Dove–usually* a pretty progressive company in the marketing category–is in the shit for a new Brazilian commercial by ad giant Ogilvy & Mather. The ad depicts Diego, a mild-mannered office cog, who has something strange (wrong?) going on with his hair–it’s really full and shiny and bouncy and beautiful with great body and volume. He’s approached by a coworker who notices the difference and suggest it might be the shampoo he’s using.
Behold:
The ad’s come under fire for equating feminine hair with undesirably unmasculine traits–and for Diego’s headlong dash through the office to go buy a new shampoo, now that his masculinity has (possibly) been questioned.
While it’s certainly easy to read it that way, for what it’s worth, we appreciated the jab at the absurdity of women’s hair commercials, which are almost universally stupid.
Thoughts?
(AdAge has the subtitled version)
