To follow on from the masculine theme of my last posting and in the run up to xmas perhaps it is apt to ‘tackle’ those gendered differentials and assumptions that the marketing ‘man’ makes for the gifting season.
If its not pink; then its not for the girls, and the toys for boys make it clear that Girl Geeks should not have a technological veracity of their own. Unless of course its by association from a boyfriend, brother or father or whom other male ‘appendage’ happens to be around at the time.
Is it me or does this smack of dark ages of ‘his n hers’ less than imaginative gift marketing strategies. Pah! I say. Bring forth the technology innovation without the over-gendered consumerist undertones. did a splendid post on the stuff (or rather lack of) of Stuff Magazine. Scantily clad was as far as these women on their pages ever got to the technology, and they were certainly not allowed to have a ‘voice’ in what can broadly be called the ‘articles’ published.
A case of less voice and even less clothing. The words ‘old-fashioned’ and cliché spring to mind. Hey I have not even mentioned ‘sexist’ and ‘demeaning’ I feel that this is obvious enough without my having to spell it out here.
It does strike me as more than amusing that for the ‘tech traders’ in such a competitive market place, especially at this time of year, that they are missing a trick. Women represent a substantial audience reach. Companies need to recognise the value of geeks that are not limited to the ‘toys for boys’ or ‘gadgets for grrrls’ as I have seen on various websites and displayed in xmas laden windows (yes already!).
Too easily Girl Geeks represent an ‘at home’ and non-techie domain – ladies we can have gadgets so long as they help us develop our domestic skills… Surely this smacks of an out-dated and narrow perspective of technology. I don’t want a washing machine for xmas, unless it has wireless and I can upload my media onto it!
Moreover as the Girl Geek Dinners, related blogs etc more than prove technology has a fervent female following with those who possess as strong an expertise and competence as our male geeky counterparts.
Surely then marketers, technology innovators, commentators etc WAKE UP and recognise that technology requires the female touch – not least as this would be more than beneficial to your profit margins 
So Girl Geeks this is your chance to say; what do you want for xmas?…
About Dr Mariann Hardey
I hold the position of Lecturer in Social Media Marketing at Durham Business School. I also spend too much time enjoying social technologies, media+ stuff. That'll make me a Geek then. And a gal.
