Posted by:
Tate Linden
In one of the more bizarre moves I’ve seen (outside of the freaky stuff done by Crispin Porter) lately is a new campaign for Pert Plus that attempts to sell shampoo by making us think of probing grizzly bear anuses and smelling pug breath. Seriously.
Why won’t this work? I’ll bypass the obvious fact that most men don’t like the idea of getting up close and personal with animals and suggest that we look to the brand assets for a reason.
First, there’s the name, “Pert Plus”. Though the dictionary suggests the word is jaunty, saucy, or vivacious, I’d argue that most culturally astute Americans are likely to think it’s a diminutive term. Which may be why dictionary examples use the word in context like, “a pert little hat.” Pert Plus seems like it starts with an inherent aww-shucks cuteness, not the style-conscious alpha-male imagery of the new campaign.
Then there’s the packaging. A spring-green curvy (spineless?) container.
Either the package is meant to suggest guys with potbellies and scoliosis or it’s about womanly curves. I know perception is dependent on our experience, but this is a shape that seems at home in the “feminine products” aisle. (My experience as a married man makes me quite familiar with that particular aisle.)
Okay, TMI. Let’s move on… to the logo. Who writes”P” like this?
Whomever it is, I’m pretty sure it’s not someone most would strongly associate with the virility the campaign seems to convey. I just can’t rationalize the disconnect between what the ads are saying and what the brand elements show. The identity can’t be in alignment because it’s saying two different things.
The only thing I can think of as justification is that the ads are meant to drive the men to request the shampoo and then when the stereotypical wife or girlfriend goes to the store she’ll perhaps find herself strangely attracted to the one feminine bottle amongst all the rigidly masculine ones at the store.
Maybe you have better insight than I do. What’s your thinking? Do we men secretly desire to associate with grizzlies and pugs? Do we want to be associated with a brand that suggests all we need is to be “In. Out. Done.”? I dunno…
In an ad series that talks about grizzly proctological exams I’m not sure that’s an image I want in my head.