Nivea for Men: Strangely Sexist Commercial

[RilianXI]

Nivea for Men is, according to the commercial, "a bodywash for grown ups". The commercial implies that none have existed before.

Yeah, the market has just been flooded with bodywashes targeted at kids.

[Yochanan]

I considered buying that but decided against it because of the commercial.

[TFP]

I'm not sure how that's sexist? "Age-ist" maybe? I haven't actually seen the commercial though ...

[RilianXI]

It's sexist because it implies that women are not grown-ups.

[Yochanan]

It's sexist because it implies that women are not grown-ups.

That's what threw me off, but I don't think I could've put my finger on it. Yeah, I'm in total agreement. Horrible marketing. *rolls eyes*

[-Kt-]

I don't have a television, anybody have links?

[RilianXI]

I looked but I cannot find one.

[Catechin]

It reminds me of a toned down version of that Axe bodyspray/deodorant/whatever it is. Shamefully pathetic and sexist. Anything marketed that way is not getting my business, ever.

[TFP]

Pity you can't find links. I think I'm really going to have to see this thing before I can say one way or the other. To me, a body wash that happens to be for dudes, with a slogan "for grown-ups" doesn't automatically imply that women aren't grown-up.

[JC]

I actually just saw this one last night. I'm not entirely sure it's particularly sexist but it's certainly in poor taste and a fairly pathetic piece of marketing.

[Jaimey]

Pity you can't find links. I think I'm really going to have to see this thing before I can say one way or the other. To me, a body wash that happens to be for dudes, with a slogan "for grown-ups" doesn't automatically imply that women aren't grown-up.

That was my impression. It isn't targeted at women, so I'm not sure I'd call it sexist. Actually, I'd say even more that it's targeted at teenage boys...a sort of "if you want to be seen as a grown man, use this body wash" message...as in, "girls will see you as a man, if you use this body wash."

[RilianXI]

IF I remember correctly, the commercial said, "Finally - A body wash for grown ups. Nivea for Men."

But there have already been body washes for a long time. They were marketed towards and used by women. The commercial equates the terms "grown up" and "man".

[Ghosba]

It reminds me of a toned down version of that Axe bodyspray/deodorant/whatever it is. Shamefully pathetic and sexist. Anything marketed that way is not getting my business, ever.

I find them hilarious. Also, we find them quite alluring. I'm keeping my fingers crossed for a gay tailored version just to see the commercials.

[Ghosba]

IF I remember correctly, the commercial said, "Finally - A body wash for grown ups. Nivea for Men."

But there have already been body washes for a long time. They were marketed towards and used by women. The commercial equates the terms "grown up" and "man".

I don't see that as their original intent, although admittedly it is easy to take their advertising in that manner.

Also, kudos and respect points for the sig. We're hardcore spongebob fans over here. D.B. will sing along with the intro. Quite emphatically too.

[-Kt-]

IF I remember correctly, the commercial said, "Finally - A body wash for grown ups. Nivea for Men."

But there have already been body washes for a long time. They were marketed towards and used by women. The commercial equates the terms "grown up" and "man".

Yes, "grown up", to be equated to "man" or "woman" rather than "boy" or "girl".
That is another possibility.

[TFP]

IF I remember correctly, the commercial said, "Finally - A body wash for grown ups. Nivea for Men."

But there have already been body washes for a long time. They were marketed towards and used by women. The commercial equates the terms "grown up" and "man".

I'm fairly certain Nivea isn't the first male marketed body wash ... although, I don't pay especially close attention to commercials and I'll admit I may be thinking of shampoo commercials (in my mind it all creates suds n' bubbles it's all the same).

[RilianXI]

IF I remember correctly, the commercial said, "Finally - A body wash for grown ups. Nivea for Men."

But there have already been body washes for a long time. They were marketed towards and used by women. The commercial equates the terms "grown up" and "man".

Yes, "grown up", to be equated to "man" or "woman" rather than "boy" or "girl".
That is another possibility.

It doesn't say woman. It's contrasting "nivea for men, for grown-ups" with all the other body washes that have been for women. There has never been a body wash marketed at children, that I know of, which is the opposite of "grown-up". So, they can't have been contrasting anything but "woman" when they said "grown up".

[RilianXI]

IF I remember correctly, the commercial said, "Finally - A body wash for grown ups. Nivea for Men."

But there have already been body washes for a long time. They were marketed towards and used by women. The commercial equates the terms "grown up" and "man".

I'm fairly certain Nivea isn't the first male marketed body wash ... although, I don't pay especially close attention to commercials and I'll admit I may be thinking of shampoo commercials (in my mind it all creates suds n' bubbles it's all the same).

It might not be The first (but I think it is), but it is still a new trend.

[TFP]

Ah, then I see where that's a possible interpretation although it's not the first thing that would come to my mind; I'd just think their commercial wasn't making much sense.

[Doc]

There has never been a body wash marketed at children, that I know of, which is the opposite of "grown-up". So, they can't have been contrasting anything but "woman" when they said "grown up".

I just plugged 'body wash for children' into a search-engine and got ten different brands on the first page. Eight out of ten on the next page were specifically for children, the others 'for children and adults.'

Sooo, one could argue that their ad's so-called point is that, until the introduction of their product, men could go for girly-scented body-washes, or buy kid's ones, and O GLORY now there's a manly one. Though actually, this isn't new at all, I'm sure there have been unscented and male-marketed ones around for years.

Seems to me that all advertisements aimed at getting men to use stuff like body-washes and moisturizers are whacked and full of weird sexist stuff. I suppose the idea is to use sexism to make men feel 'manly' while doing 'girly' stuff like skin-care.

Deodorant labels are strange. The brand-name of the women's deodorants almost always says, 'Lady' or something of that ilk. The package for the men's will almost always say something like, 'Masculine scent!' The only one I've ever had that wasn't crawling with gender-references on the package was one of those salt-crystal things.