This 2010 advertisement hailed the initial launch of Dove’s “Men + Care” line of products and was unveiled during the Super Bowl. The company – which had previously been closely associated with women, according to Ad Week, sought to tap into the men’s grooming market. “Now that you’re comfortable with who you are, isn’t it time for comfortable skin? At last, there’s Dove for Men,” the voiceover says. The spot ends with the tag, “Be comfortable in your own skin.”

discussion

Commercials for women’s beauty products are often criticized for telling women why they shouldn’t be comfortable with who they are – at least, not without buying the advertised product.  Does this advertisement for men’s bath products differ from those offered to women? If so, how?

What do you think about the depiction of a man’s life in this ad? What does it tell us about the ways we culturally understand masculinity?

If Dove had to design an ad for women using the same format and tone, what “snapshots” of a woman’s life would it likely feature?