I read through this post on St John’s site. It is very well done. I’ve talked to Rhys about the decision to use the tagline Unapologetically Masculine. It is completely thought out, but a risk. AND IT IS WORKING.
And I guess my question for the comments is – at what point do we get to accept masculinity again? Redefined, sure. But it has to at least be ok. I know St John’s customers feel it is. And there are a lot of them.
Grammar/punctuation police. I checked. There is no period after St and the apostrophe is only used in the possessive.
I purchased a bottle of Bay Rum (thank you John for the recommendation) and my wife loves it. I like the ad campaign. Of course, some may think it micro aggressive, whatever that term means.
On the masculinity point, I think St Johns and Ivy Style’s readership are at the right spot to accept and embrace a redefined masculinity. Yes, it’s been put through the wringer in recent years, and rightly so, given the outsized influence of its toxic strains, infecting society at large like so many viruses. However, I’d bet that anyone reading this post also chafed under that toxicity (I certainly did) and tried valiantly to reject it. Now that the toxic strain been largely rejected from most respectable quarters, now may be that time to reclaim it in a positive, respectful, tolerant, and forward-looking way, especially coming out of the pandemic, when it feels like the social contract is severely fraying.
Good stuff. Worth the $– I think. which cannot be said about 90% of the stuff out there right now. Are there better bay rums on the market? For less $. Sure. Of course. Just as there are blazers, suits, and jackets that are more bang for the buck than J. Press’ current offerings. But I’ll wait for the St. Johns sales/clearances and pick up a bottle every now and then. The advertising expenditures are paying off, and I’ll tip my hat to that because it’s tricky business indeed.
I appreciate your comment above, RW. I was going to post something to the same effect, but you put it in the right words.
Embracing one’s masculinity, to me, has more to do with what masculine archetypes one most identifies with. It’s a spectrum, and one needn’t bring toxicity into the world to find their place on it. There are Paul Newmans, David Bowies, Eliot Pages and Ru Pauls who make the world a better place than it was before they got here.
There are multiple little boys in my street who love showing off how strong they are. The main way they know how to do it is by destroying things and it’s so sad. Someone needs to take them in hand and teach them that their impulse to be strong is important and good…used correctly. They can show how strong they are by building, by helping, be defending. I once knew a movement whose tagline was “strong to be useful.” A focus on using your strengths as a man to do good? That’s the right unapologetic masculinity.
I’ll be honest. The phrase “toxic masculinity” angered me. I thought it was saying that masculinity equals misogyny. It lumped me in with the macho jerks overcompensating for their self-perceived inadequacies. It put me on the defensive and forced me to prove a negative.
But then I saw how defending men accomplished nothing. In fact, it hardened women’s anger. I realized it was time to stop talking and start doing, to show what real masculinity is while contrasting it with the toxic effects of machismo. It made all the difference in the world.
The moral honesty it takes to reassess our knee-jerk reactions to pop-psychology buzzwords knows no gender, but it is courageous, which can in this context be described as unapologetically masculine — in a good way.
I have never tried St Johns as I am a Creed man myself, but will pick up a bottle given good reviews and to support and advertiser on IS. Good for them for embracing Unaplogetically Masculine. Many of our current problems can be attributed to a lack of masculinity and abdication by men of traditional roles.
Bay Rum and Lime are the BEST. I have been using those 2 products for over 50 years. Charlie Davidson at the Andover Shop started me on them
Love the Bay Rum (a 2022 Christmas gift from my wife)! As soon as my Royall Lyme is used up, I’ll try a bottle of the St Johns lime.
Kind Regards,
Heinz-Ulrich
Do the swimsuit models arrive with the cologne?
I’m feeling “unapologetically masculine” after seeing the swimsuit models.
I purchased a bottle of Bay Rum (thank you John for the recommendation) and my wife loves it. I like the ad campaign. Of course, some may think it micro aggressive, whatever that term means.
On the masculinity point, I think St Johns and Ivy Style’s readership are at the right spot to accept and embrace a redefined masculinity. Yes, it’s been put through the wringer in recent years, and rightly so, given the outsized influence of its toxic strains, infecting society at large like so many viruses. However, I’d bet that anyone reading this post also chafed under that toxicity (I certainly did) and tried valiantly to reject it. Now that the toxic strain been largely rejected from most respectable quarters, now may be that time to reclaim it in a positive, respectful, tolerant, and forward-looking way, especially coming out of the pandemic, when it feels like the social contract is severely fraying.
Brilliantly put.
Good stuff. Worth the $– I think. which cannot be said about 90% of the stuff out there right now. Are there better bay rums on the market? For less $. Sure. Of course. Just as there are blazers, suits, and jackets that are more bang for the buck than J. Press’ current offerings. But I’ll wait for the St. Johns sales/clearances and pick up a bottle every now and then. The advertising expenditures are paying off, and I’ll tip my hat to that because it’s tricky business indeed.
I appreciate your comment above, RW. I was going to post something to the same effect, but you put it in the right words.
Embracing one’s masculinity, to me, has more to do with what masculine archetypes one most identifies with. It’s a spectrum, and one needn’t bring toxicity into the world to find their place on it. There are Paul Newmans, David Bowies, Eliot Pages and Ru Pauls who make the world a better place than it was before they got here.
There are multiple little boys in my street who love showing off how strong they are. The main way they know how to do it is by destroying things and it’s so sad. Someone needs to take them in hand and teach them that their impulse to be strong is important and good…used correctly. They can show how strong they are by building, by helping, be defending. I once knew a movement whose tagline was “strong to be useful.” A focus on using your strengths as a man to do good? That’s the right unapologetic masculinity.
Love this.
I’ll be honest. The phrase “toxic masculinity” angered me. I thought it was saying that masculinity equals misogyny. It lumped me in with the macho jerks overcompensating for their self-perceived inadequacies. It put me on the defensive and forced me to prove a negative.
But then I saw how defending men accomplished nothing. In fact, it hardened women’s anger. I realized it was time to stop talking and start doing, to show what real masculinity is while contrasting it with the toxic effects of machismo. It made all the difference in the world.
St Johns is masculine. Brut is macho.
The moral honesty it takes to reassess our knee-jerk reactions to pop-psychology buzzwords knows no gender, but it is courageous, which can in this context be described as unapologetically masculine — in a good way.
I have never tried St Johns as I am a Creed man myself, but will pick up a bottle given good reviews and to support and advertiser on IS. Good for them for embracing Unaplogetically Masculine. Many of our current problems can be attributed to a lack of masculinity and abdication by men of traditional roles.
“Hard times create strong men, strong men create good times, good times create weak men, and weak men create hard times.” G. Michael Hopf
Completing the purchase of a bottle now
Love seeing old time ads like these, even (or especially) if they haven’t aged so well! Lol
Funny enough, that’s how more and more of us are living our lives ……again. Absolute Gentleman, as well.
Great fragrance.