This week’s Election Buildup Big Idea from Labour is their ‘Woman to Woman’ campaign/tour where Deputy Leader of the Labour Party Harriet Harman MP and other Labour Party female big cheeses will tour the country, reaching out to the 9M women who didn’t vote at the last election to discuss ‘what they want from Government and highlighting Labour’s commitments to women’. There’s just one problem, the campaign (mini)bus is PINK.
Bright pink. Barbie pink. Hello Kitty pink. Frankly, I’m surprised the designer of the vehicle wrap didn’t chuck on a few sparkles on for good measure. Apparently Harriet Harman says its actually magenta and Gloria De Piero MP, the shadow Minister for women and equalities maintains that its cerise, but we’re still talking about 50 Shades of Pink.
I really hate the continuing Pinkification of marketing-to-women. Just because a razor, smartphone or biro is pink, it doesn’t make it any more tailored to women’s particular needs and concerns. It’s sexist, patronising and frankly lazy for any brand, let alone a leading political party to decide the best way to demonstrate their pro-women feminist credentials is to coat everything in Pantone Paradise Pink.