Axe brand body spray is becoming more than just a vestige of our middle school years.
Recently, the brand aired a commercial called “Find Your Magic” featuring men of all different personalities, styles and body shapes doing what makes them who they are.
Axe has made a progressive move with this commercial. For so long, perceptions of masculinity have been problematic — even dangerous at times — but are seldom discussed in mass media.
The “magic” Axe shows here is not one size fits all. The “magic” differs from person to person.
The commercial starts, “Who needs a six-pack when you’ve got the nose . . . ” and goes on to celebrate most everything else, from ginger hair to rocking heels at a dance performance.
The advertisement promotes male self-acceptance, despite what society and modern media may portray as the end-all be-all ideal man.
We pit men against each other as often as we pit women against each other.
We tell them not to cry, to not be such a girl. We teach boys to be big and strong, but cold and emotionless.
The results of these stereotypes can be psychologically damaging in the long run, and, according to a study at University of Wisconsin, they cause men to be more timid in asking others for help.
The same study also states men are often socialized through these norms.
Because of the norms, men tend to adopt dangerous behaviors like physical violence, heavy drinking and sexual misconduct.
A young man seeing an advertisement like Axe’s could make all the difference in his development.
As many of us who have smelled a 12-year-old boy know, young men are some of Axe’s primary consumers.
Much of the self-love and body peace movement is geared towards women, which is not surprising given the pressures they face. I am in no way discrediting these women’s health ventures.
However, gender stereotypes and normalized physical ideals affect everyone.
The Axe ad says to that tall skinny guy who has problems building muscle or to that short man who lives to dance: you are you and that is enough.
While it may be a small step on the road to gender role dissolution, the mass broadcast of such a positive message for men chips away at traditional masculinity.
It may even broaden the definition of masculinity for some.
meickhof@indiana.edu
@maggie_eickhoff
