My apologies for the tardiness of this Ping, but I’ve been in the sick role for the past couple of days.
As part of my recuperation process I subjected myself to a few hours’ worth of television yesterday… okay, okay, more like many hours’ worth of television. In between shows I was subjected to a large number of ads for men’s deodorant.
I’m not quite sure when things changed from “Hey! This’ll make you stop being stinky!” to “Hey! Use this and women will love you” but it has happened. I guess I just don’t get it. I know there’s probably some of the 12-year-old boy theory at play here but, come on, it’s just deodorant.
Besides the really lame ads for Axe, Old Spice’s HIGH ENDURANCE (EXTREME!!!) and Right Guard’s Super Incredible Xtreme [sic] Deluxe Sport Deodorant w/Super Amazing Anti-Stink Strip Protection were the two other products in the ad space. I thought the redundant Extreme-ing was enough, but no. Old Spice’s ad featured two guys watching a football game in one room of a house while their wives/girlfriends chatted in another room. During commercial breaks, the guy would come into the room where the women were talking and just… hug her. I don’t know… does Old Spice include a hugging agent?
The Right Guard ads didn’t actually include women (surprise) but instead portrayed their deodorant as a line of players on a football field, tackling out body odor. But there was a pretty typical guy “hosting” the ad – sideways black hat, scruffy hair, unshaven, and so on. So MTV.
Then there are Degree’s new ads. Degree, which I use, is apparently “for men who take risks.” Note how they’re portraying this thing, though: if you don’t use Degree, you’re a “suck-up,” a “mama’s boy,” or a “wuss.” Come on, why don’t they just come out and say you’re gay? I’m sure that’s what the ad agency was thinking.
All of this stupid advertising makes my head hurt. People, it’s just deodorant. It makes you not smell under your arms and, if it’s an anti-perspirant, makes you not sweat either. Let’s drop this pretense that it’ll make you attract women. That’s stupid.
Posted in Consumer Commentary
djw January 30, 2007, 10:47 pm
I’ve been trying a combination of probably 20 different deodorants over the past year…I’d find one that works for a month or so, then it quits on me. I honestly ran out of my stick one day and used my girlfriends dove and it worked wonders…still, I couldn’t possibly buy it for myself because I’m homo-phobic apparently…long story short, Degree just quit on me again so I’m going to CVS to pick up some un-scented Dove…call me queer!
CLA December 20, 2007, 1:18 am
Secret Platinum Protection, this is for women. it’s an anitpersprint. But don’t get it on your hands. It will take forever to try and wash it off. It works wonders!
Just incase a lady friend of yours has BO problems 🙂