Gillette/Venus new marketing campaign: "You're a woman. Shave like one".

FouxDaFaFa

I know that sexist ads get a lot of time here but I thought this one was particularly spectacular and wanted to share it with all of you. Cosmo magazine and Venus (subsidary of Gillette) claim that 30% of women use men's razors to shave and they want to put and end to this. Jezebel have a great article on this, including a heading which I thought was a mock-up taking the piss but turned out to be Venus' actual ad campaign.

I actually do use "female" razors but have been considering buying "male" ones because they tend to be cheaper and better quality. This may have tipped me over the edge.

Terrible Things Await Women Who Use Men’s Razors, Says Gillette.


Cosmo is shedding light on a terrible problem in our society: Ladies who use men's razors. A recent study by Venus found that 30% of women use razors made for beard-shaving, prompting the mag to write in an article encouraging ladies to use appropriately-gendered shaving products:

Venus found that some women think the guy's blades are sharper. However, the ones they use in the Gillette Fusion are exactly the same as the Venus Embrace. Another theory? Some women like the way the men's razors look-sleek, shiny and silver. But there are so many reasons the women's versions are designed differently: We're shaving 18 times more surface area than men! The oval face glides easily, there are more moisturizing strips and the squishy handle keeps it from slipping-and helps us not cut up the backs of our knees. Which would you rather: A silver razor or nick-free legs?

Something about this made our spidey sense tingle, but Cosmo also declared, "If you're thinking it seems biased because Venus wants us to use Venus, know that Venus is owned by Gillette, which makes the men's razors that so many of us are using." That's true, but the article neglects to mention that women's razors tend to be more expensive than those designed for men. But, surely that isn't why Gillette has invested in a campaign to convince women to use lady razors. That men's razor you love so much isn't designed for your womanly curves, so there's a good chance you'll accidentally slice your leg off one of these days.

The funny thing about Cosmo jumping on board is wondering just how much ad revnue they get from Gillette every issue.

MagicMarker

Where's the sexism?

FouxDaFaFa

I can understand them trying to persuade all women to buy "female" razors because they're more expensive so it makes sense it terms of profit. It's just the notion that you're not "being a proper woman" if you use men's razors that irks me. I guess sexism might be the wrong word, it's just a blatant example of enforced gender norms really.

WindSock

Nah it's just marketing. Pink n curvy for de gurls. Every household should have a complete set of toiletries for every single person in there. Navy, pink, Transformers and baby showergel / shampoo / conditioner / tampons etc.

MagicMarker

I don't really see how marketing a woman's product to women if 'enforcing gender norms'.

Are the Old Spice ads sexist or enforcing gender norms?

Storminateacup

Shaving is such a hassle no matter how it's done

krudler

WindSock wrote: »

Nah it's just marketing. Pink n curvy for de gurls. Every household should have a complete set of toiletries for every single person in there. Navy, pink, Transformers and baby showergel / shampoo / conditioner / tampons etc.

wish I had transformers shower gel..

WindSock

krudler wrote: »

wish I had transformers shower gel..

Wish I had transformers tampon...oh wait...perhaps not. Well, maybe.

Nah

Alopex

did you make the title? the way its phrased i thought they were doing a campaign to pressure women who don't shave

on the actual topic. are razors designed differently depending on what body part? face skin is pretty different to leg armpit or genital skin.

I'd just imagine the skin on my legs to be a lot less prone to irritation than the skin on my upper neck

Dudess

WindSock wrote: »

Wish I had transformers tampon

... which would turn into a little robot/car/truck in there? Cool... :eek:

i don't see the problem with it

i get a laugh at all the "you're a goddess" ads though
you're a goddess but only as long as you're not hairy!

LenaClaire

It is really amazing how fast public opinion has changed on shaving. Up until the 20's almost all of the marketing for razors was just trying to get women to shave in the first place.

In 100 years it has gone from only "loose" women shaving to being some sort of hippy/femi-nazi freak if you do not shave.

parker kent

Forgive the ignorance, but surely there could actually be some sort of difference between razor blades designed for a male face and one for female legs, bikini line etc? So there may actually be something practical behind this?

A transformers set of toiletries sounds like a marketing dream. The big question is what do the various products turn into :pac:

WindSock

Dudess wrote: »

... which would turn into a little robot/car/truck in there? Cool... :eek:

Changes into a baby if Sr. Noeleen was to be believed :eek:

Jimoslimos

parker kent wrote: »

Forgive the ignorance, but surely there could actually be some sort of difference between razor blades designed for a male face and one for female legs, bikini line etc? So there may actually be something practical behind this?

A transformers set of toiletries sounds like a marketing dream. The big question is what do the various products turn into :pac:

No difference, blades are exactly the same - if I could get a smoother shave on my face from a Venus razor I'd happily chuck my Gillette away.

Also the 'squishy' handle might stop my hand from slipping and cutting my chin to ribbons every time:rolleyes:

FouxDaFaFa

Alopex wrote: »

did you make the title? the way its phrased i thought they were doing a campaign to pressure women who don't shave

Nope, that's the tagline of their campaign.
Would post a picture but it isn't transferring well with the colours so link here.

+1 on Transformers toiletries. The razor could transform into a little first-aid kit for when you nick yourself. Also a robot, obviously.

MagicMarker

Jimoslimos wrote: »

No difference, blades are exactly the same

The marketing campaign admits that the blades are the same but the everything else is designed differently.

Fluorescence

bluewolf wrote: »

i don't see the problem with it

i get a laugh at all the "you're a goddess" ads though
you're a goddess but only as long as you're not hairy!

What I love about those ads is that they shave legs that are already completely hairless (probably epilated or lasered :pac:).

Alopex

FouxDaFaFa wrote: »

Nope, that's the tagline of their campaign.
Would post a picture but it isn't transferring well with the colours so link here.

You know what I think they're actually putting what I said as a sub-context.

note the font in the sentence "You're a woman. Shave like one"

Woman and Shave have brighter fonts. The word shave is bigger. The sentence in itself is the first thing to hit you when you see the picture.

Slimy feckers.

vicecreamsundae

i use mens razors. for a start i like that the blades are neater -the venus blade is surrounded by a big circular plastic yoke which is not conducive to shaving in the nooks and crannies!

also because the venus ads/marketing annoy me, i prefer not to use them -even though the male ones are by the same company.

i also rarely by shaving gel anymore, it's a waste of money. i find conditioner or shower gel works just as well.

Caraville

I always use men's razors just because I find they give better results. Plus I find that you get special offers on them more often than the ladies ones. Never bother with shaving gel though, just plenty of shower gel foamed up using a shower puff thingy goes the job.

I don't see the ad a sexist though, just another marketing angle really.

Storminateacup

A little off topic but -- Can someone tell me the point of scented tampons

rainbow kirby

Storminateacup wrote: »

A little off topic but -- Can someone tell me the point of scented tampons

Keeping the manufacturers of yeast infection treatments in business. :pac:

saa

Reminds me of how Head & Shoulders keep switching their marketing to men then women then men then oh its won some award its now "for" women again.


I don't bother with razors, although I have bought womens one's when theyre on offer because I'm paranoid the mens one will cut me.

I use a braun lady shave, leaves stubble, which is white and fine so I don't care, I don't care if someone see's I'm not hairless I'm human,
Although every so often I would use veet, nice n smooth.

Trying to think of other "man" products I would use
I wear boxers sometimes, ha just thinking of the opposite and all the social baggage that goes along with men wearing womens underwear.

I steal my boyfriends socks

I always go for "Men" style t shirts, I like the way the female shirts suite the hips more, arent as baggy but the sleeves are non existent and as an average woman I want sleeves, for comfort!

Man combs, Mens hair clay.. I just hate hair spray but I'm supposed to use it to be a real woman, I'm also supposed to tan, apparently well I went into Brown Thómass to look for pale make up, the lady at the counter kindly told me that this beige (tan) is our lightest shade and shure I can just wear a tan to go with it.

Its also funny when things like runners are divided by gender, I remember being 14, going into town with my dad to get converses asking to try on a size 7 (yes also aware that I should be a size 4 cos im a wooman) black pair, and the sale assistant says to me oh our ladies range of converses are over here would you like to pick one of these, no I want black ones.
(maybe she was just trying to sell the less popular ones though)

Seeing as we've gone back this far when I was 11 I was also told I couldnt get certain school shoes because they were boys, and when I was 4 my thunderbirds ship thing was taken off me because it was for boys.


Now I now from this it might seem like I dress like a man, but I always wear dresses, I don't see it as giving into a stereotype. Its all just marketing.

FouxDaFaFa

Storminateacup wrote: »

A little off topic but -- Can someone tell me the point of scented tampons

That's like that Always ad saying they have new coloured "pretty" pads. What's the point? I mean, you're not exactly going to be hanging those on the wall when you're done with them. :pac:

Scruffles

why do they have to make the design of the so called female razors so safe and stupid looking,why not keep to the same design? it does seem obvious that they are a profit thing and not in anyway a significant difference to qualify buying one over a cheaper 'mens' one.

apparently am one of the few people who has no body hair apart from eye brows [very thin barely visible],and weirdly-just past the knuckles and on knees,have always been like that,have only ever shaved head hair off with a razor and most of the time have taken a thick sizeable layer of scalp with it to.
other women say theyre jealous...but its just hair. :pac:
apparently in some years to come,evolution is going to be wiping out hair so gillette and so on will have to change tactics,perhaps make razors for cats.

A little off topic but -- Can someone tell me the point of scented tampons

probably to slightly mask the smell of the blood a little,also as a gimic.

Scarinae

I have a Venus razor handle but I've found that any Gilette blades fit it... So I usually buy the men's ones, as they're more likely to be on offer. They don't have the moisturising strip, but that doesn't bother me as I think those strips do arse all. I also use conditioner for shaving, it works fine.

iguana

I use my husband's razor. Or as I'm the one who does most of the shopping perhaps I should say he uses mine. I also have a battery powered razor that's handy for if I'm in a hurry.

Though I have to confess that at the moment I'm sporting full growth around the calves.:o:p

rainbow kirby wrote: »

Keeping the manufacturers of yeast infection treatments in business. :pac:

That might be a joke but I have a friend who bought these many years ago in the States and she had a very bad reaction to them. Her description of it makes me cross my legs and wince even just seeing a comment about them here.

panda100

Just ditch the razors altogether and dont shave. Works out a lot cheaper in the long run, and keeps you nice and warm in winter and cool in the summer,just as nature intended!

Tigger99

panda100 wrote: »

Just ditch the razors altogether and dont shave. Works out a lot cheaper in the long run, and keeps you nice and warm in winter and cool in the summer,just as nature intended!

Mmm, don't know if nature intended that id have itchy legs from hair rubbing off my tights or that my blonde hair would be peaking through navy tights!

I find men's razors much better too. Mach fusion power is fantastic. You don't have to spend a fortune either, €15 worth of razors would do me 2 months min.

I suspect the intention of this silly ad is to convince women that the womens razors are good so that manufactors don't have to spend a fortune improving their razors so that they are as good - in terms of blade, design etc- as mens. Though surely they could just copy the male design, I suppose.

Tea-a-Maria

I've started using Gilette Fusion blades and they're way better than Venus ones!

In fact,my boyfriend ended up using a fresh('cos otherwise that's a bit icky:pac:) Venus blade when he was over at my place and commented on how rubbish they were in comparison to men's razors.His face proved it too!

Posy

My legs are always a bit pink and sensitive after shaving, not like the bronzed goddesses on the adverts at all.

Eve_Dublin

I use those cheapo 10 for a Euro BIC yellow "men's" razors and they do me just fine. It's all a con if you ask me.

Malari

Am I the only one who finds you get a smoother shave with the Venus moisturising whotsits around the blade? I find the swivel head easier to use too. They are ridiculously expensive though...

Gyalist

Knowing what I know about the beauty industry, the writer has most likely received a generous supply of complimentary shaving products from Gillette's PR reps for writing that article. In fact, it is quite possible that most of the words in the article were copied and pasted from a Gillette press release. You wouldn't believe the bags of swag that writers receive if they give a favourable mention to a product - a situation that is particularly rife in the beauty industry.

Maguined

vicecreamsundae wrote: »

i also rarely by shaving gel anymore, it's a waste of money. i find conditioner or shower gel works just as well.

Most shaving gel I have found to be pretty bad however the below I find to be worth it and you can get it in any big Boots store.



People are going to use whatever products they prefer so I doubt many women that currently use a Mach are going to switch over to a Venus just because they are told it's for women.

I tend to use "women's" conditioner for my hair as I find it better than most "men's" conditioners and would not care about any sort of advertising telling me some conditioner has been specifically designed for my male hair.

Malari

Malari wrote: »

Am I the only one who finds you get a smoother shave with the Venus moisturising whotsits around the blade? I find the swivel head easier to use too. They are ridiculously expensive though...

The swivel head is handy but it'll still work if you put any other blade onto it, as I discovered recently...
duno about the difference between the blades themselves though, figured they were about the same for me

Malari

bluewolf wrote: »

The swivel head is handy but it'll still work if you put any other blade onto it, as I discovered recently...
duno about the difference between the blades themselves though, figured they were about the same for me

Oh yeah, I've tried different blades. I guess the blades are the same, but I do find the moisturing strip quite good.

Oh and I know a cyclist or two (male) who use women's blades to shave their legs, as it's closer, so maybe there's something in it. :cool:;)

28064212

Here's what you want to try:


Slightly more seriously, men who actually do any kind of research into shaving use either cut-throats (above), or safety razors. Gilette multi-blades are crap tbh, a single high-quality blade in a proper safety razor gives a much closer shave with much less razor burn, and it's much, much cheaper: you can get 100 blades for less than €15. How much is it for Gilette cartridges these days?

um7y1h83ge06nx

Spot on 28064212. As a man I find the safety (double edged) razors excellent for the reasons you mentioned. Might be an idea for the women here to try them out and see if they're as good for them.

baby and crumble

To be fair, men get a similar ridiculousness in advertising from Gilette:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fPre1TtvTqk

But the only razor I've ever found that I don't get cut to ribbons using is the intuition, the one with the big block of shaving cream built in. But when I was younger I used whatever was cheapest and it did the job... I hate the whole "women must be hairless" thing though, so I don't shave that often. It's much warmer too.

Dudess

I find the female ones more gentle. Or maybe it's just their pretty pinkness and sparkliness.

Chips Lovell

I'm a man who shaves his legs.

Gillette have gone and confused me. If I'm a man, surely I should shave like a man? But what about the oval face that glides easily, the moisturising strips, and the squishy handle that keeps it from slipping and could help me not cut up the backs of my knees. Shouldn't I be shaving like a woman then?:D

johnners2981

Vladimir Kurtains wrote: »

I'm a man who shaves his legs.

Gillette have gone and confused me. If I'm a man, surely I should shave like a man? But what about the oval face that glides easily, the moisturising strips, and the squishy handle that keeps it from slipping and could help me not cut up the backs of my knees. Shouldn't I be shaving like a woman then?:D

Why would you do that? Can't imagine shaving mine, keeps me nice and warm when wearing shorts in winter

iguana

johnners2981 wrote: »

Why would you do that? Can't imagine shaving mine, keeps me nice and warm when wearing shorts in winter

I think there is a clue in the forum he mods.;)