Gillette released a short film titled "We Believe" on Monday and took on toxic masculinity in less than two minutes.
In a viral new ad campaign, razor company Gillette is questioning whether this is really the best men can get — and causing a stir on social media.
Gillette released a short film titled "We Believe" on Monday, taking on toxic masculinity in less than two minutes. The ad shows scenes of boys bullying or fighting each other and men discriminating against or harassing women. Scruffy guys stand behind smoking grills and chant "Boys will be boys will be boys."
“Boys will be boys”? Isn’t it time we stopped excusing bad behavior? Re-think and take action by joining us at https://t.co/giHuGDEvlT. #TheBestMenCanBe pic.twitter.com/hhBL1XjFVo
— Gillette (@Gillette) January 14, 2019
"Is this the best a man can get?" Gillette asks, challenging its own 30-year-old tagline. In the age of #MeToo, the company asks customers to ditch "the same old excuses" for harmful behavior and be better. By the end of the commercial, a man is seen breaking up a fight between two boys and another holds back a catcaller on the street.
The video has been viewed more than 4 million times on YouTube and was favorited more than 170,000 times on Twitter.
"It’s time we acknowledge that brands, like ours, play a role in influencing culture," Gillette said in a statement on its website. "And as a company that encourages men to be their best, we have a responsibility to make sure we are promoting positive, attainable, inclusive and healthy versions of what it means to be a man."
#TheBestMenCanBe is always evolving, but shaping the men of tomorrow starts with actions we take today. Join us at https://t.co/giHuGDEvlT. pic.twitter.com/jHb1fRX5Yr
— Gillette (@Gillette) January 14, 2019
Gillette added that it wants to "actively challenge the stereotypes and expectations of what it means to be a man everywhere you see Gillette." The company also said it agreed to donate $1 million a year, for the next three years, to nonprofit organizations in the U.S. that "inspire, educate and help men of all ages achieve their personal 'best' and become role models for the next generation."
The ad received swift responses on social media, with some applauding Gillette for tackling a tough topic and challenging people to stop abusive behavior.
No more "boys will be boys"; let's hold boys and men accountable to help create a world that's safe and just for everyone. Thanks for this, @Gillette. #TheBestMenCanBe https://t.co/DA68EXcLfh
— Joyful Heart (@TheJHF) January 14, 2019
.@Gillette's new campaign thoughtfully and critically examines what "The Best a Man Can Get," the brand's iconic tagline, means today. A must watch. https://t.co/5WKmfferhl
— Arianna Huffington (@ariannahuff) January 15, 2019
Others condemned the company for insulting its customer base and suggesting all men engage in that kind of conduct.
the only ones lauding the Gillette ad work in media/advertising. everyone else sees it for what it is: a smarmy, condescending virtue signal aimed at the hardworking decent men they been price-gouging for years.
— GregGutfeld (@greggutfeld) January 15, 2019
So nice to see @Gillette jumping on the “men are horrible” campaign permeating mainstream media and Hollywood entertainment. I for one will never use your product again. https://t.co/uZf7v4sFKm
— James Woods (@RealJamesWoods) January 14, 2019
Outspoken TV personality Piers Morgan, a self-described Gillette customer who spends "$1,000s a year" on Gillette products, criticized what he called an "an ugly, vindictive two-minute homage to everything that’s bad about men and masculinity."
"The subliminal message is clear: men, ALL men, are bad, shameful people who need to be directed in how to be better people," Morgan wrote in a column for DailyMail.com. "It’s one of the most pathetic, virtue-signalling things I’ve ever endured watching."
*NEW: @Gillette just declared vindictive man-hating war on its own loyal customers. Why should I/we buy its products again?
— Piers Morgan (@piersmorgan) January 15, 2019
My column: https://t.co/oxerBIkI23 pic.twitter.com/ENKsgbvQ5Q
But Gillette insisted on its website, "We've all got work to do. And it starts today."
The company added: "The boys of today are the men of tomorrow."
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