It’s no secret that women comprise the lion’s share of users on Pinterest, the social media go-to for saving images. Apparently, Pinterest wants to change that and it wants to do it through David Rubin, a 15-year marketing veteran most known for his work with Unilever’s Axe brand as VP of marketing. He’ll serve as head of brand, a newly created position at the social site.
Rubin has earned both respect and notoriety for his work with Axe, though not quite in equal measures. Whatever criticism he’s garnered over the years, the growth of the Axe brand can’t be denied, and Pinterest ostensibly wants to replicate that growth in its male user base.
The twittersphere, however, doesn’t seem too keen on the social networks new hire.
Here’s what folks are saying:
Ugh. The axe guy, really? Gotta be a less douchy way to attract men to @Pinterest http://t.co/FbH9hz3jHy via @HuffPostWomen @AlexCKaufman
— Kumar McMillan (@kumar303) July 23, 2014
@Pinterest You hired the man that created the nauseatingly sexist Axe ads?? Who’s next?? Sexual predators Dov Charney and Terry Richardson??
— Gemini Garner-Jones (@geminig420) July 23, 2014
Just me, or is it odd for women-dominated Pinterest to hire man behind Axe’s sexist marketing? http://t.co/U1h4duIjQC pic.twitter.com/FrOEvQbYwz
— Alexander C. Kaufman (@AlexCKaufman) July 22, 2014
.@AlexCKaufman If I see ONE axe pin anywhere near my DIY/Brunch recipe/things that fit in a mason jar pinterest board, there’s gonna b hell!
— Terri Ciccone (@TerriCiccone) July 23, 2014
@MarketingUK maybe they should transform it into an online Panini album. That would drag men to it!
— Amélie Thomas (@TheOnlyCleoLuna) July 23, 2014
@clockwork_bells it would be hilarious to me if the female base left and the males still don’t care about Pinterest.
— Xaelra the Priest (@xaelra) July 23, 2014
Not all the buzz is negative, though. Some folks are expecting Axe-like results.
Really excited to see what changes David Rubin will make to the @Pinterest brand- http://t.co/0Ga9k071Ip
— Collin Wood Perdew (@cwoodperdew) July 23, 2014
Welcome David – the Bay adds marketing ‘Boom!’ Pinterest Hires Unilever’s David Rubin to Drive Its Brand Efforts http://t.co/oaxFkpwbOi
— Jonathan Mildenhall (@Mildenhall) July 22, 2014
