Gender and Web Design: The Implications of the Mirroring Principle for the Services Branding Model

Abstract

This paper explores the theoretical and practical implications of the mirroring principle to an understanding of how best to identify and sustain service brands' values. It does this through a focus on the web design aesthetics used in the web sites of small to large companies, and a comparison of these aesthetics with the preferences of target users. Web design contributes to services branding and a finding of a tendency of the majority of websites to employ what may be termed a ‘male design aesthetic’, and for men and women to have a differential preference as between the male and female design aesthetic, leads to a discussion of the appropriateness of previous service branding models. These earlier models discuss the role of internal staff in developing service branding values but neglect to consider the dissonance that may exist between the values of internal staff and the values of external customers. The article argues that only where the values of internal staff are congruent with those of external customers is it appropriate to model brand values around the preferences of internal staff. In those other cases where the brand values of internal staff do not span the complete range of aesthetic choices available, questions need to be asked about how best these external values can be reflected in the marketing and design of services targeted at customers. There are implications here for recruitment, promotion and training that are not currently reflected in existing services branding models, and which therefore, serve as an important addition to the services branding model.