'Sex Mints'? No, Thanks!

'Naughty' new candy bar has really, really, really suggestive ads

(NEWSER) - Mars has introduced its first new candy bar in 20 years—and a racy marketing campaign to go along with it, NPR reports. The Fling is a "chocolate finger" of meringue and truffle painted with a "shimmering" chocolate coating, and both the 85-calorie size and the very pink, faux scandalous advertisements are aimed squarely at women. More»

Soda launches extra-manly marketing campaign

(NEWSER) - Dr Pepper knows men can't stand high heels, hate romantic comedies, and would never be caught drinking diet soda. The soft drink firm aims to change that last trait: It is marketing its latest low-calorie soda, Dr Pepper Ten, as absolutely "not for women," the AP reports. The drink's Facebook page says it is only for men; it's got Rambo-style TV commercials; and a promotional game allows you to shoot lipstick and unicorns. "You can keep the romantic comedies and lady drinks. We're good," says one ad. More»

That's more than 25,000 hours over 63 years

(NEWSER) - It’s official: women shop a lot. A survey by a marketing firm finds that over a 63-year lifespan, the average female will spend about 2 years and 10 months—or 25,184 hours and 53 minutes—shopping for food, clothes, and the like. A spokesman says the results aren’t at all pejorative. “Men seem to think women only shop when they are buying clothes for themselves,” he tells the Sun . “But they often shop for the entire family and that can be incredibly hard work.” More»

(NEWSER) - Some recession-wary companies are marketing more to women these days, the Economist reports. After all, women make more than 80% of discretionary buys in America, and are more loyal, product-plugging (or bashing) customers. But one expert says the strategy could turn off male buyers in traditionally masculine marketing areas like automotives—even though women buy most new cars. More»

Have a gross-out story? Turns out America wants to hear it

(NEWSER) - Warning: Reading this may cause queasiness and catharsis. Women are firing up their best (or worst) lodged-tampons stories, yeast-infection remedies, and bloody-period sex tales for America’s commiserating pleasure. “Oversharing is in,” Rebecca Traister declares in Salon. “It’s not so much ‘too much information’ as it is the next, necessary step in personal-is-political, enlightened honesty about the female body.” More»