Friday, May 20, 2005

Choices, choices, choices

I went to the supermarket and remembered while I was there I needed to pick up a new stick of deodorant. I found the shelves and tried to make a choice between the various options.

Not gel. OK. Stick is good. Clear or Invisible Solid? Invisible sounds good.

But then I am faced with a bewildering choice of fragrances. Hell - I'm a guy. Am I supposed to care what I smell like? And the names aren't any help at all. They all seem to describe the smell of fresh air whatever that is. Or be aimed at sailors or mountaineers - which is fine for me but what is the other 99% of the male population supposed to do?

They have names like Cool Wave, Pacific Light, Wild Rain and Arctic Peak. I suppose they are all chosen by MBAs in the marketing department drawing 6 figure salaries - and then validated by focus groups. "What's your immediate reaction - Arctic Peak or Broccoli Armpits?".

Surf, Breeze, Frost. What do they tell me about how they will make me smell?

Or perhaps I am supposed to choose one that supports my own image of my masculinity? Just in case someone sees my deodorant in my bathroom do I want them to see me more as an Arctic Peak kind of guy - adventurous? outgoing? - or a Frost kind of guy - cool? terse? poetic?

After much consideration, and to bolster my new found confidence in heavy air sailing I choose Storm Force.

Ahhh. That feels better. I'm a new man. Definitely adds half a knot to my boat speed in 30 knots of breeze.

No comments:

Post a Comment