Razors want you to see what you could look like, floor cleaner wants you to fear what your floor could look like.
Funny how toothpaste commercials can go either way.
Toothpaste is bi
-carbonate of soda.
Body hair is deeply stigmatized. Bodies and bodily functions are stigmatized.
It’s the same reason why sanitary pad commercials use clear blue liquid for absorptive demonstrations and not body temperature strawberry preserves. Or heaven forfend actual uterine lining…
Smiling happy women reclining in a bath, shaving off foam to reveal glossy perfect legs, is shorthand for the reality of what actually happens.
Body hair is stigmatised, but bodies in general are not; bodily functions are taboo which is not the same thing.
In modern Western society people don’t really think that women are “unclean” for having their period, no more than they think anyone is a bad person for pooping. (Notably this has not been true in all times and cultures). But talking about periods and shitting is nevertheless taboo and not considered polite. I think it’s an important distinction to realise, because you can try to push back against stigma, but pushing back against taboo is harder (and often pointless).
Speaking for myself I no more want to see actual uterine lining in an advert than I want to see an actual turd - they’re both fairly gross. Advertisers generally want to associate their products with positive feelings, not disgust.
