Active discussions

Meet the Other Phone. A phone that grows with your child.

Meet the Other Phone.
A phone that grows with your child.

Buy now

Please or to access all these features

Talk
Feminism: Sex and gender discussions

Feminism: chat

Original poster

a friend has just asked this on FB

48 replies

BooyFuckingHoo · 28/02/2011 19:52

so i thought I'd ask here too for another perspective.

she has asked how come the likes of mr muscle, mr sheen, henry etc have male names when it is usually women that use them.

i told her it was so that mr sheen got the money in his bank account rather than mrs sheen's. it was in jest but i can't help think there may be some truth in that.

OP posts:
AliceWorld · 28/02/2011 19:54

cos they are about strength and we all know women aren't strong Hmm

HystericalMe · 28/02/2011 19:54

From an advertising point of view, maybe it is supposed to be like the knight in shining armour who comes to the (cleaning) rescue.

sethstarkaddersmackerel · 28/02/2011 19:59

because we're sexually frustrated housewives and it gives us something to fantasise about?

I suppose my question is, if they were women what would the relationship be? would they be our servants? best friends? helpful mums?

food has women - eg Aunt Bessie, Betty Crocker. As well as Colonel Sanders and Uncle Ben.

Original poster
BooyFuckingHoo · 28/02/2011 20:01

i reckon if they were female they would be my best friend! Grin

OP posts:
FlamingOBingo · 28/02/2011 20:13

Because women are meant to do the cleaning but, like most things, we're shit at it and need a man to come and help us.

SardineQueen · 28/02/2011 20:17

Imagine if they started adhering pictures of miserable looking women in full-drudge mode on the front of the bottles.

They could take a picture of me moodily squirting fairy into the washing up bowl while glaring at the children.

Would that sell? Grin

Original poster
BooyFuckingHoo · 28/02/2011 20:20

no sardine, they could employ as much artistic license as they do with the male superheroes they plaster on the front of the bottles. if the average man becomes a superhero when cleaning then the average woman is God!! Grin

OP posts:
Grevling · 28/02/2011 20:41

I was told a story once. Unipart sell car batteries. They wanted to find out why women didn't buy them so got in a psychologist and asked them to do some digging. The end result was a white car battery named Samson that sold shit loads, mostly to women.

Morale of the story is however much there is the "cos they are about strength and we all know women aren't strong" quips the truth is sub consciously whether we like it or not people associate strength in certain products with what they want.

Companies spent billions on making us buy what they want - if other names sold better by shit they'd use them.

dittany · 28/02/2011 20:44

This reply has been deleted

Message withdrawn at poster's request.

SardineQueen · 28/02/2011 20:45

Dittany do you have any book recommendations for a 12yo girl about body image etc ? here

Original poster
BooyFuckingHoo · 28/02/2011 20:47

i think ditt has it!! Grin

OP posts:
DaydreamDollyisshrinking · 28/02/2011 20:49

Because if they were called Mrs Sheen, Mrs Muscle, etc, women may actually complain that that is sexist, naming cleaning products after women??
Some may think that would indicate the cleaning companies are suggesting that it is only women who clean.... just putting that out there?

SardineQueen · 28/02/2011 20:54

I think it's to do with the male names being associated with strength and power - things that are desirable in a lot of cleaning products and paraphernalia.

Prolesworth · 28/02/2011 21:05

This reply has been deleted

Message withdrawn

Prolesworth · 28/02/2011 21:07

This reply has been deleted

Message withdrawn

tethersend · 28/02/2011 21:10

Because they're a bunch of cunts.

sethstarkaddersmackerel · 28/02/2011 21:11

I've just had a horrible thought.
When men really do start doing the cleaning as much as women, they will redesign the bottles to make them all curvy with pictures of pornified women wielding dusters on them.

ivykaty44 · 28/02/2011 21:11

actually if it was mrs sheen then woman would say it is due to men having the ultimate sexual fantasy of two women in bed at the same time with him.

Sorry but this one could be wrongly thought out either way it was named.

I have meet men called Aireal and Daz but I don't think they were really named after men. Blu loo isn't a name I would give my son either or Jif or Sif

AliceWorld · 28/02/2011 21:12

Seth, don't suggest that. It'll happen now!

AliceWorld · 28/02/2011 21:13

In fact, copyright it quick and then don't use it!

sethstarkaddersmackerel · 28/02/2011 21:13

Jif sounds like a character in Oxford Reading Tree

Original poster
BooyFuckingHoo · 28/02/2011 21:15

oh yes seth, that would be sad. imagine having to pick up a bottle of toilet cleaner with your frumpy cleaning clothes and marigolds on only to have angelina jolie staring back at you!

OP posts:
Prolesworth · 28/02/2011 21:18

This reply has been deleted

Message withdrawn

QuintessentialShadows · 28/02/2011 21:18

Because we are more inclined to Rub Mr Sheen than Vanessa.

whomovedmychocolate · 28/02/2011 21:19

Isn't it about what the product primarily does though - if it's practical ( efficient, dull ) they use a male name and voice for the product.

For the less practical ( fripperies, cosmetic ) like shampoo for example, a female, fluffy name or image is used. For example Fairy liquid is aimed at women, it's marketed that it keeps your hands soft (why do people want that btw, it's a weird ambition, like having slightly softer skin on your hands will help you in life Hmm).
Or Herbal Essences which apparently is better than sex (whoever wrote this campaign needs to find a better lover frankly).

And it actually sort of fits into societal norms. Would you, for example buy a drain cleaner called Mavis? Or would you prefer Bruce? We are brought up to associate strength and functionality with men and gentleness and ornament with women.