This male fantasy brought to you by Axe

I’m no prude — by any stretch of the imagination. But there are some commercials that make even me uncomfortable…

*

*

The commercial taps into the deep-seeded fantasy land inside the minds of most men and it introduces this fantasy to a whole new generation of pre-pubescent and pubescent boys. Sure there’s worse stuff on television, but this commercial seems to me to be a little more insidiously seductive, especially given its more mainstreamed exposure.

What probably disturbs me most is how it portrays women — as (very attractive) subservient tools whose primary purpose is to service a man’s needs. As a father of two daughters, that bothers me. I don’t want them to be subjected to or even have emplanted in their minds such a chauvenistic, twisted concept.

What’s most galling of all is that Axe is made by Unilever, makers of Dove products. Dove has been widely praised for its Dove Campaign for Real Beauty that aims to improve the self image and self esteem of women of all ages beyond the definition of beauty that “had become limiting and unattainable, as if only thin, young and blond were beautiful.” It has been a noble campaign, if it were not undercut by the marketing of its sister brother product that clearly sexualizes and objectifies women.

Josh Golin, associate director of advocy group Campaign for a Commercial-free Childhood, said:

“The hypocrisy is Dove positioning itself as a brand that cares and is trying to teach girls to resist this messaging. At the same time Unilever, in the form of Axe, is putting out some of the worst messaging there is.”^[6]

Susan Linn, CCFC’s director, sums it up best:

“Unilever needs to have a consistent policy on how it treats women. Either treat them the Dove way or the Axe way. Unilever has dismissed it as just a joke. But, in fact, advertising images have a powerful effect, even if people don’t realize it. Especially if they don’t realize it.”^[7]

It’s not surprising that a big corporation that makes products with competing interests is so blatantly duplicitous. It’s not surprising, but it’s disappointing. Shame on you, Unilever.