"When Reckitt Benckiser Group brought its Veet hair-removal cream to China in 2005, sales were sluggish. Its prices were considered too high and its product sizes too large. But the biggest problem: Most Chinese women don’t have much body hair, and those who do didn’t worry about it. So the company embraced a new marketing plan. Reckitt Benckiser rolled out ads equating hair-free skin with health, confidence, and “shining glory.” In the process, the company has helped make many Chinese women more conscious of every stray follicle. “It’s not how much hair you have, it’s how much you think you have,” says Aditya Sehgal, the company’s China chief. “If your concern level is high enough, even one hair is too much."
Part of me gets depressed at how damn sneaky and low marketing is, but then I get equally depressed at how much like sheep we all are.
I just read a list called Things That Should be Banned From Ads: The Definitive List, and while I agree with most points (especially the eyelashes one. Christ, that annoys me), I disagree with banning opera singers. Solely, granted, on the basis of this fantastic ad for The Royal Danish Theatre.
It's in Danish, but it's not really necessary that you understand. However, if you're curious here's a brief summary. He says he had a weird dream, everything was burning and while it was violent, it was beautiful. Then the wonderfully slightly crazy looking woman asks if it's still burning. The end. Beautifully weird.
You might have seen the first advert with George Clooney for Norwegian bank DnB, and you might actually have seen all of them, but I hadn't and it's my blog so there. Anyway, here they all are. I think they're just superb (especially the first. Her look of total and utter disbelief is so perfect).
