Axe has once again turned to stereotypes and gender biases with its latest Axe 'Office Love' commercial, which essentially represents females as a giant pair of breasts, no head required.
Created by BBH, New York, the Axe 'Office Love' spot points to the assumption that men see nothing but breasts, while women see nothing but hair. Attempting to suggest that objectification actually comes from women, the spot features a walking disembodied head of hair, who falls in love with his coworker, a headless pair of breasts. The commercial ends with the statement, "Hair. It's what girls see first."
According to Adweek, it's not the first time Axe has used disembodied parts to sell product. In the early 2000s, it created a campaign with a detached armpit that managed to seduce women because its great smell.
Key Themes Behind This Trend
- Gender Stereotyping in Advertising
- Opportunities for companies to promote diversity and inclusion in advertising, breaking away from traditional gender roles and stereotypes.
- Controversial Marketing Tactics
- Innovation opportunities for companies to shift away from sexualized advertising and find new ways to attract consumers.
- Empowering Female Narratives
- Opportunities for companies to feature women as more than just sexual objects, and instead to highlight female leadership and empowerment in advertising.
Where This Applies
- Advertising
- An opportunity for companies to break away from traditional advertising methods and shift towards a more diverse and inclusive approach.
- Market Research
- An opportunity for companies to conduct research on consumer attitudes towards controversial advertising tactics and female representation in advertising.
- Brand Management
- An opportunity for companies to create a brand image that is more empowering and representative of diverse consumers through responsible advertising and messaging.
