Success through grooming

Cosmetics for men have become popular in Japan only in the last few years, and this has lead to some unique approaches in advertising. In Europe, adverts would feature only well-groomed models, suggesting the positive effects of using the product. However, Kao is advertising its cosmetics line Success with quite drastic negative examples.

Another interesting point is the fact that being well-groomed is not being linked to attractiveness for the opposite sex but to career success. Look your best - not for your wife or girlfriend, but for your boss...!

Before...and after.

Another quite interesting example is this excerpt from an ad for the anti-perspirant Ban Zero. Again, the negative impact of not using a deodorant (in this case on the subway) is stressed instead of the positive effects.



So with men's cosmetics, shocking them into buying the product seems to be acceptable or possibly even a rather effective strategy. Obviously, such ads would be (and in fact are) totally unthinkable when targeted at women.