Adverts: That Just For Men ad with the grey-haired surfers
Posted by Dan
August 27th, 2008 at 11:06am
In General
Sometimes I form random infatuations. Like making parfaits, listening to music with banjos and staring at Michelle Obama’s eyebrows. The newest one is this commercial Just For Men hair coloring. It’s an old spot, but I can watch it over and over again.
Part of it, I think, is an obsessive compulsive fascination tracing back to my fear of aging. Perhaps another chunk of it goes back to the fact that I tend to like older guys.
Whatever the cause, I think the whole spot is a bit depressing if you take a step back. Basically, they’ve hired some JC Penney models to put on wet suits and pretend to play the guitar, validating the mid-life crises of hundreds of baby boomers.
The product itself is a bit odd too — a hair dye for men specifically designed to retain a bit of grey. It makes sense for the somewhat self-aware greying man, but I’m skeptical of how many 50 or 60-something men will use it properly.
This whole trend of faux vintage films and generational pandering will likely get nothing worse (remember those awful Ameriprise ads of yesteryear?).
If it helps, you have not aged since I met you. It’s a strange phenomenon, actually.
I think this product would succeed if they’d just put Anderson Cooper and John Slattery on the package next to big letters that say “Ladies want to do them.”
Oh, I don’t age. I have a painting that does that for me.