'We need to talk about your balls,' Manscaped declares in first international campaign

Manscaped has launched its first international campaign with a 60-second ad that uses snooker apparatus as a visual metaphor for the male private parts.

Created by Hell Yeah!, the campaign from the below-the-waist grooming brand will launch online, with TV and outdoor elements to follow. The ad features British comedian Charlie Partridge in a snooker hall, extolling the advantages of smooth balls, both in snooker and in life.

The campaign, created by Dulcie Cowling and George Nixon with comedy writer Spencer Brown, and produced by Studio Yes, will run across the UK, Australia and the US.

Launched in 2016, Manscaped is a major global brand in grooming tools and products aimed at men’s most delicate areas. In the UK, it is a sponsor of Wolverhampton Wanderers football club, as its official male grooming partner.

Carter Baldwin, vice-president of content at Manscaped, said: “We wanted our first global campaign to have resonance and to ‘cut’ through—and Hell Yeah!’s comedic take on the very real issues facing men who attempt to groom their nether regions with inferior, unsuitable shaving products really hit the spot.

“Men are venturing back out into the world, getting back to beaches, dating and more. And while a home haircut might do when the barber is closed, the results of a home ball shave can be a little more intimidating. Hell Yeah!’s ad makes these serious points with great verve and humour, and we can’t wait to see it out in all our global markets, both online, on TV and OOH.”

Josh Clarricoats, managing director of Hell Yeah!, added: “Sometimes, humour is the best way to get a point across, and for Manscaped, a ‘very British sense of humour’ approach meant we could talk about some delicate issues and unique product benefits in quite a direct way. That is to say, we don’t think everyone has to shave their balls. But if they’re going to do it, you definitely need the right tools for the job.

“We had to create something that would be funny as an online film and work in different markets, without losing its essential message and heart. Which is something of a challenge with an intimate product like Manscaped. But we’re really pleased with the result and can’t wait to see it on screens around the world.”