Old Spice has come out with a new men’s body care line said to rival nature. Yes, actual nature.
Old Spice is at it again. Getting our attention by using something most of us can relate to, even when associated with personal care products: Humor.
Remember “The Man Your Man Could Smell Like” commercials? Even those of us who would never put a conventional deodorant on our pits, or our man’s, loved those ads.
This time, though, Old Spice has taken the direction of countless brands before them and gone natural. Well, sort of.
The latest line up from this decades old men’s care brand has come out with a new line called the Fresher Collection. The body washes, sprays, and deodorants are inspired by nature, and come with monikers like Timber, Amber, and Citron.
The collection was launched with a campaign that includes Twitter updates and more of the brand’s signature offbeat videos. Old Spice is tweeting funny facts to go along with these videos using #NatureFacts.
The videos are pretty hilarious and the campaign does an effective job of linking Old Spice with nature. Or their version of nature, anyway. If a bird vomiting Froot Loops and rocks that microwave pizza bagels are your idea of natural, you will probably love the new line. But if natural to you means healthy, nontoxic ingredients, you’ll be passing on these products.
So are the Fresher Collection products natural in name only? While it almost seems that Old Spice is doing the whole nature thing almost in jest, the press release says otherwise. Once again Old Spice has put a spin on things, this time even doing greenwashing its way. Rather than the typical claims of “our products are natural”, the Fresher Collection is said to “give guys that same great, relaxing feeling that they get from smelling nature”. And there is science to back it up?
So, the press release cites studies that show nature and her natural scents produce calming effects on mind and body. Ok, with them so far. Old Spice also did its own study with Innerscope Research, a “leading neuroscience research firm.” Apparently results show “Old Spice Fresher Collection has the transformational powers to take your brain to the great outdoors, eliciting a more positive response than smelling nature itself.”
For real?
Ok, here’s the deal: My son bought a deodorant from this new collection because it is called Sweat Defense and claims to “give sweat a beat down.” Again with the fabulous marketing. What teenaged guy wouldn’t want this stuff? My son also loves Froot Loops and pizza bagels. Target market, maybe? But does the scent transport me to a place better than nature? Um, no. Smells good, yes, but certainly not better than a walk in the park.
I would wager the thing about these antiperspirants that makes guys feel so uber fantastic is the sweat control. These babies contain 19 percent Aluminum Zirconium Trichlorohydrex, a chemical antiperspirant ingredient. They also tout odor fighting technology, called sweat donuts (yes, really), which trap odor and release fresh scent.
Aluminum used in antiperspirants has been linked to Alzheimer’s Disease and breast cancer. Petro-chemicals, parabens, propylene glycol, and synthetic fragrance are more reasons not to use conventional antiperspirant/deodorant products.
So what’s a guy who doesn’t want to be stinky to do? My husband uses only natural deodorants and has a few that he likes. My trick to keeping your natural deodorant working is to switch them up regularly. Keep a few different brands on hand and trade them out week to week.
Truly Natural Deodorants for Men That Work
Schmidt’s Natural Dedorant Cedarwood + Juniper
What do you say? Shall we start a #TrulyNaturalFacts campaign?
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Image of man smelling nature via Shutterstock