1. Introduction

In the contemporary digital landscape, media does not merely reflect social reality but actively constructs it (Hall, 1997). Brands, as powerful cultural agents, wield significant influence in shaping societal norms, values, and perceptions of identity, particularly concerning gender. Through curated visuals, persuasive narratives, and strategic communication on social media platforms, brands perpetuate specific ideas about masculinity, femininity, and social roles.

This report conducts a critical gender audit of two distinct brands: Wardah, a leading Indonesian Muslim cosmetics brand, and Axe (known as Lynx internationally), a global male grooming product brand. The purpose of this analysis is to deconstruct how these brands utilize digital media to represent gender, identify potential biases and stereotypes, and assess their adherence to the principles of inclusive communication. By applying the gender audit framework from Course #7, this report aims to foster a critical understanding of ethical digital branding and provide recommendations for more equitable and inclusive brand communication.

2. Brand Profiles

Wardah

Brand Description: Wardah is a flagship halal cosmetics brand under Paragon Technology and Innovation in Indonesia. Its brand positioning is built on the pillars of “Beauty with Faith” (Kecantikan yang Beriman), emphasizing that beauty and religious values are not mutually exclusive.

Target Audience: Primarily Muslim women in Indonesia, aged 16-35, who are seeking quality beauty products that align with their religious and ethical beliefs.

Platform Analyzed: Instagram (@wardahbeauty). This platform was selected due to its highly visual nature and its popularity with Wardah’s target demographic, making it the brand’s primary channel for storytelling and community engagement.

Axe (LYNX)

Brand Description: Axe is a globally recognized brand of male grooming products, including deodorants, body sprays, and shower gels, owned by Unilever.

Target Audience: Primarily young men aged 18-24.

Platform Analyzed: Instagram (@axe). This platform was chosen for its high engagement rates with Axe’s youthful target audience and its suitability for the brand’s signature style of short, impactful, and often humorous video content.

3. Visual Analysis

The visual analysis reveals a stark contrast in how the two brands represent gender.

Wardah

Wardah’s Instagram feed predominantly features women. These women are often depicted wearing hijabs and modern, modest clothing, representing a spectrum of Indonesian Muslim identity. Their poses are typically active and dignified—shown working in labs, creating art, or engaging in thoughtful conversation. Facial expressions convey confidence, serenity, and ambition. There is a clear absence of body exploitation; the focus remains on the face (for product demonstration) and the individual’s agency. The color palette is consistently soft, warm, and clean, reinforcing themes of purity and positivity.

Evidence (Screenshot Description): The visual focus is on the faces and upper bodies of the women, conveying an image of professionalism, poise, and ambition. The text highlights the brand’s core message: “BEAUTY MOVES GLOBAL HALAL LIFESTYLE” and “#BEAUTY MOVES YOU THE EXPERIENCE”.

The Indonesian caption at the bottom translates to “Wardah Beauty Moves You Spreads the Spirit of Halal Lifestyle Globally,” reinforcing Wardah’s positioning as a beauty brand that promotes a modern, aspirational, and globally-reaching Halal lifestyle. The background image of a city skyline suggests a connection to urban, contemporary life and global reach

Axe

Axe’s visual content, however, frequently employs gender-based representation that borders on objectification. While men are portrayed as “average” or comedic, the women featured are almost universally hypersexualized—shown in minimal clothing, with suggestive poses and direct, seductive gazes into the camera. This is a clear example of using the female body as visual attraction with little to no narrative relevance to a deodorant spray. The overall tone is dark, saturated, and edgy, aligning with a “party” atmosphere.

Evidence (Screenshot Description): It features a young, attractive man with an open, unbuttoned white shirt, spraying an Axe body spray or deodorant. He has a confident, slightly smug smile as he applies the product. The word “SPRAY” is prominently displayed in large, white lettering on the left side, emphasizing the action and the product usage. The setting appears to be a stylish, modern interior, suggesting a context of grooming, confidence, and self-preparation.

4. Language & Narrative Analysis

The language used by each brand further solidifies their divergent approaches to gender.

Wardah employs an empowering and inspirational tone of voice. Captions and slogans like “Perempuan Maju” (Women Progress) and “Inspiring Movement” position the brand as a champion of female advancement. The storytelling style often narrates the achievements of women in various fields, from science to entrepreneurship. This narrative actively works against gender stereotypes by linking beauty with intellect, ambition, and faith.

Axe, despite recent efforts to modernize its messaging with slogans like “Find Your Magic,” has a legacy rooted in the “Axe Effect.” This implied narrative suggests that the product is a magical solution for attracting women. The language often reinforces gendered words and stereotypes: men are the active subjects whose goal is to “get the girl,” while women are the passive objects of desire. This limiting narrative reduces male value to sexual conquest and female value to physical appeal.

5. Social Role & Value Portrayal

The analysis of social roles reveals how these brands contribute to or challenge traditional gender norms.

Wardah consistently portrays women in a wide array of public and professional roles. They are depicted as scientists, business leaders, artists, and students. While domesticity is not entirely absent, it is not the defining role for the women represented. The brand showcases a range of emotional expression, including determination, joy, and ambition, presenting a multifaceted view of womanhood.

Axe overwhelmingly confines both men and women to a narrow social-sexual sphere. The context is almost exclusively parties, clubs, or other scenarios focused on romantic pursuit. There is a complete absence of male representation in domestic roles such as cooking, childcare, or household chores. Similarly, women are never shown in leadership or professional contexts. This portrayal ignores the diversity of modern life and reinforces the stereotype that a man’s primary concern should be sexual success.

6. Public Reaction

An analysis of public comments and engagement reveals a telling divergence in audience reception.

Wardah’s comment sections are generally filled with positive reinforcement. Users employ hashtags like #WardahBeauty to share their own stories, creating a community of empowerment. The public sentiment is overwhelmingly positive, with followers praising the brand for its representation and values.

Axe faces a more critical and mixed reception. While some viewers engage with the humor, a significant portion of the comments directly criticize the brand for being “sexist,” “outdated,” and “objectifying.” This indicates a growing public consciousness and a demand for more progressive and respectful gender representation. Tools like Social Searcher would likely show a non-trivial percentage of negative sentiment linked to these gendered portrayals.

7. Findings: Bias, Stereotypes, and Impact

This audit identifies clear instances of gender bias and stereotypes, as defined in Course #7.

Key Findings for Axe:

Gender Bias: A clear tendency to treat women unfairly as objects for male gratification.

Gender Stereotype: Reinforces the “tough, pursuer male” and the “emotional, trophy female” stereotypes.

Objectification: High levels of body exploitation, using the female form as a visual tool unrelated to the product’s function.

Impact: This strategy risks alienating a modern, ethically-conscious audience and perpetuates harmful norms that can affect the self-perception and expectations of young men and women.

Key Findings for Wardah:

Wardah largely aligns with inclusive communication principles, particularly in empowerment and respectful representation.

Potential Bias: A subtle bias may exist towards a specific, modest standard of beauty, potentially excluding women who do not wear hijabs or have different body types. The focus remains almost exclusively on women, which, while empowering, does not challenge stereotypes about men in the beauty space.

Impact: The overall impact is highly positive, building a strong, loyal community and positioning Wardah as a socially responsible and empowering brand.

8. Recommendations and Conclusion

Based on the audit, the following recommendations are proposed to foster more inclusive and ethical branding.

For Axe:

Revise Visuals: Immediately phase out the use of sexualized female models. Campaigns should showcase men in diverse, relatable scenarios: as friends, professionals, sons, and individuals with hobbies beyond romance.

Adopt Neutral Language: Focus marketing language on the product’s functional benefits (e.g., 48-hour freshness, unique scents) and self-confidence, completely decoupling it from the narrative of attracting women.

Showcase Diverse Male Roles: Launch a campaign featuring men in nurturing and domestic roles, such as caring for children or cooking. This would be a groundbreaking and positive step in the male grooming category.

For Wardah:

Expand Representation: Intentionally include women of more diverse ages, body types, skin tones, and professions (including those who do not wear hijabs) to broaden its definition of “Beauty with Faith.”

Incorporate Male Allies: Feature male friends, partners, or family members in supporting roles, or even launch a skincare line for men to break the stereotype that cosmetics are an exclusively female domain.

Conclusion

This gender audit demonstrates the profound power brands hold in shaping gender narratives. While Wardah serves as a strong example of using brand influence for empowerment and positive social identity formation, Axe’s historical approach relies on outdated and harmful stereotypes. The digital age demands a higher standard of ethical responsibility. By conducting regular gender audits and committing to the principles of inclusive communication, brands can not only avoid public backlash but also become positive forces for social change, building deeper and more respectful connections with their audiences.

9. References

Eagly, A. H., & Wood, W. (2012). Social role theory. In P. A. M. Van Lange, A. W. Kruglanski, & E. T. Higgins (Eds.), Handbook of theories of social psychology (Vol. 2, pp. 458–476). Sage Publications Ltd.

Hall, S. (Ed.). (1997). Representation: Cultural representations and signifying practices. Sage.

Sasongko, T. H. (2025). Materi #7 Gender, Power & Branding. Universitas Muhammadiyah Purwokerto.

UN Women. (2022). Guidelines for gender-inclusive communication. United Nations.

UNESCO. (2018). Gender mainstreaming guidelines. United Nations.

WHO. (2011). Gender and health. World Health Organization.