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Unwilling to fully abandon my Chicago-area upbringing, I live in Manhattan with my husband, my teddy bear, and a 10 lb. rabbit, but insist on calling...
 
 
 
 

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Let's Ax "Axe"

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Every feminist at one point or another in her life has probably been told that she needs to get a sense of humor, relax, or get laid when she complains about some vile sexist thing that she is confronted with. Axe body products for men take this maxim to a new extreme. Their ads on the New York City subway often made me roll my eyes in disgust (and I didn’t even get the point of a few of them, like an ad showing a nightstand stacked with cups of water) and the new commercial with Nick Lachey is hilariously bad, so I didn’t think anything of them until some women in my book club mentioned Axe last night.

Axe’s ads initially brought back memories of my own junior high experience, when boys emerged from the locker room after gym class and Drakkar Noir fumes trailed behind them like dust on Pigpen in a Peanuts cartoon. Worse, when any of the guys would pass by you, your head would be enveloped in a cloud of Drakkar, causing mortifying fits of spasmodic coughing, seriously cramping a tween girl’s style. How cool can one look as she tries to swat the noxious vapors away from her head while gasping for fresh air?

I forgot, however, that we live in ever more sexually exploitative times. While Drakkar Noir may have been a bar mitzvah boy’s ticket to hot women back in 1988, today’s Axe ads, also built with the developing male’s insecurities and desires in mind, continue to sell the idea that a cologne bath will draw sexy women to them like bees to honey. Literally.

For example, reading about Axe Shower Gel on the Axe website informed me that its easy pour spout “Ensures a manageable pour, lowering the risk of overwhelming your new shower buddies and triggering an outbreak of group shower hysteria.” Normally, I would have assumed that meant that boys in the locker room might get soap in their eyes and stumbled into each other blindly, causing homophobic panic, because how many teenagers and pre-teens are in situations leading them to shower with members of the opposite sex? Unfortunately, my naïve rose-colored view of the world was shattered when Axe also boasted that the bottle of shower gel is black because “it’s easy to lose track of your shower gel with so many ladies obstructing your vision” and worse, it was designed with an ergonomic handle which “helps you hold onto your Axe Shower Gel, no matter how slippery it gets. Or how many ladies are pulling on it.” Unlike in the Drakkar days, when reeking like a cologne factory could pull in a lady, these days boys are supposed to aim for multiple women. Charming.

Maybe I am overreacting, I thought. How about Axe deodorant? Surely, it is impossible to lead young men to believe that deodorant will get them laid. Ah, silly me. “Axe Dry helps to keep you from sweating while simultaneously getting the ladies hot and bothered,” reads the tag line on the deodorant’s informative webpage. You will also be reassured to know that the company’s “product designers say that Axe Dry’s suggestively shaped bottle was a happy coincidence.” I squinted at the picture. It looked like my bottle of Degree - or any other solid deodorant for that matter - which I will unhappily now associate with circumcised penises. In fact, it also looks just like Axe Deodorant Stick, which the website explained has a “base pivot turning thing” (um, don’t they all?) and that “A quick twist gives you more pit protection. Designed for fast mini-skirt removal.” What?!?! Where the fuck did that non-sequiter come from?

The nine Axe scents are all categorized by what type of chick you want to get to fuck you. “Clix” is “because the mating game is all about figures. Spray it on, sit back, and count your clicks.” (No worries about being a slut if you are a guy! Fuck away, friends!) The woman pictured with this scent says, “I threw out those dirty magazines under your bed – and got you new ones.” How thoughtful.

Another jaw-dropping scent (not due to the scent itself, of course) is “Phoenix.” “This bold scent embodies the male spirit… All that’s left to do is rise to the occasion,” the copy reads. (Insert your Beavis and

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sassymonkey 6 pts

With the fact that I'm straight or anything would they? Sheesh woman - focus on someone else for your toaster oven. ;)

Sassymonkey ( http://sassymonkey.wordpress.com/ ), Sassymonkey Reads ( http://sassymonkeyreads.wordpress.com/ ), and Sassymonkey Eats ( http://sassymonkeyeats.wordpress.com/ )

Denise 9 pts moderator

when I tell you to hit on women you have all sorts of excuses. And it's time for you to hit on something.

~Denise
( http://feeds.feedburner.com/DailyDoseOfDenise )

smartl 5 pts

My boyfriend actually wears Axe, and he's 27. And I'm embarassed to admit that I love the smell of it... But he doesn't buy Axe because of their ads, he bought it before he'd ever seen this batch of ads. He just likes the scent.

I've never seen their website, but I have seen their TV ads and maybe it's just me but I thought they were funny and wasn't offended by them. I still haven't checked out the website (no time for that and it sounds a bit NSFW) but perhaps the stuff on there is worse.

In the end though, we (as post-teenage females - I'm generalizing here but I think it's fair to say that's the majority of BlogHers) are not the target market. It's generally best to inspire passionate responses to your marketing. That means your target market will love you, and those outside of your target market may really, really hate you. That tends to produce better results than inspiring indifference. So I hate to say it, but while I don't necessarily like their ads, I'll bet they were highly effective and that's why they won awards.

sassymonkey 6 pts

It doesn't explain it all although it does explain a lot.

Which makes me wonder about why you wanted me to hit on men yesterday as I obviously have horrible instincts. Not that there were any. Sarah Waters readings and interviews don't exactly bring the straight men a running.

Sassymonkey ( http://sassymonkey.wordpress.com/ ), Sassymonkey Reads ( http://sassymonkeyreads.wordpress.com/ ), and Sassymonkey Eats ( http://sassymonkeyeats.wordpress.com/ )

sassymonkey 6 pts

I dated a guy last year that wore it. He's edging on 30.

(No comment required Denise. You don't have to say it and yes it was who you think it is.)

Sassymonkey ( http://sassymonkey.wordpress.com/ ), Sassymonkey Reads ( http://sassymonkeyreads.wordpress.com/ ), and Sassymonkey Eats ( http://sassymonkeyeats.wordpress.com/ )

Mir Kamin 6 pts

I commend you for the patience and intestinal fortitude it must've taken to get through all of that. I wonder if anyone over the age of 18 is actually buying this stuff??

--
Mir from WCS
(BlogHer Mommy & Family contributing editor)

Personal: Woulda Coulda Shoulda ( http://wouldashoulda.com/ )

Having it all with less: Want Not ( http://wantnot.net/ )

Denise 9 pts moderator

Yuk.

Actually, I saw it on Feministing last week. I think I had bad dreams about it over the weekend. YUK.

~Denise
( http://feeds.feedburner.com/DailyDoseOfDenise )

Suzanne 5 pts

That site is either so offensive or effective at "dirty mind control," that it caused a minor meltdown in my laptop. My money is on offensive. Damn, it is over the top. (I shall add it to part II of my Axe series.) Thanks for pointing it out. You must be wearing Axe's "Phoenix" body spray, since you rose the the occasion with this. Ha ha.

Suzanne ( http://www.blogher.com/member/suzanne ), BlogHer Contributing Editor - Feminsim & Gender ( http://www.blogher.com/topic/feminism-gender )
Campaign for Unshaved Snatch (CUSS)& Other Rants ( http://cussandotherrants.com/ )

Denise 9 pts moderator

Their new "axelab ( http://www.axelab.net )". "Begin experiment" is incredibly disturbing. Sigh.

~Denise
( http://feeds.feedburner.com/DailyDoseOfDenise )

Caffeinated Librarian 5 pts

Yeah, I have a friend who wears it and he's nearly 40. So, while the target audience may be the 18-and-under set, their marketing is obviously effective with adult men as well.

My only hope is that there will be a backlash at some point, as often happens when something gets so popular, so quickly.

-CL

The Caffeinated Librarian [Blogger] ( http://caffeinatedlibrarian.blogspot.com/ )

nowickedwitch 5 pts

I read all the hoopla on this at feministing; I believe for the most part this question …
"I wonder if anyone over the age of 18 is actually buying this stuff?? "
Can be answered with a "mostly no”, and think that the Axe websites hit have gone up a hundred fold since feminist all over the web are mentioning it in their posts.

cooper

A Elliot 5 pts

I was very disturbed by your post. Where is this product sold? Can you only by it off of their website? I swear I have never heard of it before and husband and I are usually pretty aware of what's going on. I'm scared to view their website.
A. Elliot ( http://www.flexibleparenting.com )

Dave Jones 5 pts

How can a company that clothes itself in altruism and positive imagery for women with its Dove campaign for real beauty also feel good about putting this frat boy BS on the air at the same time?

It's cynical and sad.