When Did Men's Deodorant Start Screaming at Me?
Let’s talk about men’s ads. Specifically, the kind squatting between rugby highlights and DIY power tool tutorials. Suddenly, the bloke in a towel isn't just fresh, he’s slamming a motorbike helmet on his head and blasting into space. Why are antiperspirants launching me into orbit?
This trend isn’t new, but it’s gotten louder. Axe, Lynx, Old Spice—they're all mainlining chaos. Even budget brands are getting in on the bombast. It's no longer about smelling nice, it's about domination, explosions, and sometimes riding a shark (that actually happened, by the way).
Here’s the pivot: if marketing is about relevance, this isn't it. Most Kiwi blokes I know aren’t chasing alpha-scented mayhem. They want not to stink. Maybe something they won’t be roasted for at the pub. But what they get instead are ads that feel like rejected Top Gun scenes. Funny, occasionally. Relatable? Not in the slightest.
What’s fascinating is that the men’s skincare category quietly grew by 18% last year in New Zealand. Quietly. While the ads shouted. There’s a gap here, itching to be explored—the space between bravado and actual behaviour. When brands tune out the noise and listen to the quieter caregivers, the tired dads, the young guys who care but don’t want to say it too loud—that’s when things get interesting. Subtle, even. Which, ironically, might actually cut through louder than ever.
This trend isn’t new, but it’s gotten louder. Axe, Lynx, Old Spice—they're all mainlining chaos. Even budget brands are getting in on the bombast. It's no longer about smelling nice, it's about domination, explosions, and sometimes riding a shark (that actually happened, by the way).
Here’s the pivot: if marketing is about relevance, this isn't it. Most Kiwi blokes I know aren’t chasing alpha-scented mayhem. They want not to stink. Maybe something they won’t be roasted for at the pub. But what they get instead are ads that feel like rejected Top Gun scenes. Funny, occasionally. Relatable? Not in the slightest.
What’s fascinating is that the men’s skincare category quietly grew by 18% last year in New Zealand. Quietly. While the ads shouted. There’s a gap here, itching to be explored—the space between bravado and actual behaviour. When brands tune out the noise and listen to the quieter caregivers, the tired dads, the young guys who care but don’t want to say it too loud—that’s when things get interesting. Subtle, even. Which, ironically, might actually cut through louder than ever.