Gillette | The ad that’s got men flushing down their razors
Agency: Grey NY
It’s 2019. The years that have passed us have in no way been pleasant for women across cultures and maps. But 2018 in particular has been overwhelming.
2018 was the year imbalance in power structures between genders was highlighted most strakly by the unhinged public apathy towards heinous crimes against women.
Acts and words of the most powerful people across the globe left most women feeling powerless at best and at worst, triggered. But to have the voices of #MeToo echoing so loud gave rise to what could be the largest global awareness wave so far. And the advertising industry caught on.
Advertising may finally be for women. Here’s starting this publication with an ad for women…for men.
Gillette: We Believe
Media: Ad film
Agency: Grey NY
Release: January 2019
Core communication: Boys will be better boys if men set better examples
Here are some important things they brought up:
- Instances of casual objectification of women boys grow up seeing and learning (cartoons, comedy shows, households)
- Bringing out toxic masculinity through bullying (and the implications of words like ‘sissy’, ‘weak’)
- Sexism at work in casual mansplaining (which to none of a woman’s surprise is still unidentified by most men)
- The importance of imparting the right values right from the time boys are young–so they end up being the best they can be
- Empowering girls who are growing up to believe in themselves more
We’re in a time today when feminism finally sells enough for brands to profit off it.
And yet for an ad with a messaging that asks men to take more responsibility, the backlash to this ad film was astounding.
Backlash
The YouTube upload of the ad (as on 17th January) has a significantly higher negative response than positive.
Angry men have been destroying and flushing down their Gillette razors claiming this ad stems from SJW propoganda. The reactions of men wanting to continue letting ‘boys remain boys’ and savouring masculinity in the toxic manner Gillette has called out is why this ad is even more important.
No matter the backlash, this blog will continue bringing forward ad campaigns that leave women across the world a little more hopeful of their present and future.
Until the next AFW approved ad.
Ads for Women (AFW) aims to curate ads where the industry’s assuming responsibility towards its impact on women and non-binary genders. No post is sponsored and will continue to remain that way.
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Buy us a coffee if you like what we’re doing here and have the capacity to support us.
Or better yet, write with us if you have an understanding of the industry and have identified an ad that’s for women. Mail eepsita@gmail.com for the blog schedule.
