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Axe Shower Gel Ads Tell Men to Appease Women, Get Laid (VIDEO)

Posted: 03/21/2012 2:58 pm

Thank goodness for Axe. What would wayward men do without a deodorant brand that dispenses dating advice? This week Axe's latest ad campaign helpfully reveals the secret to relationship bliss: oddly-named shower gel.

The series of five advertisements tell men to "keep up with axe shower gels" so that they can keep up with their super hot girlfriends, especially when those girlfriends are doing super annoying things. (Scroll down to watch the ads.)

The women neatly embody several time-worn female archetypes. You have the "sporty girl" who only cares about winning, the "brainy girl," conveniently identified by her subtly hipster glasses, the "flirty girl" who unabashedly hits on other men, the shopaholic "high maintenance girl" and the constantly-drunk-and-gyrating "party girl." Somehow the man in each commercial has attracted the woman despite having absolutely nothing in common with her, and now he desperately wants to keep her -- at least until bedtime, which, as we all know, is sexy time. But how is he supposed to make it until then?! Enter Axe shower gels with names like "Shock," "Rise," "Sport Blast" and, best of all, "Snake Peel." According to the ads, a quick rinse with one of the gels will enable any man able to (appear to) enjoy the girly activities that serve only as a precursor to getting frisky.

Some other key lessons I picked up from these commercials include the following (men, take notes):
• Female athletes consider broken, bleeding noses a turn-on.
• Courtney from "The Bachelor" was right -- book smart is boring. And nothing epitomizes boring and brainy like a theater production.
• Women who flirt with other men in front of their boyfriends probably want to have a two girls, one guy threesome later on.
• After-after-after party means sex. If anyone ever asks you to go to an after-after-after party, you now know what to expect.
• Men have no idea what brunch is. And when they go out to eat, they only ever want to order sandwiches.

These ads are fairly absurd (who doesn't love brunch!?), and predictably insulting to both men and women -- this is Axe after all. Yet as AdWeek points out, the brand has actually made some (very relative) progress since their "scrub away the skank" days, "allowing that females are actually thinking, acting members of society capable of leading obsequious, sex-obsessed males to debase themselves in myriad ways." Perhaps some day, in the far-distant future, Axe will admit that men and women have the ability to enjoy each other's company for reasons that extend beyond toxic aromas and the possibility of orgasm.

WATCH: Axe Shower Gel Ads Tell Men To "Keep Up"

 

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FOLLOW WOMEN
Thank goodness for Axe. What would wayward men do without a deodorant brand that dispenses dating advice? This week Axe's latest ad campaign helpfully reveals the secret to relationship bliss: oddly-n...
Thank goodness for Axe. What would wayward men do without a deodorant brand that dispenses dating advice? This week Axe's latest ad campaign helpfully reveals the secret to relationship bliss: oddly-n...
 
 
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HUFFPOST SUPER USER
Beth Horne
05:28 PM on 03/26/2012
Oh come on! The whole name of the procuct is misogynistic, when you break it down! After all, you certainly have heard a woman's parts referred to as an 'Axe' wound, right? Well, that's how they got the name. Plus the crap stinks to high heaven!
01:57 PM on 03/26/2012
These are not nearly as insulting as the Swiffer ads that liken a woman of a certian age to a piece of dirt in a hard to get to conder. She finally gets noticed and picked up by a mop to the tune of "I believe in Miracles". That is bad business and I am going to suggest most of their customers are women.
12:06 PM on 03/26/2012
I suppose in your easily offended universe, its taken as granted that every male portrayed in these commercials is only after one thing. I guess that old archetype is ok though, right?
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HUFFPOST SUPER USER
starchildjg24
Balance, Logic and Humor Rule
11:49 AM on 03/26/2012
I thought they were hilarious! People are way too easily offended, IMO. Any man who would take these seriously is probably not worth dating.
11:29 AM on 03/26/2012
today s men and women are beasts[ two legged] they are contolled by lusts and passion. the sexes were more natural in the bible without gyms and pills.
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HUFFPOST SUPER USER
starchildjg24
Balance, Logic and Humor Rule
11:51 AM on 03/26/2012
I love lust and passion! What is wrong with lust and passion? If it's wrong for you, avoid it at all cost! I am not controlled by them, though. I am controlled by the desire to live indoors and have food on my table and the wonder of electricity!
HUFFPOST SUPER USER
seabeeutcn
11:22 AM on 03/26/2012
Yes they are offended when these commercials interupt them while watching wholesome tv like jersey shore, teen mom, the kardashians etc....
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ycplum
Against Stupidity, the Gods themselves try in Vain
10:45 AM on 03/26/2012
They are satire not to be taken seriously. If women do not get the satire, it doesn't matter because these commercials are targetting men, who get the satire. If an ad firm presented an ad campaign for men's deodorant that targets women, I would show them the door and then blacklist them.
10:28 AM on 03/26/2012
i really like the one where the girl is installing laminate flooring....very sexxxy !!
10:18 AM on 03/26/2012
This is a sad pointless article. The author must have gotten really desperate in her search for offensive things to settle on these commercials. "Perhaps some day, in the far-distant future, Axe will admit that men and women have the ability to enjoy each other's company for reasons that extend beyond toxic aromas..." She does understand that it is an advertisement for scented shower gels, and not a anthropological study of male-female courtship, right?
10:10 AM on 03/26/2012
grow up! it shouldn’t be offensive to anyone it’s a joke! and if you are offended get a life, a real job, and maybe that will occupy your free time instead of thinking of ignorant reasons to be upset!

ps. remember the herbal essence commercials, you know the one where the girl is washing her hair and sounds like she’s having sex... well same concept works both ways. if you forget the past you’ll always be ignorant to the future!
HUFFPOST SUPER USER
Carla Peele
01:32 PM on 03/26/2012
LOL, no matter HOW much Herbal Essences I've used... it's good, but not THAT good... ;)
09:28 AM on 03/26/2012
Is there ANYTHING that so many of you women won't find something to complain about...Alway an issue !...Talk about society playing the "race card" on things...Hell...Contemporary females have always been doing "one better" with playing the "Gender Card"...
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HUFFPOST SUPER USER
starchildjg24
Balance, Logic and Humor Rule
12:01 PM on 03/26/2012
Bravo to you for saying "so many of you" instead of the usual, "all of you". Heck, I alerted all my female friends, and they all think these commercials were hilarious!

Breaking news here in FL, a man and his girlfriend were arguing about guns, and he ended the fight by shooting her. (We are in competition with TX for worst state, and all you Texans, FL is winning!!!)
09:08 AM on 03/26/2012
I am 53 years young and a female. These were hysterical!
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metalsmithgirl71
Just say NO to GMO's!
08:50 AM on 03/26/2012
give me a break. they must be low of topics for articles.
08:29 AM on 03/26/2012
offensive? you mean hilarious.
08:10 AM on 03/26/2012
I have no problem with these commercials. its not about the women, its all about what we let men think. we can let them thing we are annoying (we can be nags) because these commercials serve the greater good.

THEY GET MEN TO SHOWER AND USE SOAP!

what would this world be like if males 16 - 30 come to if we couldnt get them to lather up??? ewwwwwww