Friday, May 12, 2006

Essay 585


Gillette stuffed a mini-magazine into the latest issue of Ebony. The insert features documentary-style b&w photos of Black men and their sons, complemented by introspective copy. It all leads to a colorfully gaudy ad for the new Gillette Fusion razor, 6 Tips for a Comfortable Shave and a Father’s Day special sweepstakes. Plus, the back cover hypes the benefits of prostate exams. Seems like Gillette is covering all its bases, from being emotional to promotional. The pictures are pretty, but there’s something patronizing about the piece. Sample lines include:

When you look at your son, who do you see?

Do you see the person you are on the inside coming though to the outside?

Do you see your vibe?

Do you see your mojo?

Actually, it’s hard to see the true point of this mini-magazine.

1 comment:

Maulleigh said...

That's wild that there's advertising on advertising. Am I living in a cookoo clock?