Readers, I am excited to be hosting the Feminist Friday discussion for Part-Time Monster and Sourcerer this week. Get your Axe ready, because we’re going to talk about the gendered marketing of bath products!
Gendered marketing for children comes up a lot in feminist media and occasionally in mainstream media as well. One topic we don’t hear as much about, with a few notable exceptions, is gendered marketing toward adults.
A large part of becoming a feminist, as well as becoming aware of specific topics in feminism, especially intersectional feminism, is perceiving the gender matrix. That is, becoming aware of our daily interactions with gender (and where they insect with race, sexuality, ability, etc.) and how they shape our lives as well as our perception of others and ourselves.
Which brings me to soap.
First, check out “Gendered Marketing” by The Checkout.
We often focus on gendering children via marketing consumer goods mostly because it starts so young. From clothing to diapers to toys, children’s items are segregated–much to the annoyance of adults who would like to purchase gender-neutral items for the children in their lives. (This could and should be another post or series of posts.)
But what about adults and the idea of a gender automaton? We often forget to discuss adults and products marketing toward adults. We mock Lady Bic, but we may not question gendered shaving cream or shampoo because it’s so internalized. I’ve watched yogurt become gendered in my lifetime, but I had always headed straight to the women’s section of the drug store for shaving cream and antiperspirant. (More on this in a moment.)
How do we–even those of us who are fairly savvy to feminism–learn these behaviors? Why do we go on autopilot at the drug store or grocery store when purchasing bath products like soap, shampoo, razors, and lotions?
Marketers tend to focus on teens to get them “hooked” on their products. And, as The Checkout points out, why sell one hair product or body spray when you can sell two by dividing the market up? For some teenagers, they use the same brands their parents do. However, teens with the means to purchase their own products or have those products purchased for them, may choose something marketed as different and presumably younger and hipper. Did you get recommendations from friends? See it in a magazine? See characters using it on a TV show (if you were born after the generic products in TV shows gave way to sponsored marketing)? Have a coupon, or get sent a coupon? See an ad in a magazine, website, billboard, etc? Receive the product as a gift? Receive the product from the company?
On a slightly different note, I’ve been in the process of removing all gendered brands of bath product from my life. Some of this is related to my trying to use natural/eco-friendly products. Yet, natural products are not all created unisex, and not all standard brand products are created or marketed as gendered. For example, Tom’s of Maine’s deodorant comes in scents that are not labeled as “for women” or “for men” except for the “Men’s Long Lasting Deodorant.”
Via Tom’s of Maine. The bro stank blend.
“It used to be that natural personal care options were pretty limited for guys and we’ve been working to change that,” said Peter Bright, marketing director at Tom’s of Maine. “We’ve listened to what men want and need in a natural deodorant and our new men’s line works hard while you play hard.” (Tom’s of Maine press release)
So the marketing director associates “natural products” with women, who cannot play hard and don’t need a hard-working deodorant. I once lived in a town on a bay where it got up to 30-32°C with 90% humidity; the sun rose at 4 am in the summer so 8 am felt like noon, and every morning I would show up drenched by walking ten minutes to work in locations without AC even if I wore antiperspirant, cool biz clothes, and Cool Tech undershirts. My elbows sweated. You wanna tell me about playing hard, Bright?
Going on gender auto-pilot, my (male) spouse and I used to purchase the men’s deodorant for him and one of the non-men’s deodorants for me. (I have no idea why we thought that was a good idea.) I encountered a point when mine wasn’t cutting it, so I tried his, assuming that a “men’s product” would be stronger in order to combat the stronger body odor popularly associated with men. Not only did I smell like a bro-tanical nightmare, I actually found that it made my sweat smell worse. This lead me to, first, try a unisex product, and, second, begin to wonder how much of “bro stank” is heightened by the products themselves. There are plenty of sweaty people in the world, so why not just label “strong” products as “extra strength” and be done with it?
I’d like to open up the discussion to commenters–how did/do you choose bath products? Do you shop outside “your” aisle? Does your desired gender expression lead you to purchase certain scents if you use scented products?
The Lobster Dance 
These days I tend to buy most of my bath products based purely on smell. Though I’m probably not as conscious of gendered marketing as I should be, I’d like to think I avoid a lot of it simply by picking out scents that I’m instinctively attracted to, regardless of whether I (a 27-year old woman) am being marketed to or not. I also consciously steer clear of anything that feels especially ‘girly’ to me though – not because I feel less ‘girly’ than any other woman my age, but because even as a kid, I never especially liked pink or pastel colours.
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I actually really like smelling all the soap, haha. Much like most of the things in my life, I tend to alternate between things considered “feminine” or “masculine”– I like florals and fruits in the summer and herbal and botanical ones in the winter. Mainly I just look for local-ish and/or organic soap brands that don’t have anything labeled “men” or “women.” Thanks for joining the discussion!
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I quite like a natural, subtle scent for regular soap, but when it comes to body washes, I love citrus smells, no matter the season. I tend to stay away from floral scents, as I usually find them to be cloying or too overpowering for my tastes. I think the only floral scent I really like is lavender – and even then I prefer to use it sparingly.
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Reblogged this on Part Time Monster and commented:
Join us today for our Feminist Friday discussion, an ongoing, multi-blog project. Over at The Lobster Dance, Leah has put together a stellar post on gendered marketing to adults using soaps, deodorants, etc. as an example. Stop by and chat for a few!
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I actually came over here to reblog this, but since you beat me to the punch about ten minutes ago, I think I’ll save mine for the afternoon 😉
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You know, now that I think about it, aside from aftershave lotion, nearly every personal care product I use is marketed to women, even the ones that aren’t labeled as specifically womens’ products. Hair care products made specifically for men, in particular, tend to suck.
I’ll be back in a few hours, after I’m done with work for the day.
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My spouse and I have been sharing neutral products from the salons and barber shops we’ve gone to ever since I cut my hair off, and he likes them a lot more than the men’s stuff from the drug store, so it’s win-win! I’m not as familiar with “men’s” products since I had always gone to the women’s section to look for products for my longer hair since I assumed that those were the only ones for long hair. I use baking soda now, haha.
Looking forward to your comments later, too! (And tell us about hair products if you don’t mind!)
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[…] intended to reblog today’s Feminist Friday post at The Lobster Dance first thing this morning, but Diana reblogged it at Part Time Monster a few minutes ago, so […]
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I tend to choose products based on my skin/hair type and whether or not they have natural ingredients. That said, I *do* tend to find myself in the women’s aisles for this sort of thing, or at least in the women’s section of the aisle.
I’m reminded of this ad analysis of the Terry Crews Old Spice ads: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8n0yltXfYKI.
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I talked a little about this in my reply to Gene’O, but now I’m really curious about “men’s” hair care products. I think I’m going to have to go investigate. Also, thanks for the link–I forgot my headphones today but I will watch it when I’ve got them again!
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Why is it women are supposed to smell like fruit salad, dessert, or candy? It’s as bad as “bro-stank” sports-scents to me. (And at least where I grew up, it attracted all kinds of nuisances, like wasps.)
My preferred scents, for soap, shampoo, lotion, and perfume, are usually found in the “for him” aisle if at all.
I really like Burt’s Bees’ Natural “Skincare for men” Body Wash which smells like fir resin with a touch of orange oil. And using it has, so far, not turned me into a man. Fingers crossed.
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That’s the thing I really love about the soap company I use: they have ALL the scents, none are gender-labeled, and none are bee-attractors or bro-stank. I mentioned this in another comment but I like a range of scents but I don’t like the company to decide which one I should use based on who they think I am. And I agree about the sweet scents– some of them are so strong and cloying. There is, as you said, no reason for gender identity to determine preferred scent.
Thanks for joining the discussion!
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I don’t know if anyone else has found this disturbing, maybe I’m overthinking this, but when you share with a male roommate and find this in the shower:
“Dial® For Men Magnetic™ Pheromone Infused Body Wash. Attraction enhancing body wash.”
… it creeped me out, despite the fact this was an OK guy. (sorry if you’re reading this, dude — but it’s true!)
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btw, the scent made me want to run the other way.
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I find it disturbing! Best case scenario: he likes the scent (this is Dial like Dial Soap, yes?) and found it at the store; worst case scenario: reading PUA blogs?
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Advertising is BS. I look at commercials and if you ask me the next minute what they were advertising and how I wouldn’t even be able to tell you. When I go to the store I just look for anything cheap that doesn’t look like it would be complete crap. As for gender advertising, it may be effective to some, but clearly not to me.
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I’m not sure if I’ve even bought bath products because of an ad as an adult, though I certainly did as a teen–mostly nail polish. For me, even though I’m never the ad’s target audience (I only appear that way), experiencing all that information about desirability, coupledom, and beauty standards does affect people; just like seeing it in mainstream media. (Who is represented and how.) What is shown as normal is often far more damaging than the products themselves.
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I certainly agree with you. It’s funny though, the way some things are marketed, it seems like the image is more important than the product so that I see the ad and might be taken by the image, and then forget what it is they are advertising!!
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That’s sort of what the Dove Real Beauty and Pantene Shine campaigns were. “Stick it to the man! Then buy our big brand soap and shampoo!” (Wrote about Dove here when it came out: https://odorunara.com/2013/04/20/soap-bubble-empowerment-doves-missed-chance/ and this article from Bitch is excellent: http://bitchmagazine.org/post/is-girl-power-advertising-doing-any-good?)
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“What is shown as normal is often far more damaging than the products themselves.”
Very, very, extremely true.
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Huh. I do tend to go to the women’s section. My first instinct is to say there’s a bigger selection, but I really have no idea… I don’t really buy anything marked “women’s” because that seems condescending, but I tend to think of it as “everything” and then “the men’s section,” a few shelves of products in black packaging that smell like musk, so I don’t even go over there. Even though I like the way their stuff smells a lot of the time and would be happy to smell it, the men’s packaging is just as distinctive as stuff marked “women’s.” I think on some level I wouldn’t want to be seen buying/using it because people would assume it’s for a boyfriend or I’m using my boyfriend’s, which sounds gross to me.
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Your comment reminded me of something–normally we see “male as default” on products (http://thesocietypages.org/socimages/2013/02/16/male-as-the-neutral-default/), doesn’t it seem like it’s the reverse in many products?
For example, from the video, Dove isn’t labelled as women’s soap although the ads tend to be marketed towards women, so MEN’S DOVE was obviously the solution to getting men to buy it, instead of featuring men in ads or advertising during shows where men are the target demographic.
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Yes, exactly! It’s almost like cleanliness is female, and to market toward men they have to say “Yes, this is soap, but don’t worry… We made it so you’ll still stink.”
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It’s not EXTREEEEEEEEME enough to just be clean! Being clean is for girls, ew!
Seriously, though. It makes so little sense. “You may possibly be someone likely to be genetically predisposed to being a little stinky but things ‘feminine’ are horrible so let’s amp up that stank factor.”
Please read these comments in Billy Mays’ voice.
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Oh… if I was more skilled with the YouTube I would find a way to edit that ad together…
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For toys, a bit like this: http://www.genderremixer.com/about/
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I did tend to head straight to the ladyproducts section when looking for bath goods, but I’m now using baking soda/ACV for hair and Dr. Bronners for body. I will say that neither are gendered in their packaging, but I found out about both through the fairly lady-heavy crunchy healthy eco blogger scene so there’s still some investigation to be done into the whys and hows of that. Before moving to these, I did once attempt a man-marketed shampoo+body wash 2 in 1 soap because it seemed easy and practical, but the resulting brostank I carried around for the rest of the day made me sick to my stomach. Maybe on a person with different body chemistry it wouldn’t have been overpowering, but for me it was cloying and unending.
As a fun aside, I have a scrubby cloth I got in a 100yen shop in Sasayama, which was the medium-roughness type. The softest type was marketed at women, and the roughest type was marketed at men. All I wanted was to scrub my face without peeling all the skin off.
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I think you and I have had very similar bath product experiences. Before I switched to Preserve razors and soap instead of shaving cream I had Lady Razors (pre-Venus and could not afford Venus blades in college) and Fancy Lady Shaving Cream, Lady Deodorant, etc.
Can I just say how much I dislike baby-powder scent? I’m a grown person, I don’t want to smell like a baby.
I’m also in favor of switching to gender-neutral marketing, like “a fine deodorant for slightly sweaty folks,” “a strong antiperspirant for extremely sweaty folks,” etc.
Did your the heavy-duty scrubby cloth come with razors with 15 blades, too? EXTREME.
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This really got me thinking. I’ve always thought about the marketing to kids, but really hadn’t put much thought into the products I buy. Though, as I’m thinking about it, I don’t think any of mine (except deodorant) is gender specific. I tend to not like anything with a strong scent because it bothers my sinuses. And if I do lean towards a scent it’s more of a clean or citrus smell. But the fact that it’s just all manipulation and smoke and mirrors is frustrating. And if the video is true, and some “female” packaging is smaller and daintier and we are paying more per ounce, that just pisses me off!
On another note, off subject, does the baking soda for shampoo replacement really work? I am always trying to switch over to natural stuff that doesn’t have endocrine disruptors, etc. but some of the natural products for hair are so expensive!
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Thanks for commenting, and I’m glad the post got you thinking! I feel like I need a research grant (or a Kickstarter) for deodorant research now after your comment about small packaging costing more per ounce…
I personally like baking soda, but I eased into it over several years, first alternating natural-shampoo every other day and scrubbing with conditioner on “off days” to working baking soda into my routine to going ~28 days a month with baking soda. I also have very short hair. I’d look up a better guide for long hair than my sad description here, but it works for some people!
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So with bath products it depends on the product. In terms of shampoo I like something that doesn’t bother my skin and smells nice. I actually switch between using Head and Shoulders Regular and then I have some more expensive brand that I get from the hair salon that is supposed to help with dry hair, that I like to use because I blow dry my hair most days. I use conditioner because otherwise my hair does not behave. In terms of deodorant I use what I have been using forever. I had to switch when I was in college and personally it was not about the smell, but I definitely went into the women’s section. I would die if I had to switch again because I like what I have now. For soap, I like to go with what smells good, but David just wants soap no smell, just soap, which is actually really hard for him to find.
One thing I have actually been looking at is signing up for the dollar shave club. To just have shaving products sent to my door would be amazing, until then I buy what I like and can find at Costco because it is cheaper and in bulk. I probably have not taken a close enough look at how gendered the products I buy are, but I don’t think I am closed off to trying a different approach, but I know that for me I like to stick with what I know works.
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Thanks for commenting!
Funny you should mention Dollar Shave, as I took this screenshot I saw as a Facebook ad for them before you commented: https://odorunara.files.wordpress.com/2014/08/dollar-shave.png
I approve.
Preserve Razors are also nice if they have them in your area: https://www.preserveproducts.com/products/35/triple-razor-system-handle-2-blades
If you do try Dollar Shave, let me know! I’m curious about it, too, but we use Preserve and straight-edge razors at the moment that we get at the drug store.
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I use Dollar Shave and it’s been awesome! The stuff is good quality and cheaper than the lesser-quality stuff I’d been using before. (Which was men’s Gillette stuff, actually…)
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As for shampoo, soaps, and such I generally buy the generic brands in the big bottles that are relegated to the bottom shelf where only cheap-os like me look. I used the same “ladies” brand of antiperspirant for years, though.
I think it’s important to point out that, technically, nearly all “deodorants” marketed to women are actually antiperspirants, because, you know, it’s unladylike to sweat. Antiperspirants contain aluminum, and while there is no conclusive evidence that underarm products containing aluminum are cancer-causing, the potential for adverse effects on health are such that I now prefer to make my own deodorant.
The increased risk of exposure to substances that may prove detrimental to our physical well-being as a result of our gender identity is something we should be talking about as much as what scents we prefer and how we’re being ripped off in terms of product quantity per cent.
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Good point about the antiperspirant! (I’m not sure if “deodorant” is a colloquialism for “antiperspirant and/or deodorant” outside the Midwest or what, so I should have been clearer.)
I use those crystal salt natural deodorants now, and I had been curious about making my own, but the recipes I saw had coconut butter in them, which was 3x the price in Japan. Of course, now that I’m back, I could…
Speaking of Japan, while it was hot and humid and gross in the summer, the ease of getting nice undershirts with enforced armpits was really lovely, and I wish the US were more into undershirts like that.
Thanks for the comment and for reading!
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Those undershirts sound lovely. 🙂
The recipes I’ve seen use shea butter (and it’s optional).
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I make most of my own bath products. It has more to do with cost-effectiveness and skin issues, but I’m also not a fan of the hyper- feminine/masculine scents that most products seem to gravitate towards. I don’t really want to smell plastic-y strawberries or not-so-fresh “rain” when I’m in the shower. I like herbal scents but figure that at the prices handmade products cost, I can just make my own for a fraction of the price. It’s also a relaxing hobby and a good way to make large numbers of gifts for people on the cheap.
I use store-bought women’s deodorant, though. I’ve had the same issue with men’s deodorant and even cologne as you (sweating intensifies the scent somehow, and not in a good way), but mildly scented women’s deodorant just smells like a very faint powder or perfume and covers up most of the stink that the anti-antiperspirant fails to prevent. I don’t really care for the marketing for it, but I haven’t found another product that works as well for me, and I’ve tried.
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That’s actually one of the reasons why I was so sad about Tom’s of Maine (before it just stopped working for me at all anyway). Prior to the Men’s Deodorant line, there were a few different “lines” (deodorant, antiperspirant, etc.) that had a variety of scents without gendering any of them. I looked at the drug store today for research and it was so odd–nothing is gendered except for the OMG MEN’S DEODORANT FOR MEN, which is all the sort of botanicals associated with men’s products. Like, way not just make a new line of Tom’s with the same non-gendered variety of scents (botanical, floral, fruity, herbal, non-scented) for people who need a stronger deodorant?
The fact that, as you mentioned, it’s hard to find the perfect deodorant/antiperspirant, especially a non-gendered one, says a lot about the industry.
Thanks for commenting!
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I have to admit that I do use a different deodorant from my partner, but that is mainly because our preferences differ in terms of “type” from the ones available, i.e. roll-on, spray, solid etc). But you are absolutely right: we do tend to automatically head to the gender-segregated aisles. Although I’ve put a stop to that for razors and shaving creams: there’s absolutely no point in having different ones. And I’ve noticed that it is pointless to buy separate creams, facial wash or any other skin products of that nature, because he’ll either use what I use or not bother.
Interesting topic: will be on the lookout for other items that can be neutral in the future.
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Today, while at the drug store near my new place, I went to look for the Preserve razors (handles made of recycled yogurt cups). There is NOTHING gendered about them at all, but they were shoved in a corner of the women’s razor section instead of being in both sections– or the eco-friendly section or an end-cap like they are in other stores.
There’s some discussion above about Dollar Shave Club as well, if that might be helpful.
It’s one thing if you have different skin types or hair types or preferences, like you said about the deodorant, but quite another to think that you have to use different products because of gender when you have a heterogamous household.
Would love to hear more from you (and other commenters!) on your neutral product search and observations
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Thank you, Leah. I will do my best to add to the list. I was trying to think of what other products we use that need not be gendered and shower gels and all other bathroom related products certainly qualify for the category. I’ve often noticed that there are many targeted specifically at men or women for no reason whatsoever. So far, I have been able to find stores that have products that can be used by any gender, so we buy those and share. The perfume industry – that is already heavily gendered – does the same for body wash when they add these to their range.
Look forward to reading more of others’ stories too. It’s a very good discussion thread so far.
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Reblogged this on Sourcerer and commented:
Just in case you missed it yesterday, here’s the Feminist Friday post. I intended to get back over there after work yesterday, but got held up. I just scanned the thread, and it looks like a good one 🙂 Check it out if you haven’t already!
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Thanks for the reblog!
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When it comes to bath products, I pick by smell or by type of hair for shampoo. Whether it’s men or women products, I don’t care. Just as I used men razors more than once for shaving because they worked well, if not better than some for women. As for my perfumes, I always wore women’s perfume, not because of gender marketing (I don’t like commercials generally speaking and dislike how everything objectifies women so much, regardless of the products. And I’m glad I can at least avoid these on TV as I don’t watch TV live). I also try to go for natural products as much as I can. I was raised in a home where I often shared shampoos with my Dad, because we had the same type of hair (and my mother wore men perfumes a few times whenever she liked a scent).
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Thanks for commenting! The computer ate my reply to you last night, but I remember back in the 90s when CK One came out how it was sort of revolutionary to have a unisex perfume. (Also, why do we have perfume and cologne, two gendered words for the same thing in English?) Marketing toward hair types or skin types makes a lot more sense than toward gender.
Looking forward to more Feminist Fridays with you!
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I know girls who wear men’s deodorant because they think it smells better, but I tend to choose gendered products without much thought. I think it’s mostly a family influence: when I started shaving, “female” razors were in the house for my mom and my sister, and now I simply purchase what is familiar. That said, I don’t actually USE that many products, and most are more or less gender neutral.Oone could argue that because I prefer peach-scented soap over whatever scent men’s soap is supposed to be that I’m choosing a “female” product, but it’s more a matter of preference.
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Thanks for coming to our discussion and commenting! I wouldn’t say that peach soap is gendered at all in and of itself, but rather the ads and marketing determine the supposed gender of the soap.
I do see and experience, though, the sort of issue. I grew up thinking I needed to smell like an apple orchard, but I do like floral scents. Feeling like you have to deny yourself a product or food or clothing style you like because you don’t like the gender implications is tricky ground. And I think the reflection on that and the choice to chose what you genuinely like has to include choosing soap or skirts as well, and bucking the binary by refusing to assign them a gender.
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