Research Symposium

BIO

I am a second year student at Florida State University and I am originally from Tampa. I am currently studying biochemistry and joined UROP to dip my toe into the research field. For this project, I helped scan and organize a collection of pictures donated to FSU. I then got to do some preliminary research on color and its link to gender stereotypes. Gender studies is something I love learning about, and this project gave me the opportunity to see gender through an entrepreneurship lens. It also was nice to work on something outside of heavy STEM classes.

Color Preferences and Consumer Identity

Abstract

Consumer behavior can be seen as a social activity that is illustrative of gender relations, making consumption practices depictive of how individuals situate themselves in their own gendered identity. Consumption practices are inherently linked to sensory perception, and color is one of the most important sensory components of any product. A consumer’s reaction to color is a personal experience, meaning that color and its different tints, shades, etc. infuse objects with symbolic meanings that allow consumers to express their personal differences and identities. This brings to question the importance of color in gendered markets and the extent to which it enhances a consumer’s identity. For this project, I collected pictures of household items marketed toward men and women and compared their colors. I then used these comparisons to analyze the rise in popularity of the 40oz Stanley Cup. I specifically looked at The Stanley Company because they utilized color to target the feminine market which in turn revolutionized their brand. Thus, this project is significant because it reveals that color is a vital marketing tool that allows marketers to target specific groups. The Stanley Company was able to tailor their products toward the female market by offering them in a variety of pastels because women are more conscientious of the aesthetic allure of color. Overall, this project exemplifies the impact that color has on consumer practices and offers insight into how color provides a creative outlet for consumes to live out their gendered identities.

Keywords: Color, gender stereotypes, marketing