Don't Just Make It Pink! A Woman's Perspective On The AV Industry

As a woman working in the tech-industry, I found this article, It’s Complicated: Understanding a Woman’s Relationship with A/V Gear by Adrienne Maxwell in Home Theater Review, to be both incredibly enlightening and equally entertaining. Whether you are a “Gale-gatekeeper,” a tech-junkie, an A/V salesperson, or just trying to convince your better-half that you can’t go on living without an ultimate home theater, this is a must-read if you want to understand the inner-workings of the female brain (well, in relation to A/V gear, that is).

I am definitely what most would consider the stereotypical female in this realm—I’m not very well versed in tech-talk, I just want it to do what I want it to do. I don’t care about an extravagant television or sound system, I just want it to be practical. I don’t want it to be expensive, but I’m apt to pay more in exchange for convenience. That’s why I relate to this article, oh so well.

Even though my husband is more tech-savvy than I, typically I am the one who makes the final call on whether or not we make a large purchase (I do the research, read consumer reviews, weigh the cost/benefit comparison, etc). Nothing bugs me more than when we are shopping for a new TV, a computer, a car, whatever, and the salesperson speaks only to my husband, as though I am only there as his hired chauffeur. Because my husband is a self-proclaimed impulse buyer, I have to be his voice of reason. Hence, if you don’t convince me and engage me in the decision process, you can be certain you won’t have a sale.

Adrienne hits the nail on the head (at least in my opinion) and really helps define the female mentality when it comes to consumer electronics. Oh, and I love her note on marketers that just focus on the "Just Make It Pink" mentality. For the record, I hate pink and vomit at the thought of sparkles or bedazzled goods.