The new Gillette ad doesn’t feature shaving gel or razor blades.
What it does showcase is man’s role in changing the narrative surrounding masculinity in the #MeToo era.
The “We Believe” ad, which is almost 2 minutes in length, was posted to the company’s social media pages. Almost immediately after posting, the company faced backlash.
“We expected debate. Actually a discussion is necessary,” Pankaj Bhalla, Gillette’s North America brand director, told CNN Business. “If we don’t discuss and don’t talk about it, I don’t think real change will happen,” he added.
Bhalla hopes men who watch the video will be inspired to be better role models for younger kids, showing them that standing up for others and treating people with respect is the right thing to do.
“We can’t hide from it. Its been going on far too long. We can’t laugh it off, making the same old excuses,” the narrator says while images of bullying, sexual harassment and masculinity play.
While some applaud the ad as “fantastic” others say it’s “feminist propaganda.” One “men’s rights” group isn’t happy about the new Gillette ad and is calling for a boycott.
“The ad is not about toxic masculinity. It is about men taking more action every day to set the best example for the next generation,” Bhalla explained. “This was intended to simply say that the enemy for all of us is inaction.”
The company will be releasing more videos as part of a larger branding effort.
Thanks for reading InsideHook. Sign up for our daily newsletter and be in the know.
