{"id":15031,"date":"2019-01-18T02:32:58","date_gmt":"2019-01-18T02:32:58","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/www.lifeandnews.com\/articles\/?p=15031"},"modified":"2019-01-20T14:11:57","modified_gmt":"2019-01-20T14:11:57","slug":"razor-burned-why-gillettes-campaign-against-toxic-masculinity-missed-the-mark","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.lifeandnews.com\/articles\/razor-burned-why-gillettes-campaign-against-toxic-masculinity-missed-the-mark\/","title":{"rendered":"Razor burned: Why Gillette&#8217;s campaign against toxic masculinity missed the mark"},"content":{"rendered":"<p><a href=\"https:\/\/theconversation.com\/profiles\/alan-abitbol-667880\">Alan Abitbol<\/a>, <em><a href=\"http:\/\/theconversation.com\/institutions\/university-of-dayton-1726\">University of Dayton<\/a><\/em><\/p>\n<p>Gillette has launched <a href=\"https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/watch?v=koPmuEyP3a0\">a new marketing campaign<\/a>, \u201cThe Best Men Can Be,\u201d with an ad that has gone viral.<\/p>\n<p>The ad begins by depicting boys bullying other boys, women being harassed and cat-called, and a group of men excusing all of it as \u201c<a href=\"https:\/\/theconversation.com\/teen-boys-will-be-boys-a-brief-history-103970\">boys will be boys<\/a>.\u201d Gillette then asks if this is \u201cthe best a man can get.\u201d The rest of the ad portrays men pushing back against other men\u2019s bad behavior.<\/p>\n<figure><iframe loading=\"lazy\" src=\"https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/embed\/koPmuEyP3a0?wmode=transparent&amp;start=0\" width=\"440\" height=\"260\" frameborder=\"0\" allowfullscreen=\"allowfullscreen\"><\/iframe><figcaption><span class=\"caption\">Gillette\u2019s controversial new ad tackles toxic masculinity head on.<\/span><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<p>It\u2019s been polarizing, to say the least.<\/p>\n<p>On one side, the campaign is being <a href=\"https:\/\/www.theguardian.com\/world\/2019\/jan\/15\/gillette-metoo-ad-on-toxic-masculinity-cuts-deep-with-mens-rights-activists\">praised<\/a> for tackling masculine stereotypes and challenging men to be better.<\/p>\n<p>On the other side, some are <a href=\"https:\/\/www.npr.org\/2019\/01\/17\/685976624\/backlash-erupts-after-gillette-launches-a-new-metoo-inspired-ad-campaign\">saying<\/a> that Gillette risks turning off customers who think the brand is shamelessly capitalizing on the #MeToo movement and practicing \u201cleftist\u201d politics. There are already <a href=\"https:\/\/www.bbc.com\/news\/newsbeat-46874617\">calls for the brand to be boycotted<\/a>.<\/p>\n<p>So why has this ad caused such a large divide?<\/p>\n<p>In <a href=\"https:\/\/scholar.google.com\/citations?user=kv_re-AAAAAJ&amp;hl=en\">my research<\/a> on companies\u2019 use of pro-social messages, backlash usually arises due to some combination of the cause itself, a poor fit between the brand and the cause, and suspicion of the company\u2019s true motives.<\/p>\n<h2>An authentic pairing matters<\/h2>\n<p>Companies have backed various social issues for decades. Marriott, for example, <a href=\"https:\/\/www.selfishgiving.com\/blog\/short-history-cause-marketing\">organized fundraisers<\/a> for the March of Dimes, a nonprofit organization that works to improve the health of mothers and babies, in the 1970s.<\/p>\n<p>Today, customers expect companies to stand for something. According to a <a href=\"https:\/\/www.edelman.com\/sites\/g\/files\/aatuss191\/files\/2018-10\/2018_Edelman_Earned_Brand_Global_Report.pdf\">2018 Edelman Earned Brand report<\/a>, nearly two-thirds of consumers believe companies should take a stand on social or political issues.<\/p>\n<p>However, <a href=\"https:\/\/www.jstor.org\/stable\/pdf\/1251450.pdf?casa_token=iMMerUHEWF8AAAAA:6Qg7jKSgl4iFqMHPMOTwo_utdZDI9X4CjCU4T2r03g-tW_RoBg_duzvz1vyKzl923EL1h5KLiwentY91LUOML6_dMYdgQ0RO5t2OhI_ws31IS-pLv4k\">studies have shown<\/a> that, in order for the corporate activism to be warmly received, the cause usually needs to be connected to the company\u2019s product line or brand in some way.<\/p>\n<p>This can happen when a company and its supported cause share similar values, such as Disney\u2019s partnership with Make-a-Wish for its \u201c<a href=\"http:\/\/wish.org\/about-us\/media-blogger-center\/sponsor-news-releases\/2018\/share-your-ears-2018\">Share Your Ears<\/a>\u201d campaign. Both organizations strive to bring joy to children. Or it can happen when a company backs a cause that\u2019s aligned with its brand \u2013 think Nike\u2019s \u201c<a href=\"https:\/\/www.adweek.com\/creativity\/nike-looking-greatness-ordinary-people-and-places-142207\/\">Find Your Greatness<\/a>\u201d campaign, which works to curtail teenage obesity through fitness.<\/p>\n<p>If the pairing doesn\u2019t appear authentic, consumers might wonder if the company is just trying to make a profit versus truly championing the cause. For example, the public questioned Pepsi\u2019s attempt to address racial tensions with its <a href=\"http:\/\/time.com\/4726500\/pepsi-ad-kendall-jenner\/\">2017 Kendall Jenner ad<\/a>, in part because the pairing seemed so disingenuous: What does a can of Pepsi have to do with racial issues and police brutality?<\/p>\n<figure><iframe loading=\"lazy\" src=\"https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/embed\/dA5Yq1DLSmQ?wmode=transparent&amp;start=0\" width=\"440\" height=\"260\" frameborder=\"0\" allowfullscreen=\"allowfullscreen\"><\/iframe><figcaption><span class=\"caption\">A soda ad that fell flat.<\/span><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<h2>It\u2019s not the message or the cause \u2013 it\u2019s the delivery<\/h2>\n<p>The issue with the Gillette ad is not that it is supporting a cause, or even that Gillette is supporting the particular cause of toxic masculinity.<\/p>\n<p>In fact, Gillette is not the only male-centric brand to have recently challenged masculine stereotypes. Just for Men launched its \u201c<a href=\"https:\/\/www.thedrum.com\/creative-works\/project\/amp-agency-just-men-be-the-better-man\">Better Man<\/a>\u201d campaign in October 2018, which encourages men to be more compassionate and caring. In 2014, Dove Men+Care launched its \u201c<a href=\"https:\/\/www.dove.com\/uk\/men-care\/more-from-dove-men-care\/dove-men-care-mission.html\">Care Makes a Man Stronger<\/a>\u201d campaign to explore the different ways men define masculinity.<\/p>\n<p>Gillette, however, takes a more aggressive approach.<\/p>\n<p>The ad immediately sets the tone with a heated issue, beginning with a slew of stories about the #MeToo movement. It goes on to discuss a host of problems \u2013 bullying, harassment, sexism \u2013 tied to toxic masculinity. About halfway through, Gillette calls for men to abandon dated models of masculinity and fight against the stereotype. It ends by galvanizing an entire generation with the powerful line \u201cbecause the boys watching today will be the men of tomorrow.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>While the ad and its message are poignant, its delivery is off: It compels an entire consumer base to back the #MeToo movement and to positively associate its brand with that cause.<\/p>\n<p>But people don\u2019t like to be told what to do; for this same reason, <a href=\"https:\/\/www.psychologytoday.com\/us\/blog\/management-rewired\/201305\/dont-read\">ads rarely insist outright that people buy their product<\/a>. Instead, they\u2019ll show how a product can be a part of people\u2019s lives, and might even improve them.<\/p>\n<p>So why, a viewer might ask, would a company feel emboldened enough to imply that its customer base needs to do more on behalf of a particular cause?<\/p>\n<p>It should be noted that Gillette seems to be genuinely supporting the cause. <a href=\"https:\/\/www.cnbc.com\/2019\/01\/15\/gillette-draws-fire-for-metoo-commercial.html\">The company is donating US$1 million<\/a> to nonprofits who support positive forms of masculinity.<\/p>\n<p>But viewers might be questioning the company\u2019s motives because the ad doesn\u2019t directly tie the cause to what the brand is known for: shaving and grooming.<\/p>\n<p>Should that matter? Surprisingly, it does.<\/p>\n<p><a href=\"http:\/\/iabdnet.org\/QRBD\/Volume%203\/QRBD%20Aug%2016.pdf#page=45\">In a study I conducted<\/a> about how consumers perceive messages of female empowerment, showcasing the product \u2013 and tying the product to the message \u2013 seemed to resonate best.<\/p>\n<p>For example, a <a href=\"https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/watch?v=Jo5LsKZRwYY\">Dodge campaign<\/a> showing women using Ram trucks to do various activities, from working on a ranch to picking up kids from school, was well-received. But a <a href=\"https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/watch?v=yND9hDpPwYA\">Verizon commercial<\/a> telling girls to embrace science didn\u2019t resonate as well, because the only clue that it was an ad for Verizon was a Verizon logo at the end.<\/p>\n<p>Gillette is taking a stand, as many companies are doing.<\/p>\n<p>They simply didn\u2019t properly execute the message.<!-- Below is The Conversation's page counter tag. Please DO NOT REMOVE. --><img loading=\"lazy\" style=\"border: none !important; box-shadow: none !important; margin: 0 !important; max-height: 1px !important; max-width: 1px !important; min-height: 1px !important; min-width: 1px !important; opacity: 0 !important; outline: none !important; padding: 0 !important; text-shadow: none !important;\" src=\"https:\/\/counter.theconversation.com\/content\/109932\/count.gif?distributor=republish-lightbox-basic\" alt=\"The Conversation\" width=\"1\" height=\"1\" \/><!-- End of code. If you don't see any code above, please get new code from the Advanced tab after you click the republish button. The page counter does not collect any personal data. More info: http:\/\/theconversation.com\/republishing-guidelines --><\/p>\n<p><a href=\"https:\/\/theconversation.com\/profiles\/alan-abitbol-667880\">Alan Abitbol<\/a>, Assistant Professor of Communication, <em><a href=\"http:\/\/theconversation.com\/institutions\/university-of-dayton-1726\">University of Dayton<\/a><\/em><\/p>\n<p>This article is republished from <a href=\"http:\/\/theconversation.com\">The Conversation<\/a> under a Creative Commons license. Read the <a href=\"https:\/\/theconversation.com\/razor-burned-why-gillettes-campaign-against-toxic-masculinity-missed-the-mark-109932\">original article<\/a>.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Alan Abitbol, University of Dayton Gillette has launched a new marketing campaign, \u201cThe Best Men Can Be,\u201d with an ad that has gone viral. The ad begins by depicting boys bullying other boys, women being harassed and cat-called, and a group of men excusing all of it as \u201cboys will be boys.\u201d Gillette then asks [&hellip;]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":44,"featured_media":15028,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":[],"categories":[293],"tags":[3473,310,4100,5455,316,5758],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.lifeandnews.com\/articles\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/15031"}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.lifeandnews.com\/articles\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.lifeandnews.com\/articles\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.lifeandnews.com\/articles\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/44"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.lifeandnews.com\/articles\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=15031"}],"version-history":[{"count":3,"href":"https:\/\/www.lifeandnews.com\/articles\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/15031\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":15059,"href":"https:\/\/www.lifeandnews.com\/articles\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/15031\/revisions\/15059"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.lifeandnews.com\/articles\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/15028"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.lifeandnews.com\/articles\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=15031"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.lifeandnews.com\/articles\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=15031"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.lifeandnews.com\/articles\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=15031"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}