Philips has launched a new campaign encouraging men to Express Yourself Every Day”. The global initiative, launching first in Australia, aims to breathe new life into the male grooming category, which has been made somewhat stagnant thanks to the clean-shaven trend of the last 30 years.
bd caught up with Dr Allan Peterkin, grooming expression expert for the campaign to find out more.
What exactly will you be doing as a ‘Grooming Expression Expert’?
My role is to provide practical and inspirational grooming advice to help men to express themselves.
I will be blogging on www.facebook.com/PhilipsSelfExpression, examining the close relationship between male grooming and self-expression and exploring why men aren’t experimenting more with their looks. I’ll also be offering tips and advice on how they can choose, create and maintain a style that’s right for them, and solving grooming quandaries.”
Why, in your view, aren’t today’s men fully embracing the freedom to be more self-expressive?
Men today want to play with their identity and make a statement with the way they look. Popular culture now tells young men they can be free to dress, groom, explore their sexuality and move in their bodies as they like. But when it comes to actually putting this freedom into action, they sometimes lack the willingness to go ahead and do so. I think this is probably borne out of a combination of fear and a lack of confidence.”
What has shaving and grooming got to do with self-expression?
Shaving and grooming is a way for men to showcase their personality and individuality as well as a means of changing their appearance.
What I often hear from the men I interview for my books is that they want more freedom when it comes to expressing themselves, particularly with regards to their grooming routine - be it their hair, face or body.”
Why did you decide to get involved in this campaign?
I don’t believe that men are being as self-expressive as they could and should be with their grooming. Part of the issue here is that they don’t know what the right tools are to achieve the multitude of looks they desire. I am interested in helping men to marry this wish to express themselves more freely with the knowledge of how to do it. Men have the motivation, Philips has the widest portfolio of shaving and grooming tools on the market and I have the expertise.”
Do you think this campaign is really going to make a difference?
It’s about encouraging a culture shift. Women are inundated with advice and inspiration on how to express themselves through a multitude of different looks whilst men have been presented with a prescribed view of male grooming for the last 50 years. Philips is challenging that, reminding men that they are free to express themselves every day and equipping them with the tools and the know-how to do it.
By giving men easy access to examples of everyday self-expression and opportunities to do so, Philips is encouraging men to explore and express their personality and bring this new sense of adventure to their daily shaving and grooming routine.”
What look are you sporting at the moment and what does it say about you?
I wear stubble nowadays because I think it looks natural and masculine, and it's easy to maintain. I’ve been using the Philips Perfect Stubble trimmer because it’s sturdy and allows you to dial up the length of stubble you want.”
