Tag Archives: women

The Lipstick Index

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Those who know me are aware of the correlation I continually draw between the economy and the use of lipstick.

In an economic downturn, lipstick becomes an affordable indulgence and luxury that many women rely on, not only to look good, but to empower and alleviate, if only temporarily, economic pressure and despair.

Turns out lipstick is just the beginning. Nails and hair are also a part of the equation!

Halfway around the world, in Spain, the Lipstick Effect is in full effect- Click this link for the full article, “The Salon index as Spain’s Economic Indicator”

The Evolution of Black Women

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My co-workers and I are in the throes of what we call “planning.”

To the uninitiated, this “annual ritual” is when we “plan” a marketing calendar on behalf of a specific client for the upcoming year.

In anticipation of this, I typically read as much as I can get my hands on relating to the African-American Consumer.

There was an article in The New York Times today, “Black Women See Fewer Black Men at the Altar,” that caught my attention.

While intrigued and fascinated by the content of this article, I couldn’t help but feel that it didn’t tell the whole story.

The Evolution of Black Women in America shows a shift and “re-org” of her priorities…her needs, desires and ultimately, what is motivating to her.

Fact – Younger Black women are delaying and/or forgoing childbearing.

Only 13% age 18 – 24 are living with related children compared to 37.9%,
age 25-34

…and this makes sense, because delayed childbearing has, in my opinion, a direct correlation to increased levels of college enrollment and graduation rates.

One could go further and say that this translates to higher paying jobs and the ability to pursue and commit to career growth and development.

Fact – 40% of Black adults, 18 years of age and older are married compared to 57% of all adults.
Conversely, 42% of Black adults have never married versus 26% of all adults.

There is a Bill Cosby quote that may be the best articulation of the evolution of Black women in America:

“I don’t know the key to success, but the key to failure is trying to please everybody.”

Perhaps it is “harder for Black women to find a husband.”
But could it be that it is not at the top of her new priority list?

Click here -to read the full article from the Times.

"Teaching Little Brown Babies"

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There was an article in The New York Times on Saturday that I just have to talk about and perhaps get your comments and impressions.

“To Court Blacks, Foes of Abortion Make Racial Case.”click here

I was intrigued, not by the highly personal and morally difficult pro-choice/pro-life debate, but by the suggestion that Blacks are like lemmings – in need of a savior to “guide” and “rescue” them from the perils of an evil world…and their own ignorance.

As described in the article,”the largely white staff” of the anti-abortion group in Georgia had a light bulb moment.

The “idea” was to link a fact

(disproportionately high number of Black women have abortions)

with a theory

(there is a decades old conspiracy to kill off Blacks)

so that African-American women will know “the truth.”

Brilliant marketing – Yes?

Just pit Black against White and and throw the fear of racial genocide into the mix.

Of course, the fact that these new “outreach” saviors (oops, I meant anti-abortion leaders) had a few abortions themselves is irrelevant to these sisters of mercy.

I smirked and thought of a line from the film, Murder On the Orient Express.

Responding to Inspector Poirot’s wily interrogation, the seemingly meek Swedish missionary, Greta (played by Ingrid Bergman, who won an Oscar), said with deep humility:

“I work in Africa…as missionary – teaching little brown babies more backward than myself.”