Gillette Faces Backlash For Its #MeToo-Inspired Commercial That Addresses ‘Toxic Masculinity’

Gillette cut toxic masculinity to the quick in its latest ad — and created a social media firestorm in the process.

Hundreds of commenters flocked to the brand’s Twitter and Youtube pages to signal their outrage at the ad’s message, which called on men to purge masculinity of sexism and violence in the #MeToo era.

Gillette appears to have drawn the sharp end of the razor with this ad.

Alexandra Bruell, WSJ:

Gillette is embracing the #MeToo movement in a new digital ad campaign aimed at men, the latest message from an advertiser attempting to change societal norms…

“This is an important conversation happening, and as a company that encourages men to be their best, we feel compelled to both address it and take action of our own,” said Pankaj Bhalla, Gillette brand director for North America in an emailed statement. “We are taking a realistic look at what’s happening today, and aiming to inspire change by acknowledging that the old saying ‘Boys Will Be Boys’ is not an excuse. We want to hold ourselves to a higher standard, and hope all the men we serve will come along on that journey to find our ‘best’ together.”

This is long overdue. #TimesUp, penis-havers!

Here’s Gillette’s first salvo in their war on men. WARNING: Contains depictions of male behavior.

The majority of those who spoke out against the ad are male, and many proudly used the hashtag #GetWokeGoBroke while swearing off the company’s products.

‘So we just started 2019, and already a company has started pushing sexism towards Men… @Gillette have no become a Leftist Bigot Company that insulted their own user base by calling them “Sexists,”‘ one person tweeted. ‘Well done, Giellette. #GetWokeGoBroke.’

Ironically, some took issue with the fact that the shaving brand’s ad was directed by a ‘feminist’ woman.

‘A shaving ad written by pink-haired feminist scolds is about as effective as a tampon ad written by middle aged men,’ wrote Canadian conservative media personality Ezra Levant.

The ad, titled ‘We Believe,’ begins with shots of different men looking in the mirror as audio of news about the #MeToo movement plays in the background.

‘Is this the best a man can get? Is it?’ a voiceover asks as a group of bullies chase a victim through a movie screen showing a vintage Gillette ad.

The commercial continues by highlighting all the different ways the mistreatment of women has been normalized over the years, including a group of male cartoon characters whistling at a woman and a sitcom scene that shows the lead character grabbing his maid’s backside while the audience laughs.

‘Boys will be boys,’ a dad says as he watches his son fight someone.

The ad stresses that toxic masculinity and the long-running excuses defending it should no longer be tolerated.

‘We can’t hide from it. It’s been going on far too long,’ the voiceover says. ‘We can’t laugh it off. Making the same old excuses.

‘But something finally changed, and there will be no going back. Because we, we believe the best in men, to say the right thing, to act the right way. Some already are, in ways big and small.

The commercial shows a clip of actor Terry Crews, a victim of sexual assault, saying: ‘Men need to hold other men accountable.’

It also depicts a number of men stepping in to stop their friends from telling women to smile or catcalling them as they walk by.

Instead of letting his son fight, one dad rushes over and breaks it up, telling him that isn’t how you treat people.

The ad then ends with a voiceover that says having just some men step in ‘is not enough because the boys watching today will be the men of tomorrow.’

The thought-provoking video was directed by Kim Gehrig, who was selected through Procter & Gamble’s partnership with Free the Bid, a program that advocates for more female directors on ads.

The ad is among the first to address the #MeToo movement while telling men it’s time for them to change their behavior.

Check out these reactions to the ad: