Thursday, August 23, 2012

Is the new Axe ad featuring 'headless breasts' sexist? You decide

Axe ad featuring headless breasts because 'they are what a man notices first on a woman' branded 'sexist' by female viewers

By TAMARA ABRAHAM
DAILYMAIL
August 23, 2012

A television commercial for Axe has been branded 'sexist' because the female character in the ad is depicted as a headless pair of breasts on legs.

Designed to promote a men's hair product, the concept of the ad, set in an office, is based on the idea that men notice breasts first on a women, while women notice a man's hair before anything else.

In turn, the male character, who admires his amply-chested co-worker from afar, is a thick head of hair on legs.

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axe commercial
Sexist? Axe's latest television commercial has sparked controversy because the female character is depicted as a headless pair of breasts
axe commercial
Office romance: The ad is set in a workplace and the two characters are depicted as co-workers
axe commercial
Almost there... Their attempt for alone time in an elevator is thwarted when other people crowd in
[...]

But the ad, though intended to be humorous, has prompted a backlash from viewers, who consider it to be sexist.

One Twitter user, Hilary Paige Smith, wrote: 'Once again, another appalling display of terrible, sexist marketing from Axe. Don't date guys who smell/act like this.'

And Katherine Vong, of Trendhunter, added: '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.'

Others, though, see the humour in the concept.

AdRants writer Steve Hall said: 'All the brand has done, and always has done, is celebrate the carnal desire that is ever present between man and woman. It's an innately human desire. It's a fact of life.'

axe commercial axe commercial
At last! Finally the two characters' human versions are revealed when they lock eyes at a bus stop

axe commercial
Finale: As the pair approach one another, the tagline appears, reading: Hair. It's what girls see first
Video:

Published on Aug 20, 2012 by AXE

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