Found Feminism: Joop perfume advert

Real men wear pink, and not much else...

Whilst Christmas shopping I came across this little gem. Part of me isn’t sure how well this sits with the “found feminism” concept. Certainly it isn’t doing much to push back the frontiers of heteronormative dominance within advertising, and additionally the shift in focus from the traditional feminine body beautiful to the masculine version does not challenge expectations of what is sexually attractive, nor the link between money, sex and power.

On the other hand, it does stand out from the usual fare in at least being funny as well as easy on the eye. There’s also a nice knowing nod both away from the standard of “pink perfume is for girls”, and perhaps even towards the idea that being a “real man” could mean more than just having a wider range of colour choices.

If real men can wear pink and perfume and still be real men, then maybe they can do other things formally excluded from them by dint of socially conditioned gender boundaries.

That said, he does have the compensatory pretty lady and amazing abs, so perhaps those things excuse and allow for his momentary lapse into scent and cerise.

What do we think?

• Found Feminism: an ongoing series of images, videos, photos, comics, posters or excerpts – anything really, which shows feminist ideas at work in the everyday world. Send your finds to [email protected]!