Last but not least: The misogynistic Axe ad - or the humorous handling of stereotypes

The complaint against the Axe cosmetics brand's shower gel advertising was filed by the women's organization "Association vaudoise pour les droits de la femme" ADF. In an interview with 20 Minuten on Thursday, ADF President Martine Gagnebin-Chapuis said that it was completely unbelievable that something like this still existed in the 21st century. She finds the advertisement sexist and stupid. Furthermore, it is a sign of a bad product if a men's shower gel has to be advertised with a woman's body. In this case, the product does not actually have a very close connection to a woman's body, but the slogan does remedy this: "The cleaner you are, the dirtier it gets". In this way, the connection between the product and women is made clear. Will the slogan also ensure that the product is remembered?
But a weak link between the product and naked bodies is not reason enough to call the advertising sexist. The ADF's complaint is precisely about the fact that everything is advertised with half-naked women, whether shoes, cars or perfumes, even if there is no connection with the product. This is sexist, the ADF President told 20 Minuten. ADF President Martine Gagnebin-Chapuis and Maria Roth-Bernasconi, Co-President of SP Women, are therefore jointly calling for the creation of a central ombudsman's office to combat sexism. Axe cannot quite understand this uproar. They have been playing with stereotypes in a humorous way for years, says the press spokeswoman. Even if Axe's idea of humor won't necessarily break the laugh record, the definition of sexist advertising doesn't necessarily stand up to a critical look: "Depiction of naked female bodies with no connection to the product". Because not every depiction of naked skin is sexist. The key question is therefore rather: does it hurt, does it demean? The Fairness Commission will now have to answer this question.