Veet tells us: Don't risk dudeness!

You know those advertising campaigns that make you go, "what were they thinking?" That's exactly the response Veet's latest "don't risk dudeness" campaign elicited from me, and from women everywhere. In order to promote its latest product, Veet wax strips, the company came out with a series of ads that basically tell women if their bodies aren't perfectly smooth, they're manly and unattractive.

The ad that has generated the most outrage features a couple in bed after a one-night-stand. The woman puts her leg over her sleeping partner, who rubs it and realizes he's actually stroking the hairy leg of a Zach Galifianakis-esque man. "Yeah, I know, I'm a little prickly. I shaved yesterday!" the man/woman says apologetically to her shocked partner.

Twitter attacks immediately ensued. Women everywhere pointed out Veet's apparent shaming of women into removing their body hair to avoid looking like a dude. A Huff Post writer said, "if Veet is to be believed, there's nothing more terrifying to a straight dude than touching a moderately hairy leg." I think that's where these ads piss me off. It's not so much that I have a feminist argument defending hairy pits, but I don't like Veet telling me that I'm unattractive, or masculine, if I miss a spot shaving. And that if my significant other finds my semi-stubbly legs next to him in the morning he'll be utterly appalled and disgusted.

We've talked a lot in class about how women are portrayed in the media, and specifically, in advertisements. Veet's latest campaign is yet another example of the media implying that a woman's physical attractiveness is her primary source of value. Don't get me wrong-- I absolutely wear make-up and shave my legs. But when a company tries to tell me that if I don't I'll look like a man, I'm not going to like it.

Shaming just isn't a good advertising strategy. I can't imagine women watching Veet's ad and thinking, "wow, I don't want to look like a dude, I better go buy some Veet wax strips!" Other beauty companies like Dove have taken a much more effective approach to advertising. Dove's Campaign for Real Beauty that launched over 10 years ago focuses on embracing women's diverse body types and redefining industry standards for beauty. Women, myself included, loved the campaign. It made us feel good, reminding us that we don't have to mimic the models on magazine covers to be attractive, and that our unique features are what make us beautiful.

I wouldn't be surprised if Veet's ads get pulled altogether, judging by the swift and angry response from women just hours after they first aired. Veet could probably take a lesson from Dove here. If you want us to buy your product, make us feel good about ourselves and build a positive association with your brand. Don't make us fear the gender-normative consequences of not buying your product.