Before Unilever pitched a men’s iteration of Dove in the Super Bowl ("Manthem," 2010), Unilever needed to sell a men’s brand of Degree. But not because Degree, for women, was adding an extension for men. Helene Curtis in 1990 introduced Degree to the United States as a unisex brand, as most personal care products were positioned in those days. It was only in 2005 that Unilever split it into two gendered versions. One of them got 30 seconds of airtime in Super Bowl XXXIX to make its case.

“Mama’s Boy” by Lowe New York is a faux commercial for “In-Action Heroes” figures, characters that don’t stray far from the nest. Degree Men is for the rest of the guys watching. 

BRAND: Degree

YEAR: 2005

AGENCY: Lowe

SUPERBOWL: XXXIX

QUARTER AIRED: Q2