Schick commercials5/2/2023 ![]() ![]() I suspect that the people who complained loudest about this ad were not in the target market and would not have bought the product anyway.īut the uproar over this Gillette ad is different. ![]() The reason I like Schick’s “trimming bushes” ad so much is because it is fun and flirty - perfect for its target audience. Gillette’s Venus for Pubic Hair and Skin commercial: The Cranky Ad Review verdict It may sound cynical, but it’s really no more profound or complicated than that. By pushing the boundaries of what is acceptable in national TV advertising, Gillette and its ad agency have ensured that more people will talk about this ad, that it will get more press, that it will make a much bigger splash than an ad that merely met societal norms. The “brave” strategy at work here is simply for shock value. Gillette did not create this ad to empower anyone. If you are someone who thinks Gillette created this ad because it is a champion of women, allow me to disabuse you of such illusions. Of course, some online are cheering this commercial for “telling real women’s stories” and “celebrating positive body images”: “Bu- bu- but pubic hair speaks to women’s truth” When it fires, anything near the target is caught in the spray.” - Bob Garfieldīelow: A far superior UK ad for a similar Gillette product, the modestly-named Venus Bikini Precision Trimmer: Television is a mass medium, and advertisers have a responsibility to ensure that their work is appropriate for all audiences to whom it is shown. (Not to mention, the ad employed a clever visual metaphor to show how the product works - and compared to this Gillette ad, it was positively adorable.) That ad too drew plenty of criticism, but to the best of my knowledge, it only aired after prime-time viewing hours or during shows intended for mature audiences. You may remember how rigorously I defended the “trimming bushes” ad for Schick’s Hydro Silk TrimStyle razor - also a product for women who shave down there. With this ad for Venus, Gillette has broken that compact. This is advertisers’ unspoken compact with viewers. TV spots simply appear, and in exchange for viewer indulgence advertisers owe a measure of restraint and respect for the sensitivities of everyone in the room. We do not need to see live demonstrations of these products in our living rooms.Īdvertisers, as our uninvited guests, have a responsibility to know better - and to behave better.Īs famed former ad critic Bob Garfield pointed out in his book, And Now a Few Words from Me …: ![]() What’s next? Shall we have equally explicit ads for toilet paper? Tampons? Menstrual pads? Viagra? I’m no prude, but honestly, it’s a bit much. In case you missed it, the ad literally shows a closeup of a woman’s crotch while talking about shaving pubic hair. You may also like: Let’s talk about diversity in TV commercials What is not subjective is that this ad is shown on TV at all hours of the day - morning, afternoon and night. I’m not even going to discuss whether I like this ad or if I think it’s effective. ![]()
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