Shaving Superman: The advertisers dilemma

Thursday, 6 June 2013 01:21 - - {{hitsCtrl.values.hits}}

LOS ANGELES (TheWrap.com) - Should any of us be surprised that Superman has a super shaving power? Perhaps only Gillette, who is in the middle of a large marketing campaign asking, “How does he shave?”

Unfortunately the answer appears to be heat rays and a mirror - neither of which are products of the Proctor & Gamble division.

“Man of Steel” flies into theaters on June 14, and the razorblade manufacturer has been attempting to capitalize on the anticipation while simultaneously selling overpriced blades. The campaign is complete with a website, a Twitter hashtag and display ads. The website is chock full of video theories from celebrities such as Bill Nye the Science Guy, Kevin Smith, Mayim Bialik and the “Mythbusters” gang. The question itself is centered on a moment in the “Man of Steel” trailer, where a young, thickly bearded Clark Kent emerges as a clean-shaven Superman. But presumably - given the man’s genetics - those would be some strong steely whiskers. Connecticut advertising company, Concept One, along with Warner Bros., wanted answers (and money).

The fans fairly swiftly provided one that has been represented in the comic books a number of times. Superman emits heat rays from his eyes, bounces them off a mirror and zaps away his whiskers. Duh, guys. Still, Proctor & Gamble got what it was looking for. Almost 300,000 people have clicked on Nye’s video alone since the campaign launched on Tuesday, according to a Businessweek report.

“Even though it was ‘answered’ in this comic book, it’s a question people still have,” P&G spokesperson Susan Baba Ogoche said. “Superman fans have been asking this for years. And you won’t see us come out and say ‘Of course, he shaves with a Gillette Fusion ProGlide.’”