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People Are Throwing Away Their Gillette Products After The Company Releases A Controversial Ad
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People Are Throwing Away Their Gillette Products After The Company Releases A Controversial Ad

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Recently, the brand Gillette, known for their men’s shaving products, has caused controversy due to their new TV commercial which addresses the MeToo movement, sexual harassment, and bullying. The new controversial ad uses the same tagline that the company has been using for the past 30 years – “The best a man can get.” But this time, it took on a completely new vision which got some of Gillette’s customers angry and confused, as some have called out the brand for “insulting their user base.”

Gillette’s newest commercial isn’t about shaving or razors – this time it focuses on social issues, such as toxic masculinity and the #MeToo movement

Image credits: Gillette

The brand released an ad campaign addressing the problems, which have been discussed openly in recent years. The video opens up with Idris Elba and other men in close-up shots with a voice-over audible in the background: “Bullying, the ‘MeToo’ movement against sexual harassment, toxic masculinity, is this the best a man can get?” a voice asks rhetorically, followed by an image of angry teenagers chasing another boy.

The ad features images of bullying, mansplaining, and catcalling

Image credits: Gillette

The ad for this commercial campaign was released on Sunday and already has almost 600,000 dislikes in comparison to 223,000 likes on its official Youtube video. One comment after another, people are denouncing Gillette’s products and many are wondering whether the use of controversial topics as a marketing strategy has gone too far.

Pankaj Bhalla, Gillette’s North America brand director told media that “Actually a discussion is necessary. If we don’t talk about it, I don’t think real change will happen”

Image credits: Gillette

He expressed his hopes that men who watch the video will be inspired to be role models for young children and will teach them how to stand up to bad behavior and treat people with respect.

Towards the end of the video, the narrator says that “something has finally changed,” referencing to the #MeToo movement

Image credits: Gillette

It then goes on to show Terry Crews, who’s known to have experienced sexual assault, saying that “men need to hold other men accountable.” The commercial then takes a different turn and shows men standing up to inappropriate behavior. The voice-over continues: “To say the right thing, to act the right way. Some already are – in ways big and small. But ‘some’ is not enough. Because the boys watching today will be the men of tomorrow.”

See the ad that has caused so much controversy and has already received almost 600k dislikes

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Image credits: Gillette

The commercial has caused quite an uproar and some public personas took it to Twitter to express their disapproval – some in the form of jokes

Image credits: CHSommers

Image credits: rickygervais

However, it is worth mentioning that Ricky Gervais later added, that he wasn’t opposing to the ad itself, but rather just making an innocent joke.

But some people were downright angry

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Image credits: RealCandaceO

Image credits: jordanbpeterson

Image credits: GadSaad

And of course, Piers Morgan shared his views as well, which has angered some people

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Image credits: piersmorgan

Image credits: piersmorgan

Those who are opposed to bashing and boycotting Gillette, say that those offended by the ad are ‘part of the problem’

Image credits: DGComedy

Image credits: AndrewPStreet

Image credits: LukeCostin

Image credits: bryanbehar

In case you feel a little lost, somebody asked on Reddit “Why are people mad about the Gillette ad?” and here are some answers

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joannapeterson avatar
Park, Rin
Community Member
5 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

The people who hate this add scare me. It's literally telling people to not be toxic. There is absolutely nothing wrong with that. A man telling another man what they're doing is wrong isn't sexist, it's the first guy being mature and holding others accountable. It's called being a good person and if that offends you, theirs the door. App-5c3e56...0db34.jpeg App-5c3e56680db34.jpeg

andreavilarmelego avatar
Ozacoter
Community Member
5 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

Michal, How many of this 'feminist' that you bash have raped of killed men? We have in Spain already 5 women this year (in less than 20 days) killed by their male partners. Last week two men raped a 12yo girl... I could keep going...

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c_price avatar
CP1986
Community Member
5 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

I think this was a quality ad, raising a current social issue in an interesting way. Way too go Gillette!

andreavilarmelego avatar
Ozacoter
Community Member
5 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

I always find amusing how this kind of men who trow tantrums for such small things are later the ones to say 'everybody gets ofended for everythibg nowadays'

iggnir avatar
bob
Community Member
5 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

Bah, it's always the same, hey. It's a strategy that's been around forever. A strategy that's been used by none other than the president of the then strongest country in the world to get elected. It works quite well.

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joannapeterson avatar
Park, Rin
Community Member
5 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

The people who hate this add scare me. It's literally telling people to not be toxic. There is absolutely nothing wrong with that. A man telling another man what they're doing is wrong isn't sexist, it's the first guy being mature and holding others accountable. It's called being a good person and if that offends you, theirs the door. App-5c3e56...0db34.jpeg App-5c3e56680db34.jpeg

andreavilarmelego avatar
Ozacoter
Community Member
5 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

Michal, How many of this 'feminist' that you bash have raped of killed men? We have in Spain already 5 women this year (in less than 20 days) killed by their male partners. Last week two men raped a 12yo girl... I could keep going...

Load More Replies...
c_price avatar
CP1986
Community Member
5 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

I think this was a quality ad, raising a current social issue in an interesting way. Way too go Gillette!

andreavilarmelego avatar
Ozacoter
Community Member
5 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

I always find amusing how this kind of men who trow tantrums for such small things are later the ones to say 'everybody gets ofended for everythibg nowadays'

iggnir avatar
bob
Community Member
5 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

Bah, it's always the same, hey. It's a strategy that's been around forever. A strategy that's been used by none other than the president of the then strongest country in the world to get elected. It works quite well.

Load More Replies...
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