Don't 'Axe' Don't Tell: A Critical Commentary on Axe's 'Chocolate Man'

What’s behind the success of Unilever’s line of Axe toiletries for men? It’s not a secret ingredient for concocting sprays with “woodsy overtones” and “oriental spice” – Axe is notorious for its commercials depicting the instant, uncontrollable attraction of young, good-looking, thin and scantily clad women who happen upon any pasty, scrawny teenage boy doused in the sexual scents of Axe body spray. Axe’s marketing strategy for increasing the popularity of the line amongst their target demographic – young, white, heterosexual men – capitalizes on the perpetuation of masculine, sexist, and racist stereotypes and heterosexist sentiments. Indeed, Axe’s recent commercial, the “Chocolate Man,” reeks of a nasty tradition in North American entertainment.