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Mandom!

Posted by Robin on 4 February 2010 95 Comments

Huge thanks to Changeling for the link to what must be the most spectacular perfume commercial ever made. Ladies and gentlemen, I present to you Charles Bronson for Mandom.

You can read more about this ad campaign at Cinema Retro, and a quick search at Youtube will turn up additional Bronson/Mandom commercials.

Filed Under: perfume in the news
Tagged With: charles bronson, mandom, video

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95 Comments

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  1. jirish says:
    4 February 2010 at 9:43 am

    I loved this! Boy, he was really shaking that stuff on, wasn’t he? Don’t know anything at all about the scent. Does it sound weird if I say that Charles Bronson always reminds me of my father? He has an Asian look to him, though I don’t think he has any Asian blood.

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    • Robin says:
      4 February 2010 at 9:48 am

      Can you believe how he pours that stuff on??

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      • rosarita says:
        4 February 2010 at 3:39 pm

        hahahaha! my first thought was “overapply much?” which shows I spend way too much time around high school kids. Him whipping off his shirt made me laugh out loud. Thanks so much for posting this!

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      • miss kitty v. says:
        4 February 2010 at 10:43 pm

        Made me think of Kevin and his ten or twelve spritzes a day. 🙂 (He’s going to kill me now, isn’t he?)

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        • nozknoz says:
          4 February 2010 at 11:16 pm

          I was thinking of Kevin, too – he was talking about POURING it on – now I’m imagining a show-down between Kevin and Bronson!

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    • SuddenlyInexplicably says:
      4 February 2010 at 11:45 am

      He was Russian, so maybe he does….

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    • RusticDove says:
      4 February 2010 at 2:01 pm

      I was thinking he has an Asian look about him too.

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  2. Thanna says:
    4 February 2010 at 9:44 am

    Oh. My. That was disturbing/hysterical/strange and yet I KNOW that I’ll be searching for more of these on YouTube.

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    • Robin says:
      4 February 2010 at 9:48 am

      I’m not sure I saw all of them, but this one was by far the best of what I saw.

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  3. Erin says:
    4 February 2010 at 9:44 am

    I do not have a audio card or speakers on my work computer, but there is something irresistible about this commercial that transcends sound. Thank you.

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    • Robin says:
      4 February 2010 at 9:50 am

      It might even be better without sound.

      One of the things I love is that the tag line is “all the world loves a lover”, but there’s not a woman to be seen. Not even in the nightclub. It really is mandom!

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      • Filomena says:
        4 February 2010 at 10:04 pm

        That is so funny! My exact thoughts…not a woman in sight! Back when that was made, no one probably even notice it.

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  4. pigoletto says:
    4 February 2010 at 9:52 am

    Total class. Now this is what all celeb advertising ought to aspire to 🙂

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    • Robin says:
      4 February 2010 at 10:14 am

      So true!

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  5. alltheprettythings says:
    4 February 2010 at 9:58 am

    I love the random shoot outs. Awesomeness.

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    • Robin says:
      4 February 2010 at 10:14 am

      Yep!

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  6. Daisy says:
    4 February 2010 at 10:00 am

    Did he apply the WHOLE bottle???? (no wonder he has a whole pile of the stuff!) I suspect you don’t see anyone else in his apartment because the “Mandom” is creating a sillage forcefield !!!

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    • jirish says:
      4 February 2010 at 10:06 am

      LOL! You’re reminding me of the Sex Panther cologne in Anchorman.

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    • Robin says:
      4 February 2010 at 10:15 am

      If you watch carefully, you can see it dripping down his back. Ha.

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      • Daisy says:
        4 February 2010 at 11:11 am

        I know!!! I was thinking “he’s showering in this stuff!” then I realized maybe he was substituting the mandom for a shower….never a good idea!

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      • Dixie says:
        4 February 2010 at 2:20 pm

        Wow! You were really watching closely!

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    • Karin says:
      4 February 2010 at 10:58 am

      I thought the same thing! He must REEK! Hysterical. Loved this. Thanks for posting, Robin!

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    • platinum14 says:
      4 February 2010 at 11:47 am

      I can imagine frag exec thinking: “If only all of our customers could apply like that….. We’d be…. ever richer!”
      No scent would ever be discontinued!

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      • Daisy says:
        4 February 2010 at 2:58 pm

        hey, I *do* apply fragrance like that! (LOL)

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  7. Thanna says:
    4 February 2010 at 10:12 am

    A quick search showed that Mandom still exists although now in the “Gatsby Shower Fresh” formula! The company apparently sells eyebrow waxing kits, oil blotting papers for men etc. Can’t picture Charles Bronson waxing, can you?

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    • Robin says:
      4 February 2010 at 10:16 am

      LOL, no. Much less waxing his eyebrows.

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    • pigoletto says:
      4 February 2010 at 10:55 am

      Go to any Japanese grocery store (usually the bigger ones), they usually have Mandom/Gatsby stuff. My sister and I used to howl with laughter at them whenever we went with my mother to get Japanese groceries. They always had those funny ‘engrish’ sayings on all the packaging that made no sense whatsoever. You could bust a gut perusing the beauty aisles of a Japanese store.

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  8. peter says:
    4 February 2010 at 10:32 am

    The scary part is that he is sexier than any Calvin Klein himbo!

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    • pigoletto says:
      4 February 2010 at 10:53 am

      Yes! There is something fabulously awesome about him in this. It might be cheese, but he’s all man. Not the sterile metrosexual perfecto-man of today (exception: that French neanderthal looking rugby player who was in the Caron Pour Un Homme ads – he was pretty awesome too).

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      • Erin says:
        4 February 2010 at 3:41 pm

        Sebastien Chabal: that was my favorite perfume ad, too. I love how scandalized some people were by that campaign. I thought it was fabulous.

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    • Helle says:
      4 February 2010 at 11:00 am

      I agree! And he looks light-hearted, like he’s really enjoying his wonderful life but not taking it or himself too serius. This made me smile!

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    • Robin says:
      4 February 2010 at 12:53 pm

      I can’t decide. I don’t really think I find him sexy at all. But agree he is awesome.

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  9. Sunnyfunny says:
    4 February 2010 at 11:17 am

    Mmmm, Charles Bronson is soooooo manly!

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    • Robin says:
      4 February 2010 at 12:53 pm

      🙂

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  10. CynthiaW says:
    4 February 2010 at 11:21 am

    lol – I remember the first time I saw this one. I think I was watching one of the old Chanel ads and this came up as a “related” video.

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    • Robin says:
      4 February 2010 at 12:53 pm

      That’s even funnier!

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  11. sarahbeth says:
    4 February 2010 at 11:23 am

    This was so great! A kingdom of one man, and yes, who the hell needs a woman? In a way I found this oddly refreshing (but my nostrils were writhing from the sheer visual of what he was doing with that stuff). And what is it about Charles? I suppose he is the real deal, after all, I mean why even bother taking a shower? The combination of pipe tobacco, gunsmoke, horsesweat and Mandom is the ultra magnet.

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    • Robin says:
      4 February 2010 at 12:53 pm

      Exactly — who needs a woman! He has the piano player & the doorman, that’s all he needs.

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      • Filomena says:
        4 February 2010 at 10:06 pm

        And his drink!

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        • Robin says:
          5 February 2010 at 8:25 am

          And his pipe 🙂

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  12. Karin says:
    4 February 2010 at 11:29 am

    BTW, the shots of him shooting a pistol while he’s dousing himself is way too funny. Like he’s gonna shoot ya down with that Mandom!!!

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    • Robin says:
      4 February 2010 at 12:53 pm

      Exactly!

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  13. Bee says:
    4 February 2010 at 11:40 am

    wow, that made my day, can’t stop giggling..thanks for the posting, Robin!

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    • Robin says:
      4 February 2010 at 1:38 pm

      Glad you enjoyed it too!

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  14. RusticDove says:
    4 February 2010 at 12:10 pm

    My life is somehow richer now that I’ve seen this. I don’t think I’ll ever be the same. Isn’t it wonderful to have a glimpse into the world of the macho perfumista?

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    • Robin says:
      4 February 2010 at 1:38 pm

      Yes!

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    • miss kitty v. says:
      4 February 2010 at 10:46 pm

      I love it, V.! I feel the same way. My life is now richer. I have to go post this on my Facebook page to enrich the lives of others…

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  15. lilydale aka Natalie says:
    4 February 2010 at 12:21 pm

    Another day made here — that was fabulous! The shaking, the shooting, the whinnying … whew! And the whole setup reminded me of the Bill Murray ad in “Lost in Translation.”

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    • Robin says:
      4 February 2010 at 1:39 pm

      Yeah, good point.

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    • Filomena says:
      4 February 2010 at 10:07 pm

      You are right…I had deja vu watching it and you nailed it. It was like the Bill Murray commercial in” Lost in Translation”. Thanks for the memory nudge!

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  16. Anya says:
    4 February 2010 at 1:23 pm

    The sound of the horse whinny when he began to douse himself made me think of sweaty, stinky horses. And not in a good way.

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    • Robin says:
      4 February 2010 at 1:39 pm

      Smells like a man 🙂

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  17. chasa says:
    4 February 2010 at 1:23 pm

    I loved every second of that, especially his exuberant twirl as he shed his shirt. Thanks for the linkage, Robin!

    The intercutting of the shooting with him literally dousing himself in Mandom = “Dude, if you apply that much fragrance, somebody is *totally* gonna shoot you!” (though not the intended message of the Mandom campaign, I’m sure :))

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    • asuperlongusername says:
      4 February 2010 at 1:35 pm

      I got it more as, “I’m wearing so much MANDOM I might as well be shooting you.” xD

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      • chasa says:
        4 February 2010 at 1:49 pm

        True, that! It could be a showdown at high noon or something — guns of Mandom vs. guns of enraged bystanders subjected to Mandom-soaked Bronson. STAY TUNED 😀

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    • Robin says:
      4 February 2010 at 1:39 pm

      The shirt toss was extra-awesome. Yes.

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      • Dixie says:
        4 February 2010 at 2:23 pm

        Agreed!

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  18. Joe says:
    4 February 2010 at 1:32 pm

    Goodness Gracious Me!!!!

    This has something very “Tom of Finland” about it. HA.

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    • Robin says:
      4 February 2010 at 1:39 pm

      LOL — yes, it really does!

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  19. asuperlongusername says:
    4 February 2010 at 1:34 pm

    RWAR! Who needs this shirt!? >:D

    My favorite part is when the bottle was spinning: “Man o man – it’s MANDOM!” And of course, the choir in the back “MAAAANDOOOM! MAAAANDOOOM!”

    I couldn’t catch all of the Japanese but there were no references to women, only men. And the last thing that’s said (“Sore MANDOM!”) translates to “This is MANDOM!” Too great.

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    • Robin says:
      4 February 2010 at 3:42 pm

      Thanks for the translation!

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    • Filomena says:
      4 February 2010 at 10:10 pm

      Also, what a great name–“Mandom”. The word itself makes me laugh! Thanks for posting this–it was great fun!

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  20. Dixie says:
    4 February 2010 at 2:25 pm

    Thanks Robin!

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    • Robin says:
      4 February 2010 at 3:42 pm

      Thank Changeling!

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  21. RusticDove says:
    4 February 2010 at 2:44 pm

    I had to post this on my FB page.

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    • Robin says:
      4 February 2010 at 3:43 pm

      Good. Everyone on earth should see it.

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      • RusticDove says:
        4 February 2010 at 4:12 pm

        😀

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        • sariah says:
          4 February 2010 at 5:28 pm

          He’s very committed to his fragrance.

          I’m gonna have to post on FB too.

          So funny Robin, thank-you

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    • miss kitty v. says:
      4 February 2010 at 10:47 pm

      Ha! I didn’t see this before I wrote my post above. Great minds think alike!

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    • Dixie says:
      5 February 2010 at 12:19 am

      I posted it on mine too!

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  22. meadowbliss says:
    4 February 2010 at 4:08 pm

    You can’t help but start giggling or smiling….I walked out of the room for a sec when it started off w the piano flourish, which only heightened my surprise walking back in and seeing that weathered hunky face! Wonder what a hug would smell like? Makes you want to yell at him–put the bottle down, dude!
    Thanks for this, Robin! And to Pigoletto: there’s a Japanese market in Center City, Philly–I immediately burst out laughing when I read what you wrote, so true.

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    • Robin says:
      4 February 2010 at 7:26 pm

      LOL at “put the bottle down, dude”!

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  23. TwoPeasInAPod says:
    4 February 2010 at 5:24 pm

    There just aren’t enough words to adequately convey all the awesomeness in this, LOL! I, too, am posting it to my FB.

    PS – I believe that is Ike Cole, Nat’s brother, on the piano there in the beginning. He also was a fine musician and very popular in Japan but did not receive the same recognition as his brother in the U.S.

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    • Robin says:
      4 February 2010 at 7:26 pm

      Wow. Didn’t know there was a brother.

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      • Filomena says:
        4 February 2010 at 10:14 pm

        Wow, I was thinking they did a great job in coming up with a piano player who looked a lot like Nat King Cole…and it’s his brother!
        This has all been very informative as well as entertaining.

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  24. AnnS says:
    4 February 2010 at 5:36 pm

    That was totally awesome! Thanks for the entertainment. All commercials should be that light hearted and cheesy.

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    • Robin says:
      4 February 2010 at 7:26 pm

      Yes it should!

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  25. Tama says:
    4 February 2010 at 6:13 pm

    I wish I could place the little man who plays the doorman – he was in tons of commercials but was especially known for something in particular. Some kind of candy, maybe? Hmmm.

    Love the shirt-toss! He looked like he was getting such a kick out of doing this goofy stuff.

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    • RusticDove says:
      4 February 2010 at 6:55 pm

      The doorman was character actor Percy Helton.

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      • Tama says:
        4 February 2010 at 7:11 pm

        Thank you!!

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  26. meadowbliss says:
    4 February 2010 at 9:19 pm

    Oh my! TwoPeasinAPod! I just had to respond-I thought, without a doubt, that the guy playing piano was Nat when I first looked at him. And I didn’t realize myself he had a brother. Thanks for sharing-weird that he was popular in Japan…eerie how much they look alike.

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  27. Filomena says:
    4 February 2010 at 10:16 pm

    You gotta love NST…it’s not only the best perfume blog, but there is something for everyone and lots of other information comes out of it.

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    • Robin says:
      5 February 2010 at 8:26 am

      It’s true, you never know what you’ll learn!

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  28. nozknoz says:
    4 February 2010 at 11:05 pm

    Robin, if I had the faintest idea how to insert the genuflecting emoticon, you would find it right here! THANK YOU!
    The scary thing is that, as cheesy, misogynist, gratuitously violent, hazardous to the health, and ridiculous as this ad is, it is SO much more appealing than that Versace Versus ad posted yesterday. (Even scarier: imagine how much more the Versace ad must have cost.) I wouldn’t be terribly surprised if Mandom smelled better than the Versace, as well. 😉

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    • Robin says:
      5 February 2010 at 8:27 am

      Oh, agree wholeheartedly…that Versus ad is dull as rocks.

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    • bergere says:
      5 February 2010 at 10:45 am

      Exactly! The Mandom ad generates this whole WTF?? response that no perfume ad I’ve seen can touch. OK, so maybe the Burger King ad had a little bit. But still. . . . Thank you, Thank you, Robin!

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      • Robin says:
        5 February 2010 at 6:01 pm

        It’s got to be the best commercial of the year. All downhill from here.

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  29. jennyanydots says:
    5 February 2010 at 1:35 am

    Wow that was… something.

    I have to say the best part were the cutaways to Charles shooting his guns while generously applying his cologne, cuz it’s a manly cologne that Mandom. But Mandom’s kind of a secretly brilliant name.

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    • Robin says:
      5 February 2010 at 8:27 am

      Somebody really ought to do a cologne in the US with that name.

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  30. Helle says:
    5 February 2010 at 5:38 am

    I just watched this again to cheer myself up, and I realised that he’s applying all that perfume and then staying in, in his chair with his pipe, to enjoy only the company of himself and his mandom. It’s absolutely excellent.

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    • Robin says:
      5 February 2010 at 8:27 am

      LOL — exactly!

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  31. Robin R. says:
    5 February 2010 at 12:01 pm

    Best. Fragrance commercial. EVER.

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    • Robin says:
      5 February 2010 at 12:53 pm

      Easily.

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  32. ggs says:
    6 February 2010 at 8:08 am

    LOVE IT. Thanks Changeling & Robin for making my day! While I agree the awesomeness of the commercial you linked is unsurpassed– readers should check out Mandom commercial # 8 on youtube. The full frontal nudity of the manly men on the iron gate in the open as “Mandom opens the door to the world of Men’s Really Fine Grooming”, then the announcer solemnly intoning “Mandom. The choice of men with guts. HE-MEN! Men of action! It’s a Real Man’s Cosmetic for Real Men!” It’s too much. HAHAHAHA.

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    • Robin says:
      7 February 2010 at 1:52 pm

      Great, off to go find #8!

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