On the 30th anniversary of the launch of their tagline, “The Best A Man Can Get,” Gillette launched an ad yesterday challenging the notion of what men can actually “be” in the wake of the #MeToo revelations and scandals. The ad juxtaposes painfully real depictions of bullying, sexist behavior and “toxic masculinity” in all its various forms with men who dare to take a stand and challenge it.
It’s a deeply affecting, provocative stance against much of the male behavior that has been called into question of late.
And it’s nearly two minutes long.
Big brands have a hard enough time emptying their pockets for 30-second commercials.
To put this much media effort behind a nearly two-minute commercial is the advertising equivalent of putting all of your moral cards on the table.
Large brands–especially those owned by typically conservative Procter & Gamble–don’t usually take such large risks on topics so hotly debated in social media.
The other most recent example of a major global brand taking a social stand was Nike, with its ad in support of Colin Kaepernick, saying “Believe in something, even if it means sacrificing everything.”
Like the Nike ad, Gillette’s ad is garnering significant blowback from men who feel attacked by the ad’s overall message, claiming it overly condemns the actions of men.
A quick overview of the negative comments on the YouTube link reveal countless threats of “boycott Gillette” and even boycotting every product Procter & Gamble owns.
One of the most frequently re-posted protest comments is the following: “43% of boys are raised by single mothers. 78% of teachers are female. So almost half of boys have 100% feminine influence while at home and 80% influence at school. Toxic masculinity isn’t the problem. Lack of masculinity is.”
43% of boys are raised by single mothers
78% of teachers are female
So almost 50% of boys have 100%feminine influence while at home & an 8/10ish chance of 100% influence at school.
Toxic masculinity isn't the problem. Lack of masculinity is.
— Miss Stirr (@missstirr) August 9, 2018
Regardless of whether those statistics are accurate, the commenters are missing the forest for the trees by using it as defense: the point is that men are missing from the picture.
-If boys are being raised by single mothers, it is because men are leaving their families, forcing women to raise boys on their own.
-Even if they stay, they are often immersed in work or ‘opportunities’, and thus failing to be there as role models for their sons.
-Men are failing to be responsible when they let their sons get away with bad behavior.
-Most importantly, they’re failing to demonstrate to young men how to actually be a man in today’s world.
And hell, if some of these men had stayed, they might have made matters worse, exposing their young boys to a home filled with neglect, lack of mentoring, or physical or verbal abuse to either their wives or children–or both.
The fact that men all over the comments board are pretending statistics like this vindicate them show just how irresponsible so many men in the world are. We think it’s fine that we jumped ship and forced women to raise/ teach/ mentor boys on their own and then blamed the results on them.
And this is why a commercial like this is such an important call to arms: For too long now, men have been failing to show up.
And guys? Getting defensive while facing the lens of criticism only proves the point that men need to get better at taking a hard look at their behavior and accepting culpability. We’ve caused a lot of damage over the years. Not just to women, but to our sons and ourselves, too.
It’s time for change.
The message isn’t that masculinity is to blame. Just that toxic masculinity is.
You’re still allowed to be a man.
You’re just not allowed to be an asshole.
It’s high time we all learned the difference.
And to those threatening that Gillette will lose market share as a result of taking such a stand, remember this: the same was said about Nike after its Colin Kaepernick ad.
But yet their sales went up 10%.
While the trolls might be the most vocal in the comments section, it seems those with a conscience are the ones who showed up at the cash register.
Here’s hoping the same holds true for Gillette.
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Resources:
P&G Challenges Men to Shave Their ‘Toxic Masculinity’ in Gillette Ad
Toxic Masculinity Is a Myth, but Insecure Men Lash Out at Women
https://nces.ed.gov/fastfacts/display.asp?id=28
https://www.mckinleyirvin.com/family-law-blog/2012/october/32-shocking-divorce-statistics/
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Photo: Screenshot from video
The post Gillette Takes a Stand and Asks ‘Is This the Best a Man Can Get?’ appeared first on The Good Men Project.