Most people can appreciate a bit of edginess or quirkiness in a person. It keeps them interesting, and it makes us talk about them. But then they take it too far and end up wearing a swan, looking just plain weird, and before you know it– being lowered from the ceiling in a banana.
It seems brands struggle with this too. Some brands, like NARS, manage to stay edgy without looking like they are trying too hard with their Safer Set and Safest Set. Condoms and a book of tips on how to say no to sex gets people talking, but they also serve a purpose. NARS also donates a portion of the sale proceeds from these products to AIDS and safe sex education programs. Nifty! The “Hi, this is a marketing gimmick” vibe is not so strong.
…And then there’s…this.
Urban Decay Pocket Rocket Lip Gloss. What. The. Eff.
For those of you not familiar with this ‘gem’ of a product, the gimmick is two-fold. First, tilt the tube back and forth to reveal the picture of the man on cap in his undies. I am not kidding you. It’s like one of those dirty slider pens you might get at a bachelorette party, but it’s on a lipgloss.
Gimmick part 2: need to lure a real man? (Urban Decay’s words, not mine), rub the tube! It releases undetectible pheromones.
Okay really?
When Urban Decay was going around naming products after drugs and making actually a pretty solid line of vegan cosmetics I thought they were really cool. So what is this crap? The gloss comes in 8 colors, each named after the featured man on the tube. There’s even a “cute” little bio about each man’s personality (and sexual prowess). For example:
“David is a hard-working man: at work, in the gym, and most importantly, in bed. After a grueling 60-hour week, he still has the energy to come over and put his 110% into you. Undress him to inspect your benefits package. “
Urban Decay, you’ve officially jumped the edginess shark into Klassy McTacky Town. Better put some lipstick on your teeth and slap on some 3 inch fake nails. I’m not buying it.
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