New/Old shaving ad trend/article from NY Times today

[RonPac]

This article is more about an advertising trend being forged by "older" brand names in their attempt to gain appeal with younger consumers. It is a creative approach that I think is clever and works but, if you read the article it also touches on an interesting point regarding the state of the "modern man."

I've seen many articles, books and websites touch on the fact that today's younger generation cannot perform traditional tasks or share the frugal values that their elders used to do. Something needs to be fixed, throw it away and buy a new one. Men today are just another consumer of cheap disposable products. Need to fix something? Buy the latest specialized gadget to make the unique task simple, easy and efficient (but adds cost and subtracts skill building.)

I think this article taps into that phenomenon.

http://www.nytimes.com/2013/01/28/b...vice-across-the-generations.html?ref=business

 

[Neognosis]

I don't think that what this forum is about is really "shaving like a man" though.

I also watched the commercial, and I think it fails. I just don't want to emulate the guy in the commercial.

 

[Saxman11290]

today's younger generation cannot perform traditional tasks or share the frugal values that their elders used to do ... Men today are just another consumer of cheap disposable products.

As a 23 year old young man, I find your generalizations inappropriate / borderline offensive, akin to as if I were to say "Old people can't keep up with technology".

While I agree that the current paradigm of our society is perhaps struggling to balance innovation and traditional values, I do not think it's fair to count all "young people" or "men today" as a cohesive unit.

Just my $.02

 

[face]

“It’s like America on your face.”​

 

[stryker4526]

What, exactly, is a "traditional task?"

 

[Neognosis]

I agree with saxman

Also, a traditional task would be, say... keeping minorities from the poles, shaming homosexuals and running them out of town, or, say.....marrying your high school sweetheart and living the rest of your life pretending to be happy while you wonder if you settled, and what else life could have held for you.

HAHAHA!!!

Just kidding. Like anything, though, nostalgia is always a bit of euphoric recall. The reality is that my grandfather shaved with a single edge and a brush, probably a boar, and he had one soap, one aftershave, and no "cutting balm" or "mix" or preshave oils or anything else like that.

 

[KingLobo]

I haven't read an article in NYT in quite some time (and even longer since I read an article in the NYT that was so matter of fact).

Outside of that, the Barbasol marketing effort might appeal to young men that already sense that there is something very wrong with the trajectory of American culture WRT what it means to "be a man".

I hope that is the majority.

Eventually, if the ad campaign becomes popular, it will be denounced as offensive, bigoted and what not.

 

[maxman]

Some people do believe that to be "manly" is to embrace things of the past. It does no one any good to put down people of any generation past, present or future.

 

[AudioNut]

http://www.youtube.com/user/BarbasolShaveCream?feature=watch

 

[redrako]

There is nothing so timeless as a man or woman reaching a certain age at which two things happen.

First one forgets the sting of all of the log-cabin, walking 5 miles to school through 4ft. high snow drifts, both ways.

Secondly they realize that they are somewhat disconnected from new trends. fashions etc. etc. In fact they in fact may actively resist parts of what's new in the culture.

When I was in my early 20's, about Charlie's age, I had the good fortune to be mentored by a pair of retired guys. The both were young men in during the Great Depression in the 1930's and despite some real hand to mouth experiences both went on to become educated, have careers and families. Certainly by 1970's and 80's standards most of us lead much more coddled, easy lives.

Yet I never felt patronized or condescended to. I was blessed to have two such generous wise men in my life at the time and try to let their actions shape my behavior to other folks.

At the same time, as Americans have become wealthier with each passing generations, we do a lot less hand on activities and instead purchase solutions instead. For example, one my of retired mentors used to rebuild car generators (yes, I said generator, not alternator) rather than spring for a new one. I appreciate what he did, but can't imagine myself doing something like that.

Each new generation will find it's own way in the world and then reshape in to suit the demands of their lives. It's been going on since the beginning of humanity. The very fact that their are men and women of all ages learning or relearning an earlier way of shaving is a testimony to this fact. I'm a big fan of young men that are open minded enough to consider using an older technology do something as routine as shaving.

 

[beginish]

Well put, Bob. As I currently straddle the generations referenced in the article thanks to my membership in Generation X, I find it comforting to know that the gents here at B&B converge on the traditional approaches to being gentlemen. Whether it's shaving, grooming, pens, cooking, or what have you, we all got here from mutual interest, and it didn't take a retro ad to make us come over.

 

[Hunter]

Well I have to say it is an interestng ad, I know that I like old spice in part because my Granddad wore it, not all the time but there are LE decantors sitting around my grandma's bathroom. I would like to know if he had any other razors but all I remember him shaving with is an old old philips electric razor.

 

[Memphis]

As a 23 year old young man, I find your generalizations inappropriate / borderline offensive, akin to as if I were to say "Old people can't keep up with technology".

While I agree that the current paradigm of our society is perhaps struggling to balance innovation and traditional values, I do not think it's fair to count all "young people" or "men today" as a cohesive unit.

Just my $.02

for the most part that is true

 

[buyandhold2018]

The problem... Perio is spending $4MM on advertising a product that isn't good for your face. They should spend that money instead on formulating a product without Propane, butane and SLS. You can advertise all you want, but, I believe for long-term success you need to sell a great product.

 

[jamesspo]

I think it's unfair to say they can't "keep up", as if they are somehow too stupid to do so. Not using a smart phone or a tablet or (insert your common technology of choice) is more about social connectivity and generational differences in that connectivity, than it is about understanding technology. The technology itself is "easy".

Let me give an example, using myself . I'm 45 (which I'm not sure is "old" or not), and develop embedded linux systems (i.e the kind of embedded operating systems that smart phones and tablets are built on). Yet, I have a Go Phone and use around 15 minutes on it per year , and pretty much never have it on unless I'm making the rare call. I just don't care for that level of constant connectivity, especially when I'm outside the house. To contrast that, I've got a zillion computers doing all sorts of things in my house, home theater gear, all kinds of tech. It's not about technology itself..it's about ones use of that technology and how it fits into the social norms of the generation.

My dad is 64, and he's pretty much the same as me. We talk about physics and math and metallurgy when we chat, so we're no slouches when it comes to understanding complicated things. Just keep that in mind - just because someone is older doesn't mean they don't (or can't) understand things. I realize that being an engineer changes that dynamic a bit, but I know lots of people my age and older that are quite able to grasp technology, but just don't give a hoot about it, as it doesn't fit their lifestyle.

The moral is, don't judge people regardless of their age or superficial behaviors. Just because they don't do the same things you do, doesn't mean they couldn't.

for the most part that is true

 

[RonPac]

As a 23 year old young man, I find your generalizations inappropriate / borderline offensive, akin to as if I were to say "Old people can't keep up with technology".

While I agree that the current paradigm of our society is perhaps struggling to balance innovation and traditional values, I do not think it's fair to count all "young people" or "men today" as a cohesive unit.

Just my $.02

Yeah, I'll agree my phrase "traditional tasks" was poorly worded (I wasn't talking about "values".) I was trying to talk about things like tuning up a car, you can't really do it on cars built today, you have to plug them into a computer! Or w ood working skills were much more commonplace. My father built cabinets, made shelves & furniture for our home. Nowadays most consumers just buy throwaway junk.
Anyway, I want to keep my thread on the advertising technique and an age old technique is to challenage a man's "macho" self image.
Oh btw way, it is okay to make generational comments, it is common practice and is done all the time. Also I do think it is fair to say "old people have can't or have a hard time keeping up with technology." As an aging person, I can safely say I haven't kept up as much as I should.

 

[RonPac]

What, exactly, is a "traditional task?"

See above for my attempt to define it. I don't think you can argue that we are losing skills that earlier generations possessed.
I really want to focus on analyizing the ad.

 

[Saxman11290]

To be clear, I don't hold the opinion that "old people can't keep up with technology." I know many people of all generations who can use and know more about computers than I do. If you read my first post on this thread, you'll see the phrase is used for a comparison to the claims made by the OP. Therefore, both are equally over-generalizations and incorrect.