Bic Pens ‘For Her’ Draw Amazon Flames

[garbon]

http://abcnews.go.com/blogs/headlines/2012/08/bic-pens-for-her-draw-amazon-flames/

A new pen introduced by Bic has the Internet buzzing–and biting. The "Bic Cristal for Her"  is a ballpoint pen that comes in pastel colors and boasts an "elegant design—just for her!"

Shoppers have taken to the reviews section of Amazon to write hundreds of snarky, and often sarcastic, "reviews" of the pens.

One reviewer, writing under the name breemeup, is highlighted as "the most helpful favorable review" on Amazon since she gave the pens five stars. The title of the review is, "I am writing this in the kitchen."

"Finally! For years I've had to rely on pencils, or at worst, a twig and some drops of my feminine blood to write down recipes (the only thing a lady should be writing ever)," the reviewer wrote. "I had despaired of ever being able to write down said recipes in a permanent manner, though my men-folk assured me that I "shouldn't worry yer pretty little head". But, AT LAST! Bic, the great liberator, has released a womanly pen that my gentle baby hands can use without fear of unlady-like callouses and bruises. Thank you, Bic!"

The Bic website notes that the pens are available in Europe, but Amazon makes the pens available in the United States.

Bic's list of the pen's "key benefits" includes a tinted barrel that is thinner "for a better handling for women" and the "plug color matches ink color," making the pen aesthetically pleasing.

Reviewer Tracy Hamilton wrote:
"Someone has answered my gentle prayers and FINALLY designed a pen that I can use all month long! I use it when I'm swimming, riding a horse, walking on the beach and doing yoga. It's comfortable, leak-proof, non-slip and it makes me feel so feminine and pretty! Since I've begun using these pens, men have found me more attractive and approachable. It has given me soft skin and manageable hair and it has really given me the self-esteem I needed to start a book club and flirt with the bag-boy at my local market. My drawings of kittens and ponies have improved, and now that I'm writing my last name hyphenated with the Robert Pattinson's last name, I really believe he may someday marry me! I'm positively giddy. Those smart men in marketing have come up with a pen that my lady parts can really identify with."

Men too are commenting on coral-colored pens.

Reviewer Dan Kaufman wrote, "Men, don't stand for this. Aren't there enough products specific to women already? First it was tampons, now these pens? What other products will I have to suffer the indignity of being unable to purchase just because I'm a male person?"

And Jason S. Wilson wrote that he prides himself in being "a fairly masculine guy" who watches football, grunts, exercises, drinks beer and believes "a pickup truck is the highest evolution of vehicular technology." Or, at least, he did.

"Then ... I used The Pen," Wilson wrote. "Now I'm arranging flowers, buying clothes in pastels and enjoying the way my pants fit now that my man parts have shrunk to doll-size."

Bic did not respond to request for comment.

[derspiess]

Don't show women enough attention & they bitch.  Try to do something special for them & they also bitch.

Can't win.

[garbon]

A special set of pens?

Anyway, they could have just created pastel pens and left it at that - which would have garnered none of this nonsense.

[Eddie Teach]

A special set of pens?

It's the thought that counts!

[derspiess]

Anyway, this reminds me of the Petticoat 5 computer for ladies, from "Look Around You" 

[Valmy]

Yeah if you are going to make a pretty little something something to attract a certain sort of customer do not say who that sort of customer might be.  Not that internet rage by the gender-concious crowd is going to hurt sales much.

I remember when the NFL started making pink versions of all the teams gear for the lady customers and I was rolling my eyes about how transparent that was about gender stereotypes and surely any real NFL fan wants to wear the team colors regardless of gender.  Boy was I wrong the ladies buy the pink Oakland Raider panties like they are going out of style...and they should because there is just something wrong with that.

[derspiess]

I remember when the NFL started making pink versions of all the teams gear for the lady customers and I was rolling my eyes about how transparent that was about gender stereotypes and surely any real NFL fan wants to wear the team colors regardless of gender.  Boy was I wrong the ladies buy the pink Oakland Raider panties like they are going out of style...and they should because there is just something wrong with that.

Used to agree with you.  But now I think I might get a pink Bengals jersey for my little girl. 

[garbon]

Boy was I wrong the ladies buy the pink Oakland Raider panties like they are going out of style...and they should because there is just something wrong with that.

I mean if you like pink and you like the Raiders...

[DontSayBanana]

Used to agree with you.  But now I think I might get a pink Bengals jersey for my little girl. 

Pink jersey != pink panties with the Raiders logo awkwardly stamped across her butt.

[Neil]

Don't show women enough attention & they bitch.  Try to do something special for them & they also bitch.

Can't win.

People will always bitch about everything.  The best solution is to have the vast majority of humanity killed.

[derspiess]

Used to agree with you.  But now I think I might get a pink Bengals jersey for my little girl. 

Pink jersey != pink panties with the Raiders logo awkwardly stamped across her butt.

  I don't want her to ever grow up.

[Jacob]

I saw very little rage and mostly making fun of something stupid in those reviews.

[Maximus]

I saw very little rage and mostly making fun of something stupid in those reviews.

Yea, that was my impression too.

[Malthus]

Heh, you gotta have some sympathy for poor old marketing execs. Trying to think of a new way to market pens must be the original lead balloon. 

[derspiess]

Heh, you gotta have some sympathy for poor old marketing execs. Trying to think of a new way to market pens must be the original lead balloon. 

I always get a kick out of the gimmicks they use to try to differentiate "new" disposable pen products.  Funny that none of the special ergonomic grips ever seemed to feel any different.  But I do feel better knowing my BIC ECOlutions mechanical pencil is made in part out of recycled materials.  If they really want to help the environment, you'd think they would just make their mechanical pencils re-fillable.