In another example of masculinizing items associated with women to make it ok for men to use them, Hope H. let us know about Hardware, a line of vegan hair and body products. The company seems to have taken Hyperbole and a Half’s satire seriously:
All the elements are there: images of tools to make sure it’s clear these are hard-working manly products, the association of men with toughness, and product names that reference hard physical labor. The different product lines include Impact Wrench, Angle Grinder, Jack Hammer, and Tool Belts (aka, gift certificates). The descriptions also refer to tools and cars:
Every perfectly balanced machine needs maintenance. No this is not a sales pitch mate. You would not skip an oil change or two in a 67 Shelby Mustang now would you.
Thus, using these non-animal-ingredient-based products isn’t about being girly. It’s about maintenance, which all machines need!
For more examples, see our posts on hair products labeled things like “maneuver,” “retaliate,” “stand tough,” “work hard,” and “bulk up”; make-up for men named with terms like“power face mask,” “confidence corrector,” “mission balm,” “battle scars repair cream,” “cream me face base,” and “blo-job bronzing powder.”; and shaving your pubes marketed with the suggestion that it will make your penis look bigger.
Comments 15
Nolan — December 27, 2010
"This is not a sales pitch mate." Of course it is! That should be illegal. Or at least, people should have the wherewithal and DIGNITY not to fall for insulting things like this. Is it a jaded sense that everything is a sales pitch that leads us down the road this "billboard" stands aside?
Noanodyne — December 27, 2010
Aren't men embarrassed to be patronized in this way? It strikes me as just as infantalizing as the pink sparkly crap marketed to women.
Philip Harrover — December 27, 2010
Actually, as a male in its target audience, I do not find it compelling in the least. It sells itself too hard (so hard in fact that even an anthropologist can pick up on it). The image of working class masculinity it presents us is a painfully obvious simulacrum of those moral sentiments. Look at that horrid 'HARD' font it uses.
My grandfather washed his hair with horse shampoo. That's more like it. ( ;
Adult Child — December 27, 2010
I think this is also notable for its attempt to masculinise veganism, which is usually associated far more often with femininity.
Dom — December 27, 2010
Yes, because you have to be a real tool to buy this stuff.
Seriously, all this marketing is a giant insult to everyone's intelligence, including your other examples.
A hair product called "retaliate"? Ummm, why? How will the hair in question be doing this? Is it a new super-power for hair? Does it turn it into zombie hair? (After all, those are dead cells). Ditto for "work hard". As far as I know, this is something that generally, hair does not do. Not because it's effeminate, but because, well, it's composed of dead material.
As for blo-job bronzing powder... ahhhh... usually the stuff goes on the other person's face, doesn't it? And it usually isn't bronze. So this is weird.
And "Mission" - as in, "Impossible"?
Meg — December 27, 2010
Wow, I had a double take when this came up in my RSS reader. I actually use Sevi products but it's such a small company that I hadn't seen much about them elsewhere.
Sociology aside, I have to say that I LOVE Sevi's products -- for both men and women. I've talked to the owner herself and she's really nice. You can tell she cares a lot about the product and sourcing ingredients -- making sure they are healthy, eco-friendly, cruelty-free and work well. I usually just buy the products for myself, but she included some samples of the guy stuff for my husband to try and they're fantastic, too.
I agree with Adult Child. This may also be in response to the perceived femininity of veganism. I pick that up on that a lot as a vegan with a vegan husband. People assume that I forced him into or something when really I decided to go vegan with him in support, originally. He's the one that decided to go vegan. But people still insist that he must be sneaking steaks behind my back, which really hurts as 1. I hate being portrayed as some sort of controlling wife, 2. they're saying that I can't trust him, and 3. veganism is something really important to him and so he hates being accused of eating animals.
But back more to the topic here... I don't think he really cares about the containers or copywriting that much so long as a product works well, but I do know it's a sensitive issue for some guys who want to enjoy products without seeming too "girly". I wish it weren't the case, but I can see how they might appreciate stuff like this while still being ambivalent because of the risk of reinforcing such beliefs.
Boycott American Women — December 28, 2010
BOYCOTT AMERICAN WOMEN
Why American men should boycott American women
http://boycottamericanwomen.blogspot.com/
I am an American man, and I have decided to boycott American women. In a nutshell, American women are the most likely to cheat on you, to divorce you, to get fat, to steal half of your money in the divorce courts, don't know how to cook or clean, don't want to have children, etc. Therefore, what intelligent man would want to get involved with American women?
American women are generally immature, selfish, extremely arrogant and self-centered, mentally unstable, irresponsible, and highly unchaste. The behavior of most American women is utterly disgusting, to say the least.
This blog is my attempt to explain why I feel American women are inferior to foreign women (non-American women), and why American men should boycott American women, and date/marry only foreign (non-American) women.
BOYCOTT AMERICAN WOMEN!
Noanodyne — December 28, 2010
lisa and Gwen: Is there a reason you're letting someone spam these comments?
sevi kay — December 29, 2010
Hi Everyone,
I was sent a link to this post via Twitter and was pretty surprised when I got here since Hardware is no longer available. However, I appreciate all the comments and opinions.
Actually the HW line was my brainchild, I love formulating new products am a vegetarian and I do love working with power tools (drills and what not you know). I thought it would be a fun approach to a vegan product line.
I did have an awesome time designing the line and it was energizing as it refreshed my working palette while it was in production.
Again, thank you - for the time, thoughts + opinions. Wishing you all a bright + kind 2011.
Be well,
Sevi