Watch: Gillette takes on toxic masculinity in new ad for the #MeToo era
The campaign, which asks men to “shave their toxic masculinity”, has generated debate and sparked backlash from several of the brand’s consumers.
After years of advertising with the tagline “the best a man can get”, personal care products brand Gillette is now encouraging its male consumers to do better.
A new ad campaign by the brand reflects the MeToo era and tackles toxic masculinity, bullying and sexism. The video features a number of news clips about the #MeToo movement and scenes of men bullying and harassing women, with a voiceover asking, “is this the best a man can get?”
The video, called “We Believe”, was created by the brand’s ad agency Grey and directed by Kim Gehrig. It has generated heavy debate online, with some social media users claiming that it shames men and accusing the brand of virtue signalling. Some even objected to the advertisement because it was directed by a woman.
But there were also many who appreciated the campaign, pointing out that the backlash was evidence enough that it is a necessary conversation to have.
Meanwhile Gillette, which is owned by Procter & Gamble, said in a statement that it was “easy to believe that men are not at their best,” in today’s times.
“As a company that encourages men to be their best, we have a responsibility to make sure we are promoting positive, attainable, inclusive and healthy versions of what it means to be a man,” the company stated.