The pink bias: Consumption choices of pink-colored products

The purpose of this paper is to contribute to a better understanding of the role of the heterosexual orientation on men’s product choices in different consumption contexts. The research provides empirical evidence for a bias – here called pink bias – that leads male consumers to avoid consumption of pink-colored products because of a gender-related prejudice. An experimental study investigated the interplay of the consumption context (private/public) and product type (utilitarian/hedonic), and used heterosexual orientation as moderator. The findings confirmed the existence of a pink bias, according to which men tend to avoid consumption of pink-colored products, especially in public circumstances. In male consumers who feel less heterosexual, this effect could be driven by the fear that consuming pink-colored products in public contexts would “expose” their sexual orientation and align them with femininity. Moreover, pink-colored products could find success among heterosexual males only when they are exclusively for private use.