Gender Neutral Brand: Sam Farmer

Sam was someone I decided to contact after researching into gender neutral cosmetics. He pointed me to his blog which he updates weekly on his experience with gendered cosmetics and what influence him into creating his own gender neutral brand. It's interesting to see his analysis on gendered branding as its something that has affected him more personally. Describing his experience with his children, and how when they came into their teens they required cosmetics such as deodorants and cleansers. To his horror he says he was disgusted in the separation of aisles and what was targeted at boys and girls, his main focus was the branding of these cosmetics and what they suggested to the audience. The images he used supported this argument as you can see the difference in the tone of voice the cosmetics were communicating; 'Play it sexy', 'Kiss me' and 'Tease' all addressed the female target audience whereas the males were communicated with 'Full control', 'Team force' and 'Extreme power'. These were the brands he was pointing out as he did not agree with how teens were being communicated with and the branding of the cosmetics that was available to them. Again this relates to my theme topic for my investigation on why cosmetics are branded in this way and what does it tell about ourselves. It relates to my research into the construction of genders within advertising and how males and females are influenced to present themselves in western society.