In 2012, Bic introduced the Bic Cristal For Her ballpoint pen, a pen specifically marketed toward women. Featuring a thin barrel in feminine colors like pink and purple, the Bic For Her received mixed reviews from consumers. While some appreciated having affordable, fashionable options, others felt that gendered products were unnecessary and even sexist.
About the Bic Cristal For Her
The Bic Cristal For Her ballpoint pen features:
- Slim, rounded pen barrel in pink, red and purple
- Silver metallic accents and heart-shaped window in the barrel showcasing the ink level
- Smooth-writing medium 1.0mm ballpoint tip
- Translucent latex-free grip for writing comfort
- Includes one Cristal pink ballpen
Bic marketed the pens as “designed to fit a woman’s hand” while the colors and details were meant to appeal to female consumers based on market research. The launch of the Bic For Her line was widely covered in media, with some praising Bic for recognition of women’s preferences while more criticized the notion that an ordinary product like a pen requires gendering.
Reaction to Bic For Her Pens
Responses to the Bic For Her pens included:
- Appreciation of color options and affordable price from female consumers looking for basic pens in feminine shades.
- Criticism of sexist implications that women require specialized or dumbed down versions of ordinary unisex products.
- Ridicule of the idea that pens need to be gendered or that the average woman cannot operate a regular pen.
- Debate over freedom of choice vs. the effects of gendered marketing.
- Parody and backlash on social media, with the hashtag #BicForHer used to caption photos of other ordinary objects labeled “For Her”.
While popular with some consumers looking for an affordable purple pen, the Bic For Her received widespread criticism from those who felt that over-gendering products was unnecessary and promoted sexist stereotypes. Bic has since rebranded the line simply as “Bic Cristal Colors” while still offering the product in colors that may appeal to any customer interested in fashionable stationery items. The controversial launch of Bic For Her ignited debates over gendered marketing that continue years after the pens first came to market.
