So, here's the thing, LOTS of girls really do like pink, as clichéd as that may be. More power to them. I personally don't gravitate towards pink but I do enjoy when products come in a variety of colors – I get the illusion of thinking that mine is "unique" because I chose the color. The HTC Rhyme in that Gizmodo article you linked does appeal to me as it appears to be more of a mauve then bubble-gum pink. If iPhones came in that same color I think I'd be drawn to it.
What I'm emphatically NOT drawn to, and in fact turned off by, is the pandering that occurs in the marketing of such items. Make it pink, purple, sparkly, whatever, just please don't phrase your ad text in such a way as to presume I only ever choose tech products based on their color or physical appearance. Don't downplay the actual features of your products in favor of appealing to my "base instincts" and your ridiculous idea that I need to match my gadgets to my purse/shoes/hat/nail polish/insert condescending comparison here. I really like the idea of that "charm" on the HTC Rhyme's cord that lights up... but I really hate the fact that they call it a charm. In a phone that was marketed to men that same feature would definitely have a different name ("testicle"?).
I'm sure there are women out there who really do respond to this kind of stuff, just like I'm sure there are men that respond to those Axe body-spray commercials. Really, that's the issue with ALL marketing – it's designed to appeal to the lowest common denominator. Lots of women will be drawn to the Rhyme because of its appearance and it's cute accessories. I'm also sure there are women who will do their research and decide that the features and capabilities of the Rhyme are exactly what they're looking for (unless the phone sucks... I wouldn't know, I drank the apple Kool-aid and I'm not looking back).
I was once told by a car salesman that the interior light in a car dimmed instead of just flipping off "because it's romantic." Guess what? I did buy that car, but I also complained to the owner of the dealership about the way that guy acted. I didn't let the pandering get in the way of what I really wanted, but I also let it be known that I didn't appreciate his attitude, and I certainly wouldn't recommend him or his dealership to my friends.
A few years ago I took part in an industry roundtable discussion with installers, distributors, and journalists, put together by a company (Runco, specifically). One of the presentations was about selling to women, not an obvious topic for an audience that sells high-end custom install products like projectors and speakers.
Halfway through, the custom installer to my right leaned over and said "this is the stupidest thing I've ever heard" and got up and left.
The installer to my left, having heard that remark, leaned over and said, "Is that guy an idiot? If a husband and wife come into my store, I only sell to the wife. The husband is almost surely on board, it's the wife you have to convince. Chances are she's the one that runs the finances anyway, and without question she wants the theater as much as the husband. But instead of buying on pixels and watts, she wants a place to enjoy movies with the family. Same goal."
Which one of these installers do you think is still in business?
In other words, do what you want, just don't talk down to your customer.
Come to think about it, that's pretty good advice across the board.
I find it more annoying when girls/women allow themselves to be drawn towards purchases based on “cutesy” features and marketing. I feel the only reasons these marketing tactics still exist is because of the gender stereotypes we allow our wallets to feed. Let’s say if parents were to purchase the same toy for a girl as they would a boy, this would allow for product diversity and the chance for those girls to realize that they can look beyond the “cutesy” features of things and perhaps more on the specifics of the product itself. There will always be girly girls and tomboys, but it’s condescending to assume that these are the only two groups women fall into. Thank you for the article, someone had to bring it up. ;)