Gillette released a controversial ad this month raising the question, “is this the best a man can get?”
If you haven’t seen the ad, it depicts some men in a number of questionable situations, such as sexually harassing women and being violent towards each other. Towards the end of the ad, some men begin to stand up and call each other out for their actions and bad behavior. The ad urges men to be the best versions of themselves possible, and to set an example for future generations.
So why are people so upset about it?
The ad, not surprisingly, went viral immediately. Some people were thrilled and enjoyed the ad. Some people argued that the ad is unfairly attacking men and leaving out women, while insinuating that all men take part in these bad behaviors.
Similar to the #BurnYourNikes hashtag that circled social media following the Nike Kaepernick ad, some have taken to twitter to post pictures of their destroyed razors to show their disagreement with the ad.
Personally, I enjoyed this ad and believe Gillette did a good thing by making it. Some people argue that they don’t see a reason for an advertisement, but being around teenage boys a majority of the time, I do. Some behavior that could be excused as “boys being boys” is an issue that should actually be addressed.
Most girls don’t like speaking up about these things, but I’ve heard personally from many girls that issues including sexual harassment do occur every day. By bringing light to this topic Gillette is making a positive impact. Even if it doesn’t have an impact, they aren’t hurting anyone by asking men to act better and it’s not worth getting that upset over an advertisement for razors.
Whether you agree with the ad or not, you have to respect the fact that Gillette is a brand, and this is an advertisement. It was made to bring attention to Gillette and in doing so, sell their product. While Gillette didn’t necessarily have to make a razor ad political, it brought attention to its brand and addressed important issue.
Not all men act inappropriately, but the ones who do need to consider the consequences of their actions. Even if Gillete’s message only reaches a couple of people it will have been worth it.
— Emma Frey, @_emmafrey_
