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Axe Anarchy For Women And Men, Markets To Both With Sex (VIDEOS)

The Huffington Post   First Posted: 01/09/12 03:16 PM ET Updated: 01/09/12 03:27 PM ET

Axe specializes in racy, often offensive ads. Occasionally the men's grooming brand manages to offend Christians, but more often than not it offends women by depicting them as sex-crazed objects at the disposal of horny men.

But Axe is looking to turn the tables -- or at least make sexual objectification an equal opportunity game. Now there is Axe for women, part of a new fragrance collection called Anarchy.

The New York Times reports that the first of two Anarchy ads, intended for American and later international TV viewers, will officially debut Tuesday on Axe's Facebook page. But, as the Internet waits for no one, two videos are already on Youtube.

So we watched them -- and we can't say we're surprised. It's pretty standard Axe fare, but David Kolbusz, a creative director at Bartle Bogle Hegarty (the agency that made the spots) points out to the Times that this time around, both sexes are good-looking.

In past Axe ads, the male actors have been average, schlubby, relatable. The women, of course, have been drop-dead gorgeous model types. They send the message that even average-looking guys can land super hot girls -- and that all guys no matter how attractive should expect their women to look like supermodels.

"The guys can look a little more aspirational in the lead roles without the average guy feeling threatened," Kolbusz put it to the Times.

Sure, because male viewers shouldn't be threatened. Female viewers, on the other hand, should be barraged with images of unattainable beauty and body shape, because they don't feel threatened or pressured to mold their bodies to societal expectations.

That never happens.

WATCH:

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Axe specializes in racy, often offensive ads. Occasionally the men's grooming brand manages to offend Christians, but more often than not it offends women by depicting them as sex-crazed objects at th...
Axe specializes in racy, often offensive ads. Occasionally the men's grooming brand manages to offend Christians, but more often than not it offends women by depicting them as sex-crazed objects at th...
 
 
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This user has chosen to opt out of the Badges program
10:21 AM on 01/12/2012
All I know is that I have hordes of middle school boys emerging from the locker rooms everyday reeking of this stuff and no girls are flocking towards them. In fact, when doused in high quantities it seems to have the opposite effect.
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scythus
OMG the idiots are breeding...
08:30 AM on 01/12/2012
It's entirely possible those ads are misleading, I sprayed some of that stuff on once yet supermodels failed to come molest me....
08:26 AM on 01/12/2012
and Victorias Secret does what?
I find the Axe ads and Victorias Secret ads the same.
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HUFFPOST SUPER USER
Dede Eagleburger
well behaved women rarely make History...
09:53 AM on 01/12/2012
how do you mean?
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HUFFPOST SUPER USER
Antidiot
05:21 PM on 01/11/2012
I felt like he caught her instead of her catching him. But overall it didn't make sense at all really.
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HUFFPOST SUPER USER
Dede Eagleburger
well behaved women rarely make History...
09:55 AM on 01/12/2012
that was kinda the point I thought - that with the scent he was wearing he kinda turned the tables on her...LOL
It's kinda funny, with DVR now, the only time I even see commercials is when I click on a story like this one :)
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HUFFPOST SUPER USER
Antidiot
10:02 AM on 01/12/2012
I thought they were advertising a product for women?
04:57 PM on 01/11/2012
Colbert's reaction to Axe spray for women was the best. He predicted that it was a can of mace.
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Dede Eagleburger
well behaved women rarely make History...
03:41 PM on 01/11/2012
I always wondered why they didn't make perfumes that smelled like steak and potatoes, guys would be all over us then...!!!
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jf12
Occupying myself
05:12 PM on 01/11/2012
Then?
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HUFFPOST SUPER USER
Dede Eagleburger
well behaved women rarely make History...
09:27 PM on 01/11/2012
yes then...
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madcityy
02:28 PM on 01/11/2012
AX, THE AXEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEE

SOUNDS LIKE CRP FOR THE BRAIN DEAD...................
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Antidiot
02:01 PM on 01/11/2012
Why do they not show an average looking woman becoming irresistible to extremely attractive men? That would be the appropriate comparison to the male axe products commercials. I thought if they made a product for women, the point would be to BE irresistibly attractive to men , not to be irresistibly ATTRACTED to them. That makes no sense.
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jf12
Occupying myself
05:13 PM on 01/11/2012
Most women already are irresistibly attractive. Males walk around surrounded by the equivalent of 100s of Brad Pitts all day.
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Antidiot
05:32 PM on 01/11/2012
Really? I don't see that.
10:38 PM on 04/11/2012
a study was done in which people were randomly selected and asked weather they would rather see atractive people on adds or normal people. the atractive people obv. won. people want to think that the products they are buying will get them riches and pretty people. not middle class and okish people.
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WilliamL
08:21 AM on 01/11/2012
Considering the number of posts being focused on sex in this section, it would seem that such marketing is in line. Not sure why there would be such outrage.
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megandvc
Clowns to the left of me, jokers to the right.
06:52 AM on 01/11/2012
I dont care whom they market it to, that stuff smells GROSS. Do the ladies of the 90's remember DRAKKAR? Every time I smell that stuff I am catapulted back to 1993, my Senior yr in HS and the backseat of Chris Russos car! lol
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jf12
Occupying myself
08:47 AM on 01/11/2012
So, Drakkar worked?
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megandvc
Clowns to the left of me, jokers to the right.
02:21 PM on 01/11/2012
unfortunately, YES! That and JUST TO BE WITH YOU by Mr. Big on the radio and Chris was all set to go. lol
04:59 PM on 01/11/2012
After seeing a couple of the commercials, I made sure I never got a whif of it. Talk about negative advertizing. Contrast them with the Old Spice commercials. They are the best.
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megandvc
Clowns to the left of me, jokers to the right.
05:04 PM on 01/11/2012
I happen to like old spice. lol. I am an old fashioned girl
11:37 PM on 01/10/2012
i remember yrs back when women would wear musk. omg you would smell like that for two days if you didnt shower in the morning. early at that. was fine at first but to over whelming later on.
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dil123
Read the demographics and weep
09:23 PM on 01/10/2012
Stupid. Dumbist commercial I've ever seen in my life.
05:15 PM on 01/10/2012
They would do a better job marketing it to women if they showed her getting rich after putting on the perfume. Women are definitely not wanting for sex.
03:26 PM on 01/10/2012
I don't understand, is there some perfume shortage in the world or something?
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AKansasComment
Don't it make my brown eyes blue
01:58 PM on 01/10/2012
Actually, I always thought that since Men like to wear certain fragrances for themselves, that women should wear men's cologne to be more attractive. I never tried it, but does it make sense?
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jf12
Occupying myself
03:07 PM on 01/10/2012
No. Most men wear fragrances solely to appeal to women. Most women wear fragrances to appeal to themselves. Do you wear the scent your husband prefers, or does he say he likes what you put on?
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AKansasComment
Don't it make my brown eyes blue
05:25 PM on 01/10/2012
True! So much for my zany idea!
05:00 PM on 01/11/2012
He's more interested in what I take off than what I put on.
02:47 PM on 01/11/2012
I wear men's cologne sometimes, because I like the smell. Most women's perfumes are too fruity for me. But I think both sexes wear scents they prefer, if they think it smells good so will others. If I hated a smell but guys liked it I still wouldn't wear it. Studies have shown that most men prefer the scent of vanilla though.