What other companies out there focus on the beauties of real women, instead of models? Very few, and Dove is one of them. Their ads are trying to teach young girls to be happy with how they look, and that each person is beautiful. Their take on beauty is unique, with videos, posters and campaigns that has postive impact on women everywhere. They want everyone to feel and look beautiful.

Axe, on the other hand, is a different story.

According to Axe, this is the 'Axe Effect'

Axe's take on marketing is the opposite of Dove's, firstly because they have different target audiences (With Dove's being women, and Axe's being men). Secondly, while Dove promotes real beauty, Axe promotes...women running after men after using their body spray.

A simple equation can properly describe a standard Axe commercial:

Man - Axe = Loser.

Man + Axe = Women

Simple, yes?

As a member of the female population, I don't necessarily find these ads wrong or disturbing, just a little...humerous, if not somewhat disgusting. This is especially true for the visual ads, in which it is implied that women are doing...er...'things' to men who wear the body spray. Some are okay, and actually funny, while others border on being sexual. I'd post a picture of one, but I'm not sure we're allowed to do that.

Despite their opposite marketing strategies, both Dove and Axe are owned by a company, Unilever, their 'parent company'. I don't think Unilever is responsible for either Dove's or Axe's marketing campaigns. Just like a parent, they can advise the 'children', but in the end, it's the child's decision in the end, or in this case, the individual companies. Dove is for women. Axe is for men. Obviously they're going to have different ads. You won't see an Axe commercial showing 'real' women, and you won't see a Dove commercial with women chasing after men. The individual companies just want to sell products, and that's what their ads are trying to do.