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Technology issues that affect your business

The (Female) Mouse That Roared

How women and the craft industry have changed technology.

by PC Smart (June 19, 2006)

Think back, think way back (before 2002): Digital cameras were for the tech savvy and wide format printers were only found in copy shops and photo labs. Today, not only can you print your snapshot size photos on the go with a compact printer, there are many wide-format options available to the average consumer at very reasonable prices.

Is this the result of the "natural" evolution of technology? I don�t believe so. I attribute it to the mouse that roared: the female influence on tech development and sales.

Before 2002, nearly all tech products were marketed to men, men who went ga-ga over a new smaller phone or a plasma tv. Somehow most manufacturers and retailers believed only men under the age of 30 bought new electronics. I believe they went to the same business school as the car manufacturers who advertised all their cars by showing women in slinky evening gowns lounging over the hood. Women didn�t buy cars so why would they purchase a printer? (It�s ok, you can laugh, I am chuckling even as I type)

Look around: here it is, the middle of 2006. What do you see on the shelves? Pink phones? Mom types advertising the latest 10 mp digital SLR cameras? Women rushing out to buy high-end printers for their crafts? Scrappers with dual-monitor, flat-panel displays and more horsepower in their CPU case then under the hood of the family van? Welcome to the new age of technology: I like to call it the Pink Age.

Somehow I think it took a bit too long to catch on to the purchasing power of the average female. Think about it: women and cell phones. A natural combination. We don�t need to prominently display them on our belts in holsters reminiscent of the old West, we have special pockets in our purses for them.

Women love to talk; no real stereotyping here, just the truth. We are communicators. We have to be in touch with those we love at all times. Our husbands, kids, boyfriends, parents, friends � what if they need to reach us? Yesterday�s phones were so masculine looking; today the colors and styles appeal our sense of fashion and design. Upgrading no longer takes an arm twist, simply bring out a phone with great graphics and trendy colors.

Even plasma tv�s and flat screen monitors appeal to the female mind. They take up less space and are much less intrusive in the overall d�cor of the home. Free up some floor space, add a great frame, and voila, a tv and a work of art. Computers suddenly needed more umph to run the high-end graphics programs digital scrappers and amateur photographers used on a daily basis. Dial-up was no longer an option; mom had a message board and IM to keep up with�

Digital cameras became a must have for scrappers who would no longer wait for their photos. They needed to be sure they got the shot (review the display) and they could get their prints ASAP. Surprisingly, moms started demanding "More Power, More MegaPixels! They bought cameras costing hundreds if not thousands of dollars. Some were even starting their own small photography businesses. It became a game of one upmanship at soccer games � "how many mp do you have?" and "You need a better lens for that shot." Digital SLR cameras showed up on Christmas lists around the country.

The most obvious place where you can see the effect crafting and scrapbooking has had on product development is inkjet printers. Wide-format printers are offered in moderate price ranges to accommodate 12x12 scrappers. Inks are going waterproof and the longevity of prints can make or break a printer�s sales. Compact photo printers are flying off the shelves. Now you can take it with you, print at crops, parties, or even in the classroom (for room parents who are always asked for photo copies). The printer companies saw the need to make inkjet photo printing inexpensive and easy for the average consumer. The result? Most of these printers are being used by women. We are the ones who shoot the photos, print them, scrap them and put them in albums. We are the family record keepers.

Next time you head out to the local electronics store, take a look at the new products being offered. Notice the new colors, new marketing with families prominent, and the emphasis on ease of use. Because in the end, women don�t want to have to work for technology, they want technology to work for them.

(Note: PC Smart is a marketing consultant and designer in the creative industry who specializes in the creative use of technology in crafts. She has also worked as a Creative Marketing Director, Product Developer, and Editor of a tech-based craft magazine. She can be reached at pcsmart@gmail.com or visit her blog at http://pcsmart.typepad.com/sandbox_serendipity. To read previous entries, click on the titles in the right-hand column.)

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