a use of a particular gender in mind these days.

[migo984]

I showed it to my wife, and she liked it. I mentioned they were marketing it to women, and her response was that she didn't think they were going to sell it to men. There was no outrage, no railing against gender stereotypes. I suspect that her view is more prevalent than what we see represented here.

On what grounds do you form that suspicion?

I disagree with you. Surely we're a very broad cross-section of men & women on here, so fairly representative. Amongst my group of friends/work colleagues there would be much disdain for such a shallow piece of pigeon-holeing; that's if I'd dare show it to them.

[Laura N]

The funny thing about the pink pen is that I actually really like the pink stripe part. I like those shades of pink, they complement each other, they're bright, and they're fun. But I really don't like the pink paired with the white cap, piston knob, and section. It's too much. If it had pastel pink accents instead, or brown, or black, I would probably be excited about it. For some reason, the white accents turn me off. It reminds me of sickeningly sweet, half-melted cotton candy at the fair on a sweltering summer day--uncomfortable, leaves a bad taste in your mouth.

The white is a stumbling block for me, too. I feel the same way about the white tortoise, though I know so many people who love that pen.

But I'll confess that I just don't really love the traditional Pelikan stripes. I never have. The only Pelikan stripes I find positively appealing are the vintage tortoises and the new black and gray Stresemann.

Pelikan, however, is smart. Because the striped binde, with the Souverän shape, is the essence of their design DNA. So I think trying to refresh it and update it is great. It might be an attempt to broaden their brand and create some excitement. Remember when Louis Vuitton revitalized itself, thanks to Marc Jacobs and Murakami?

[naimitsu]

I showed it to my wife, and she liked it. I mentioned they were marketing it to women, and her response was that she didn't think they were going to sell it to men. There was no outrage, no railing against gender stereotypes. I suspect that her view is more prevalent than what we see represented here.

This is probably going to spark a political debate or piss off some people, but I feel that this is something that needs to put out there.

I have been raised with the belief that stereotyping is wrong. This is widely accepted as true when it comes to race.
Yet the gender stereotyping is still prevalent today. In certain aspects, it seems to be stronger today than it was thirty years ago.

I understand that there are women out there who prefer pink, and I have no issue with that. It is a personal choice. However, I also know that there are some men out there who enjoy the color pink as well, but many of them are reluctant to publicly display this preference due to the gender stereotyping that still exists. In fact, there are some men out there who hesitate to purchase, use, or otherwise be connected to anything that has historically been stereotyped as feminine due to the societal backlash it garners. Their personal choice is being stifled by some antiquated opinions, because quite frankly it is different.

Not long ago many women had to suffer the same backlash, but for doing the opposite. Instead of wearing dresses and skirts "as a woman should" per the social norms back then, they were derided for "ruining" womanhood and trying to act, dress, or even remotely look more masculine than their physical gender indicates. Because of what those brave women suffered, I have the choice to either wear pants all of the time or wear dresses/skirts whenever I feel like it. I have the opportunity to play with all of the toys and participate in all of the hobbies that had historically been reserved for boys/men. I can be who I am without fear of reprisals from the society that surrounds me.

I want the same for my male counterparts who fear showing their softer, more feminine side. I want them to be able to play with dolls, wear make-up, show off their polished manicures, and even wear dresses if their hearts so desire without fear, without having to suffer through the indignity of the abuse that stems from others' prejudices.

I would like to believe that we are more socially accepting and enlightened than we were a century before, but sometimes I question this.

As Albert Einstein once said, "The world is in greater peril from those who tolerate or encourage evil than from those who actually commit it." I believe that all stereotypes are a mechanism of evil. I also believe that doing what's right may not always be easy, and that doing what's easy may not always be right.

[mhosea]

Like my wife said, they're probably not going to sell many to men. Just because they are marketing it to women does NOT mean that they expect all women to like it. Marketing is about percentages. Gender based marketing works where there is a significant element of fashion that appeals to customers in a gender correlated way.

I kind of wonder why the gloves come off here. This was just a product announcement, but suppose it had been a review from a person who liked the pen. Is it really that ugly? I can think of some well liked inks that might go with it.

[Laura N]

Like my wife said, they're probably not going to sell many to men. Just because they are marketing it to women does NOT mean that they expect all women to like it. Marketing is about percentages. Gender based marketing works where there is a significant element of fashion that appeals to customers in a gender correlated way.

I kind of wonder why the gloves come off here. This was just a product announcement, but suppose it had been a review from a person who liked the pen. Is it really that ugly? I can think of some well liked inks that might go with it.

I don't think it's ugly! In fact the more I look at it, the more I think, "I bet it looks nice in person."

However, and I know you'll feel the same, I will defend the right of others to think it looks ugly. And I would fervently hope no one would be so rude as to express that to someone who had bought the pen and loves it. That would be not kind, helpful or necessary.

[naimitsu]

Like my wife said, they're probably not going to sell many to men. Just because they are marketing it to women does NOT mean that they expect all women to like it. Marketing is about percentages. Gender based marketing works where there is a significant element of fashion that appeals to customers in a gender correlated way.

I kind of wonder why the gloves come off here. This was just a product announcement, but suppose it had been a review from a person who liked the pen. Is it really that ugly? I can think of some well liked inks that might go with it.

Honestly, what sparked my sense of outrage was this: "I suspect that her view is more prevalent than what we see represented here."
It strikes me as a rather flippant remark against those of us women who did not like the pen for whatever reason. As if our opinions were overblown or should be disregarded simply on the opinion of one woman you know. Until your comment, most of us simply stated that we didn't like it. Some of us were specific.

And just because you believe that this sort of marketing works does not mean it should have been done in the first place. As others have pointed out, they have other non-exclusionary lines that the pink pen could have been added to. There is a purpose for most fashion items to be marketed towards a certain gender due to physical limitations. That's not the case here.

[00Photo]

I am totally getting that pink one. It's dreamy.

[View from the Loft]

Pelikan obviously believe that there is a market out there for this pen, and have packaged it to their target market.

I'm not part of their target market for this one, and find this concept of a Barbie pink item with a box reminiscent of underwear too silly for words.

Thos of you who know me in real life will know that I have been seen in polo shirts in fuschia, and have tried out some of the pink Iro inks - so have nothing against pink in general.

But this pen just does nothing for me - and would still not appeal had it been marketed as candy cane, summer blossom or pink Stesseman.

So, I won't be saving up for this one.

And while I personally think that the marketing concept is outdated, part of me has a grudging admiration for the way they have got us debating this one: it's all publicity for them.