Why is there a surge of deodorant products mostly advertised to women in the US?

MutilationWave@lemmy.world to Asklemmy@lemmy.ml – 66 points –

So I have balls and yeah they're the first thing on my body to start to smell. I can skip a shower if I'm in a hurry and I don't smell much. That's with working a job that's usually physical. I was a punk kid fucking punk girls when I was younger and we didn't bathe every day. I didn't notice much smell then.

Now I see these ads regularly that are like hey women you stink after 12 hrs 5/10. What's up?

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You guys are seeing ads?

Believe it or not I watch regular TV! I travel for work constantly and I have TV on in the hotel room. It makes me feel less lonely. That's how I'm seeing these ads. On my PCs it's Firefox+ublock origin.

Actually traveling today. Watching tv and three minutes in it’s an ad for female all body deodorant. Christ.

Greetings, fellow traveler. May I ask what is your line of work?

I've already been overly specific on this account and I don't want to get doxxed. I install and service computer networks of a certain kind.

Reasonable enough. I do something like that myself. When a piece of remote and highly specialized computer system shuts itself, I'm the one who flies in to fix it, in addition to the occasional mobilization and servicing.

Same here brother. When im on the road, its ads for dick pills and antidepressants on tv for days

Why not just play videos on your computer?

TV is constant background noise that I don't have to pick.

The problem for me is the blaring, irritating, repetitive ads. I guess anything without that would be fine.

Part of the background noise really. I grew up with it so I'm used to it. I'm not really watchig the thing anyway, it's just background noise while I do other shit. When it comes to PC, or something I'm actively watching, I don't do ads at all.

I use an adblocker, but I also drive a very old car and unfortunately my cd player just broke. I can confirm that there are tons of vaginal deodorant ads on the radio, always presented as a conversation between two women. There's no intention to be funny, they're trying to sound like a natural conversation two women would have in private and completely failing at coming across as anything short of awkward.

"So it works well for you?" "Yes! It lasts up to 24 hours, and four out of five gynecologists recommend it!"

Good point re:radio.

I can't imagine the conversation between the client and the ad agency in these cases.

Hey, guys, check this out! This guy doesn’t see ads ever. He must be super smart and cool!

You don't need to be super smart to use an adblocker, you just need to be relatively smart and have some selfrespect. He's definitely cool, though.

I’ve been seeing those too. And one of them says “72 hour protection” like what? You’re not showering for three days but you’re just going to febreeze you vageeze and call it good ? Insane behavior

Upvoted for "febreeze you vageeze"

Omg, I'm still laughing 5 minutes later, that was too awesome

True story after the pandemic sort of settled down I had been laid off for my job as so many others had and I started doing Uber and I noticed that people smelled bad when they got in my car but nine times out of 10 it was women that smelled bad like with body odor more than men and it was mostly younger women in their early twenties that were smelling this way so maybe it's just that women of a certain age tend to have more body odor than guys nowadays fuck I don't know It was just something I noticed to the point that I appointed it out to my wife

Because unscrupulous assholes know they can prey on insecurities and sell a shitty, over priced product to people that don't know any better.

Those ads are utter bullshit. nobody needs that crap. They particularly don't need it on their genitals. It causes more problems that it helps.

https://sh.itjust.works/comment/11186190

I responded in detail about the whole genital odor thing and how to care for one's genitals

But why would they not have thought of doing this before. I haven't noticed this uptick at least in my country but I'm curious now OP has asked. It's strange that they've decided now that they could prey on people's insecurities when it's been an option all along and it's largely already what they do anyway.

It's not that new. As another user mentioned, there's been campaigns about smells going back to the radio and print only days. Summer's eve has made millions with their bullshit "freshness" mentality. The only thing that's really changed is the ability to directly talk about the product being applied to genitals/the crotch.

The entire deodorant industry trades on implying that any smell is a bad thing anywhere on the body. We can indeed produce some funky smells that are unpleasant, but it really isn't something that can't be handled without deodorant for most people. Deodorant is just a ton more convenient and longer lasting for the armpits. Even there, it can sometimes cause problems, though it's less common for it to be as problematic as at the groin.

I mean, I use antiperspirant on my armpits because washing them as often as needed to get rid of the chemicals the bacteria there produce that cause odor is a time sink if you're prone to a lot of sweating, or don't have the freedom to do it when it's ideal. But you can handle pit odor by cleaning rather than using deodorants.

The difference is that we all know that armpits produce unpleasant odor that isn't from an infection, so we've gotten used to the idea of covering it up, or preventing out by controlling sweating and reducing bacterial presence. But the various makers of the products have been advertising their stuff for ages in a very similar way.

There was actually a push a number of decades ago (I wanna say 50's-70's?) Where LYSOL was advertising itself as a genital cleaning agent for women.

So not new perse, but considering how much more culterally considerate we are now about women's health and self image than, say, the 90's, it is weird that we're getting these now as opposed to that time period.

A fundamental tenet of marketing, the art of separating dollars from your wallet, is to make you feel that you are less. That you are deficient, unless you look like so and so, have such and such, so buy this and that. Consume baby, consume.

But specifically saying there is a surge across all America is anecdotal. People from different regions get different advertising, broadcast wise and different search results.

This is on cable TV. I don't see ads online because I'm not a fucking idiot. I think cable ads are the same across the country but I'm not sure.

Cable ads aren't the same across the country, and very soon won't be the same across the city. Addressable TV will bring personalized ads no matter what you're watching.

As to why you may see a bunch of ads for similar products all of a sudden, there are a couple causes. When a new company/product comes on the market, they may flood the airwaves with ads to get their name out there, or they may not be familiar with how buying and scheduling TV ads works and will cluster things together so it seems like a barrage instead of spread out over longer periods. Also, when new competition comes to the market, the current leaders get nervous and increase advertising to retain their customers and try to keep them from changing brands. Lastly, it's the phenomenon about noticing something which causes you to notice it even more (I.e. "there weren't as many of [my car] on the road before I started driving one.")

Cable tv ads are def not the same across the country. Differ region to region, city to city, age group to age group, time slot to time slot, and are highly targeted just like online ads.

You're doing manual labor without showering?

Reminds me of an old roommate I had. He didn’t think he smelled either… he did… it was rough

Been there with two coworkers back when I managed a restaurant. They couldn't believe they smelled when I had to have that terrible conversation with them. One improved, the other didn't. I actually had to fire the second guy.

I don't smell if I skip a shower. It doesn't happen often. Believe me my wife and my coworkers are very direct, they would tell me if I stink.

I make sure to tell people that my sense of smell is fucked and to tell me if I stink.

Bro shower at least once a day

People produce different amounts of body odor. Also it's better for your skin to not use shampoo every day. 4-5 times a week is totally fine.

I never use shampoo, only soap. I live in a place that is always hot and humid. We're in out coldest time of the year now and it's currently 27 degrees Celsius outside at 0830

Trust me people nee to shower once a day or you can smell them across the street

Maybe people from those extremes shouldn't advise the rest of the world what to do then.

I meant to write soap, not shampoo, my bad.

Probably has to do with the temperature where you live though... It's different in colder climates, which is apparently most of the world if that's really the coldest time of year. I'd suggest to try showering with just water once in a while. It should remove most of the sweat and odor, without attacking you skin.

Yeah I think when most people say they shower every day, they don't mean they are literally washing everywhere with soap. I shower every day (yes it's hot here too) but shampoo hair maybe twice a week, soap on my whole body usually only once a month or so and usually because I want to exfoliate. Most showers I am very selective in what actually gets washed.

The full body deoderant people are expanding into the male market. Not sure why they felt the need to change the name, I think it's the same stuff? 🤔

Women:

https://lumedeodorant.com/

Men:

https://shopmando.com/

Note, same company. I haven't tried it, some reviews say it smells funky, like sour milk or bad cheese, which, you know, I don't need to spend money to smell funky. LOL.

https://selfmagnitude.com/blog/brutally-honest-product-review-lume-deodorant

I did learn, after buying a hot tub, that men and women have a pH difference, so that might have something to do with it.

https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/abs/10.1034/j.1600-0846.2001.70206.x

"A statistically significant difference in skin pH between men (mean pH=5.80) and women (mean pH=5.54) was found, with women being more acidic than men (P<0.01). No difference between right and left arm was found. In men, the area closest to the wrist had significantly lower pH values compared with the proximal sites. This was not the case in women. Skin surface pH decreased during normal working hours in both genders."

Since Lume and Mando started their big marketing push, other known brands are doing the full body treatment, I think I'd trust them over Lume and Mando which look to be mostly marketing.

Secret (guessing for women):
https://secret.com/en-us/shop/aluminum-free-whole-body-cream

Old Spice (guessing for men):
https://oldspice.com/total-body/

The ads I’m seeing have been for “full body” deodorants. Targeted at both men and women…

Haha marketing is what it is... a joke I made up some 30 years ago was that, despite what we see on the surface - the evidence proves that women are disgusting, dirty, fat, ugly animals that need a vast array of products to be created so that they can go outside without offending everyone...

So yes, you're right to find this ridiculous and offensive - but at the heart of it is simple greed, which is the real meaning of the American Dream.

That's interesting. I avoid ads...so I'm not seeing what you're seeing. I think my balls get a bit of a smell after a day, but like a nice, mild balls smell. My pits, man, my fucking pits...they go rancid in about a day's time, definitely in 2-3. Simply stating as a matter of fact, gotta deal with my pits before my balls.

Switch from regular deodorant to an Alum block

Looks like a piece of ice. Shower normally, dry up, then run the block on cold water and apply... Let it be a few mins and dry your pits

You can thank me by passing the tip to the next person in need ;-)

I'm talking ads you can't avoid on TV. Yeah I'm so old I don't have a screen in my face but across the room.

Maybe switch to antiperspirant? I did that many years ago and it really helped.

Well it all goes bad anyway, it's just good to clean up. I do not use antiperspirants, I don't like the idea of shoving stuff into my pores to block bodily functions. Those are kind of addictive, like if you're on them & don't use them, sometimes I feel like the problem is even worse. Like your body is purging because you stopped it up with aluminum.

I used antiperspirants until late HS, early college; it stained, discolored my shirts. I stopped using antiperspirant, and the staining stopped, too.

I don't know but I'm honestly convinced that they put something in women's deodorant so that we need to buy more of it and it makes us stink more because when I start using fancy women's deodorant I fucking stink like God awful and I can't even stand my own smell but when I stop using deodorant or can't afford it for a while I don't smell bad and I can't figure it out

You become used to the bad smell. Everyone else doesn't

I said I can smell myself and it's more bad smelling when I wear the deodorants then when I don't.. I didn't say I don't fucking smell I said it's worse when I'm wearing deodorant compared to when I don't

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If it’s for competing brands it’s either evidence of either a gaslighting cartel, or tons of mimicry and breeze testing in the ad teams’ thinking.

Making women feel uncertain is an old tactic for body care products.

Your balls start to smell first? Wonder why. Inadequate wiping? My armpits will start to go musky after about 4 days in the same clothes. That's my first thing to go. 🤷‍♂️

My armpits will start to go musky after about 4 days in the same clothes

Why the fuck are you wearing the same clothes for 4 fucking days? The only profession in which that is remotely acceptable is if you're on the front fucking line of a warzone, fighting for your life.

Relax bud. I sit still most days. Web developer. Half the week I work from home. Usually wear the same clothes for about a week. Not socks or underwear though, change those almost every day. T-shirt normally change after 2-3 days. 👍 Shower about 2-3 times per week. I use Aleppo soap. It keeps you clean for much longer, too.

lol, so worked up about it, too. You okay?

The guy who suggested I don't wipe my ass properly everyone!

Wow, you're ganging up on me, too?

It wasn't like I was accusing you, I was just curious.

Cuz you're fucking disgusting go shower.

Fucking mtg players

I was not talking to you. Go away, troll. Go back to Reddit. Blocked.

As someone who also works from home as a software Dev, shower more often and change shirts more often. You stink.

Another one who can't grasp the fact that bodies are different. I expected more from a fellow dev. Shame. 🫤

You do realize I shower more often than 4 days, right? That's what I've been saying all over this thread, that after 4 days is when I do start to stink a little bit. 👍

Nah breh ive worked with people like you too often. Theres always one on the team that fuckin stinks because they think "bodies are different". Thank god I work remote so I never have to sit by people like you ever again.

Keep talking to me like you've met me before...

I don't stink. I shower way before I start to stink. I told you, all of you, I start to stink a little bit at day 4, but I shower about every other day, at the gym twice a week and at home during the weekend. It all amounts to no hygiene issues. I am also very thorough with my junk after peeing and no. 2. I wipe with paper and wash with water if I can't get it perfectly clean. You don't know shit about my hygiene so leave me alone. Prejudiced jerk.

You guys are wiping your balls? You must suck at shitting

You don't stand on all fours while shitting? No wonder your balls aren't getting a share of that shit.

After 4 days

My guys, you should get that smell test sanity checked

You don't produce as much oil when you shower less which is what the smelliest bacteria consume.

Exactly. I started showering less often but with more naturally oily soaps (Aleppo soap mainly) and I don't need to shower as often since a few years back now. Feels much better. Less stress, better hygiene, no such problems, no itching anywhere, no nothing.

Must not live in a very humid area, 4 days wouldn’t fly here for anyone that goes outside at all

Humid or or not I find 4 is doable but 3 is more ideal but only if I don't do any strenuous activity. If I do then I pretty much like to shower it all off.

And this is exactly what is happening with me. I don't actually wait until 4 days, because if I do I start to smell. People in this thread are confused about that and down voting according to their confusion lol.

I actually do sunday and wednesday nights so go the four but its the end of the weekend when I can sorta afford it. Its not like I stink to high heaven. I can just sorta tell that really 3 is the sweet spot.

Exactly the same for me. 👍 Apart from the days of the week. 🙂

basically im prioritizing work week even though its remote and figure sunday I don't often go out except in realtion to holidays.

Seems reasonable.

I usually shower after I play badminton twice a week, then Saturday on the third second day after the last badminton of the week. It's perfect. I never feel dirty.

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I can tell when I do smell. I can also sense my deodorant until I start to smell. So nothing wrong with my sense of smell. It's actually quite sensitive. I'm just very clean, I suppose. I don't sweat much when I move a lot. 🤷‍♂️

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I have a really good sense of smell; trust me, you smell after one day and just can’t smell it yourself until day four. I’m sorry if this comes as a surprise.

Asked my friend today if I smell, a day after I showered. And I did some pretty rigorous activities today as well. They agreed to smell me, but said I don't smell.

What now? Trust your smell, when you have never smelled me? You're just as full of shit as everyone in this thread replying to me. Not because I'm saying you don't have a good sense of smell. I bet you do, and I bet you can smell people who do smell bad. But I don't smell bad. Deal with it. I'm really starting to think it's a jealousy thing here. People can't accept that I have good hygiene for some absolutely fucking absurd reason.

I'm 40 years old and my balls are quite long. Different body bacteria maybe? I shower after I shit so it's got nothing to do with wiping.

I shower after I shit

Like, a bidet? Or a full-blown no-clothes shower?

Yeah…tell us. Do you take your clothes off? Describe it. Like, slow. In a whisper.

I uh... slip my pants down and uhh.

Nah I am very regular and it's rare for me not to take a FULLY NAKED FULL BODY shower shortly after I shit.

Well “regular” is relative. And you don’t sound regular. You sound very ir -regular. In that it’s normal for you to shower after you shit. (Jk I knew what you meant).

Why don’t you get a bidet? You’d save so much water.

Research 😏

Yeah, measure how long your balls are and share

Depends, in all honesty. Temperature and how late I am into exercise e.g. Anywhere from 3-7 cm maybe?

That must be weird at work, or do you leave and come back?

If I have to shit at work I must be sick. I haven't shit at work in years. I shit once a day in the morning. I eat a lot of fiber.

Wow. I'm envious. I shit like three-four times a day (morning after waking up, possibly after breakfast, after lunch, after dinner). And I don't eat a lot of fiber. 😭 At least it's a proper texture, otherwise my asshole would be in trouble.

😂 bro, didn't even think about that. They probably don't, eh.

Edit: I meant they probably don't poo at work. Not that they don't work.

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While being in the same area while my parents are watching TV and I've seen Lume womans deodorant commercials quite a bit. Absolutely no clue why it's becoming more prevalent.

Just because you don't notice the smell doesn't mean there is none...

If I don't shower in the morning, I feel like a bum.

I wish I could shower in the morning, but I'd probably get killed for even just thinking of running water at 4 am in apartment building.

You should keep them away from water at any time, FEEDING them is what you should avoid after midnight.

I guess you gotta trust me on this but my wife and my coworkers are quite direct. They would tell me if I smell. It's very rare for me to skip a shower anyway.

They're just being nice. You stink

Trolling everyone in here, huh. Bully mentality, attacking everyone and anything at their supposed weak point, when in fact it's very ineffective. You're cringe, bro. Having a bad day or something? Go away.

Ha ha I always guilt my wife with these commercials. "Do you need that?" She hates those annoying commercials. There the equivalent to all these dumb men's soap commercials for crap like this. https://www.drsquatch.com/

Because deodorant company stepped up their marketing budget

Funny. I just saw such an ad. Advising that you use their deodorant spray everywhere, yea everywhere. (Lady in commercial proceeds to spray her crotch)

Hmmm. Maybe just to sell more product. Or maybe it's a mindfuck.

In the 50s they sold Lysol to deodorize sinks, toilets, rugs etc. Then advised to ladies to spray their crotch with it too. Basically saying that a woman is just another home appliance. Which is mindfucky

I prefer a bit of funk on a girl. With a touch of floral perfume.