Schick doesn’t want you thinking about body hair as a bad thing!
If you’ve been to Japan or lived there for any amount of time, you might have seen the great many laser hair removal ads that are plastered all throughout trains and stations and other public spaces. The ads target both men and women, sometimes advertising full-body hair removal for ridiculously cheap prices (for first-time customers, of course). They’re evidence that, in terms of Japanese beauty standards, body hair is thought of as unappealing regardless of gender.
Those expectations can be heavy burdens for a lot of people, so razor maker Schick wants to help change them. The Japanese branch of the company, which is Japan’s leading provider of wet shaving products, is hoping to promote body and body hair positivity by eliminating the phrase “unwanted hair” (ムダ毛, “mudage”) from its marketing.
▼ “We’re going to stop using the phrase ‘unwanted hair’.”
The move is based on the idea of encouraging customers to express themselves in the way they want, including deciding whether they want to remove their body hair or not. That’s why they’re going to start incorporating the slogan “It’s in your hands” into their marketing; they want everyone to know that they have a choice of whether to shave, groom, or leave their body hair as it is. Since the phrase “unwanted hair” didn’t seem appropriate for that line of thinking, the company decided to do away with the phrase altogether.
▼ “Let’s talk about hair.”
In addition to the new marketing materials, which are expected to completely remove the phrase by the end of the year, Schick Japan is also planning to unveil new products and new campaigns that help promote body hair positivity as well as support customers with whatever level of body hair they prefer. For example, a social media campaign targeting women and using the hashtag #BodyHairPositive is already underway to promote the many different forms of female beauty. The goal of this campaign is for women to find a style they’re comfortable with and can be themselves in, whether that means keeping their body hair or not.
A new line of men’s products called “Styling Partners” has also been released this year which are considered “the first step to supporting a habit of beard and body grooming.” Schick is also considering launching a program in May to help both men and women address their concerns about taking care of their delicate zones (known as the VIO area).
So, whether you’re all about removing everything or leaving it au natural, Schick is there to support you. Honestly, we can’t help but love these trends toward body positivity, even if they’re just marketing ploys. Every step towards promoting self-love is a step in the right direction, don’t you think?
Source: Press Release
Top image: Pakutaso
Insert images: Press Release
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