Axe Body Spray
For my advertising assignment, I looked through a People magazine advertisement from about a half a year ago. I found an advertisement for Axe body spray, which also makes deodorants, shower gel, etc. The ad that I was looking at was for "Essence", and the only picture was a woman looking straight into the camera seductively.
Here's another Axe ad:
This product is definitely aimed at males from their teens to their twenties, and they are basically told that if they buy this product, they can get any woman they want. The ad says that Essence "brings out the sweet, jewelrey buying, 'aw shucks' side of you that girls want" and the '' 'saddle up' side that girls need". This ad assumes that all males buy deodorant solely for the purpose of getting women, and implies that all it takes is a good deodorant to get the woman that they want. It basically says that all women are the same, and if you do certain things, like buy this product, then all women will be all over you. Ads like these are slightly different than ads when I was younger in that they seem to be becoming more and more sex oriented all the time. I guess they have figured out what sells, and there are enough shallow males that fall for it. Axe ads have to be among the dumbest ads I have ever seen.
Comments
My husband wears Axe and while I am very much attracted to him and the deodorant may smell nice, I don't lose my mind and try to climb him like a tree nor am I reduced to a cave woman-esque mind setting. I agree that the Axe ads are extremely offensive. What I find ironic is that Axe is made by Uni Lever, the company that also makes Dove...you know...the "True Beauty" brand. Interesting in the least, hypocritical and enraging at the most.
Posted by: Kristen | September 22, 2007 11:54 PM
It's just an ad. Get over it.
Posted by: rakkon | November 20, 2007 12:00 PM
I totally agree. Along with the ads being totally offensive to women, saying that if you wear axe, we will be attracted to you. Also, Axe is WAY too strong. It actually makes me gag. Finding out that the company that makes axe is also the dove company is so, well, sad. Not boohoo, but ew. I suppose they know what sells to the girls, and what sells to the guys, but they should think about them being utterly hypocritical. Power to ya dude.
Posted by: Josie | April 11, 2008 06:43 PM
I am not that old but I am pretty sure that what was allowed on television a while back is different from now. If they could do it in your time, the commercials would have probably been sex oriented too. I understand what you are saying it is kind of stupid, for lack of a better word, that they imply that you will get women from deodorant but I don't believe that they are "basically [saying] that all women are the same, and if you do certain things, like buy this product, then all women will be all over you." I have watched a few of those ads and I noticed a large number of women but I am pretty sure that is for emphasis and not to imply that EVERY woman will act this way
Posted by: Just A Thought | May 28, 2008 08:06 AM