Viva la différence!

This headline caught my attention:

Launch of Pubic-Hair-Coloring Product Line Scores PR Coup


Betty products. For the hair down there.

Made for Bettys everywhere, the product was launched by Betty Beauty, a New York startup that is marketing pubic hair dye for “the hair down there.” The dye comes packaged in kits with names like Brown Betty, Auburn Betty, Blonde Betty, Black Betty and Fun Betty (hot pink). And it’s not just for female Bettys either.

The owner of Betty Beauty is Nancy Jarecki and to date, she’s only spent $1,995 on advertising. Yet, her product is the current buzz from Bean Town to Star Town.

In thinking about all the Betty products, I was reminded of cosmopolitanism. Now, you might not see the immediate connection, so bear with me.

Nancy was inspired with the idea while she was on vacation in Italy. As to her epiphanous thinking, she says, "I thought, 'Of course, who wouldn't want to be a true blonde? "' On her return home, she worked with a gynecologist, a chemist and a toxicologist to develop a gentle, no-drip formula and special dye tools.

Now, I’ll be the first to give Nancy credit for her spark, naming creativity and persistence. But I have to admit, I just don’t think I’m ever actually going to use her product. I don’t see a reason to. But I’m not going to stop you from using it, if that’s what you feel compelled to do. I’m definitely going to talk to you though, to try to understand the reasons you have for using Betty. (Be prepared, however. I’m too nosy not to also want to know which Betty product you use!)

And essentially that’s what the heart of cosmopolitanism is, being able to create dialogue where there are differences. And during that conversation, I might discover that you use Brown Betty while a good friend of yours uses Fun Betty. And then we could talk about whether you might ever use Fun Betty or whether you only want to use Brown Betty. I might also discover, through that dialogue, that using Betty products is worth trying. And then again, I might decide Betty products are worthwhile but still not have the desire to try it.

So many options can come from that conversation. And that’s the point for PR. Starting the conversation. And that’s for Bettys everywhere.


Question of the Week: How can you start a conversation with your pubics, er, publics?