“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....Here's the ad:
Gillette needs to appeal to millennials who care about what companies stand for, he said. “There’s a demand for this, for purpose, for brands to be tackling tough issues in the moment.”
But the ad could backfire and alienate Gillette’s base, [said said Dean Crutchfield, CEO of branding firm Crutchfield + Partners]. “Does the customer want to be told they’re a naughty boy? Are you asking too much of your consumer to be having this conversation with them?”
Full disclosure: The shots of the little boys in the end made me cry.
By the way, women buy a lot of Gillette products too.
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251 comments:
«Oldest ‹Older 201 – 251 of 251" shots of the little boys in the end made me cry...."
Yeah, made me cry too - the idea that someone 'cries' over mindless pathos like this in a sales pitch for overpriced razor blades. A perfect expression of the level of cultural farce we have descended to in the age of paid-for corporate 'Virtue' signaling. Back in my Ad agency days I spent years working on a variety of P&G brands ...back then they/we concentrated on such boring stuff as functional product benefits, and truthful claims - this commercial makes me embarrassed for P&G and their current ad agency's millennial BS artists....and embarrassed by my former profession.
Oh, yes, indeed, don't let 'boys be boys' whatever you do - shave with Gillette!?!? WTF? Next year they'll be saying blades are good because they help keep 'boys' smooth and more transgender....more likely they've simply realized their biggest consumer purchase segment is single-moms buying razor blades for their hapless adolescent sons. A farce, indeed.
And there is this....
"Modern life rough on men
Didn’t men use to be more masculine? They were more ready to fight back, right? They walked with more swagger, and just did more things their way.
Researchers can’t measure swagger – but they can measure testosterone, the male sex hormone most responsible for masculine behaviors – and studies show that testosterone levels in men have been on the decline for decades."
http://thechart.blogs.cnn.com/2011/08/18/modern-life-rough-on-men/
I'm going to make my response simple, and to the point. I had already stopped buying Gillette products with exception of their shaving cream. Now I plan to stop buying their shave cream as well.
Boys can get into fights? Boys can be bullies? Althouse, were you one of the "mean girls" at your high school? The only excuse I can see for thinking that bullying is just a boy problem is that you didn't notice your own bullying. Based on everything I have seen, girls are worse. Less physical, but much, much worse.
Girls are much much worse.
Blame the boomers.
It could have been a call for fatherhood.
Watch it with the sound off and the last half of the ad is exactly about that -- which is what makes it affecting.
But the first half of the ad doesn't know what it's about. Thematically, it's about sexual harassment. Narratively, it's a condemnation of men as a group. The most dynamic moment of that part of the ad is when the pack of running kids busts through the old, sexist Gillette ad. A pack of running kids is a classic trope of fun, freedom, excitement.
Fun, freedom, excitement. These ideas are not allowed.
Like John Hinderaker of PowerLine I remember watching the great boxers on TV sponsored by Gillette, I especially remember watching the Gene Fullmer and Carmen Basilio fights.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?time_continue=7&v=MeIEaVP9c1s
From Gillette’s Cavalcade of Sports, from Being Sharp and Looking Sharp, from Gillette’s Friday Night Fights, Gillette has become today’s Soy Boys.
Enjoy the memories,
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=C6cyy_rziuk
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=f4RIp2-YOH8
If ya wanna sing along, here’s an orchestra that’ll help ya out,
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AaSTSdksGlU
Big shot, tell you what, tell me what goes on around here
Go on and get me in the corner, smoke my cigarettes and drink my beer
Tell me that this world is no place for the weak
Then you can look me in the eye and tell me if you see a trace of fear
You gotta look sharp
You gotta look sharp
And you gotta have no illusions
Just keep going your way looking over your shoulder
Okay, what you say, tell me what they’re wearing this year
Go on and laugh at me, ’cause you don’t see that I got something going right here
Say I’m just a dreamer, say I’m just a kid
Well, ace, shut your face, maybe you will see or hear
You gotta look sharp
You gotta look sharp
And you gotta have no illusions
Just keep going your way looking over your shoulder
Big shot, thanks a lot, gotta go, it’s getting late
I got a date with my tailor now, thanks for putting me so straight
Tell me how they rob me blind on every street
But check your watch and wallet now before I go and you’re too late
You gotta look sharp
You gotta look sharp
And you gotta have no illusions
Just keep going your way looking over your shoulder
Yeah…
I have been boycotting Chiquita Bananas for years because they chose to only use war. zone oil, and refuse to use Canadian oil to ship their bananas, so when I boycott somebody, there’s no calling it off. Fuck ‘em.
I guess women as a rule think that men suck. The ad is apparently aimed at women. And you wonder why so many men look abroad for women.
I hate piety. Any kind of piety. This is piety.
And crying at a commercial? Must as well create the tag “rhhardin is a great conquering god and he owns me” and be done with it.
As a wise man once said
"can't I just eat my waffle?"
It’s funny too, because razors are about the only thing that I choose to buy and what brands.
Couldn't make it past the first few seconds.
Short P&G stock. They will miss the next earnings call after this one on lower-than-expected Gillette sales.
Unexpectedly.
Blogger dreams said...
"Is anyone else get irritated at the over-representation of "people of color" on US TV commercials?"
"I've noticed a lot of commercials lately of white guys with black wives or black girlfriends which isn't representative of our demographics but obviously their intent is to change that."
Go ask a black woman about black men with white women...you'll then understand why it's predominantly white men with black women you see on TV.
1) This idea probably originated with a female or gay male marketing person, e.g., not a person who is typical male Gilette customer (talking down to the other is a critically important element in "wokeness").
2) There is also a demand for "brands" to STFU. A "brand" is not my moral superior and has no business lecturing me on my values.
No one wants this. The woke do not like being lectured about their moral failings, the non-woke do not like being lectured about their moral failings.
But the woke like to lecture people on their moral failings.
I have sensitive skin and soft whiskers. My Gillette Fusion is the best razor I've used. When I first read about this ad, I just rolled my eyes and figured people were over-reacting. Just now I watched it. I am not easily offended, but this deeply offended me. I decided that when my current Fusion refills (and shaving cream) run out, I'll switch to the Schick Quattro (which is almost as good as the Fusion--it clogs easier, doesn't shave quite as close and the blades wear out faster.)
I also wrote a letter to Gillette and will look at finding alternatives to all P&G products. Dove dish soap is really damn good, so that will be tricky, but I'll find something.
Be beast!
Tim in Vermont asserts: I guess women as a rule think that men suck.
I think women do most of the sucking.
Terry Canaan: "A gunman took two women hostage at a UPS center today - one was his ex-girlfriend. But yeah, toxic masculinity is some crazy idea lefties made up."
***************
One male commits a crime, and that "proves" the (bogus) concept of toxic masculinity".
How effing stupid can a person get?
When Patti Hearst held up a bank at gunpoint, did that "prove "toxic femininity"?
Snort.
This wasn't a really well thought out ad campaign. The people who put it together and approved it should be fired. I don't mean this as some sort of 'justice' for bad behavior. But rather as a proper response for a bad business decision. I'm assuming men make up a sizeable portion of their customer base, and if the cost for a viral marketing video, is upsetting at least a decent portion of men, and probably women too, it is a bad business decision.
If I did buy Gillette products I would stop over this ad.
@mockturtle, good one.
"@mockturtle, good one."
We can all agree that when done right, it should be an SJ.
Suck Job Warrior?
If they formally engaged with Free the Bid for the director, the amount of informal pc bullshit was likely off the charts. I'd love to see the script concepts rejected because they were "too out there".
Nothing at this level happens without a lot of chefs.
Gotta love the name Free the Bid though..since anyone who goes through them has basically decided they need to/should get a woman director.
More like funnel the bid..
https://binged.it/2RycSBi
mockturtle said...
And, for the most part, ignore what women purportedly want from a man. Chances are, a woman doesn't really know what she wants. Surprise her.
mockturtle nails it, again.
I watched the ad again & thought "If you want to preach, join the clergy".
One of the problems with so many people growing up with no knowledge of a religious tradition is that they don't realize when they're using theological language because they've never known a theology.
It helps to discern Reason from Revelation when you have some idea of what Revelation looks like as well as what Reason looks like.
Here's the other thing that worries me about this ad & what it stands for.
This ad is, judging from public reaction so far, a marketing disaster. As mentioned above, nothing like this gets made public without many sign-offs up the managerial chain. So, my question --- Is Gillette & P&G's management this clueless & fucked up? Did some brave souls pipe up & say "Whoa!" & if so, what happened to them?
It really worries me how incompetent our ruling classes have become.
I suspect Gillette has more women customers than men, by a wide margin. Women do most of household shopping, so even men who use Gillette products don't buy them. This is just a company trying to cynically cash in on women made insecure by this ridiculous moral panic.
Update:
6 hours and ten minutes later, the score is
2 million views.
19k likes, 187,000 dislikes
The number of comments 'mysteriously' dropped to 50k from 200k.
I know at least one of my comments was deleted, but I sent them a love letter from Bic, Schick and Harry's Razors, so I understand that.
Do you think that Gillette realizes the PR disaster they unleashed? I am not sure Althouse does.
I suspect Gillette has more women customers than men, by a wide margin.
They do now.
"A gunman took two women hostage at a UPS center today - one was his ex-girlfriend. But yeah, toxic masculinity is some crazy idea lefties made up."
I think Terry Canaan's trying to point out that about 179,999,999 US males did not take two women hostage at a UPS center today. Probably also missed the fact that the swat team that took out the one that did was 99% toxic male.
Gillette, the best a ma'am can get.
And beta females too.
A damp towel microwaved for one minute then wrapped around your face will help soften the hairs of your berd and make it less painfuk to shave, Inga.
It's wrong to use kids to make political points/statements, except when it's not.
In all fairness I have a weak spot for sentimental depictions of kids and animals, too.
And frankly I appreciate when the people trying to manipulate me are so damn obvious about it--when their blatant attempts are so clear and inartful.
I mean: screw them, obviously, but at least they're upfront about trying to weaponize empathy in exactly that way. Makes things easy, really.
beard and painful
For most of my life, I purchased the cheapo twin blade, throw away razors. BIC comes to mind. They lasted weeks! So a bag of 25 for $7.99 lasted a whole year.
Then the bastards quit making them and added a "lubricating" strip. Why? Because they discovered, that after a few shaves, the strip wore off and the razor would scrape more, thus causing me to throw away after just a couple shaves. Bastards!
Toxic masculinity. Jayme Closs came upon a women, who happened to be walking a dog. They went to a nearby house in which a woman happened to answer the door.
They, then, hid in another room while the man of the house stood guard with his trusted weaponry! So, one out the two men in this story was "be the best". Hope for us all evil men!
I'm not going to toss the disposable Gillette razors I already have, but I'll definitely not be buying their stuff again.
I tried Harry's many years ago after reading an article in of all places National Review. The author's wife was amazed at the cost of Gillette blades she had purchased for him, so he tried Harry's that he had heard about and was surprised by the cost and quality.
I tried Harry's, the Gillette went out with the trash after the last blade was used. I never looked back, their price, service and quality has never disappointed. This woke ad is just a bonus to my decision.
I also keep a Braun electric razor in my office desk for times when I can't get home before evening engagements. The Braun is excellent, but I don't have a clue how the new ones work as mine was purchased prior to 1990.
The best a bitch can get
" shots of the little boys in the end made me cry...."
What, were they libertarians at a dinner party? Doesn't take much to turn on the waterworks apparently.
Gillette has the post menopausal women's market sewed up though, apparently.
Keep in mind that Gillette makes and sells a product that some teen girls use to cut themselves. Let's see a woke ad about that.
I'm guessing that most men who like and approve of the ad are your stereotype low-testosterone super-"evolved" pro-feminist "liberals," who stand foursquare against any kind of bullying . . . except, except of course, when the bully is the State.
Paraphrasing Orwell*, gentle "liberals" sleep peacefully in their beds, dreaming their coercive and statist dreams, because rough men stand ready to do violence to make their coercive and statist dreams a reality.
*Or whoever actually said the "rough men" quote.
I here that somewhere between 8 and 10 Sundays per year, a festival of toxic masculinity takes place in a venue called “Gillette Stadium” I would hope that they take their name off of it now, or be forever shamed as hypocrites.
Next up, the Swedish Bikini Team apologizes to the world for creating so much pleasure.
Ann said: "By the way, women buy a lot of Gillette products too."
As usual, right on. Women in the US purchase something like 83% of household products. If you despise this commercial, you were not the target. This was aimed at women, I suspect single mothers, but women in general will be far more receptive to this.
Did anybody visit the website featured at the end?
Gillette is committed to driving change that matters, starting with our own actions and expanding out to programs that support men of positive action everywhere. To make our vision of the Best Men Can Be a reality, we will be distributing $1 Million per year for the next three years to non-profit organizations executing the most interesting and impactful programs designed to help men of all ages achieve their personal best.
Our first partner in this effort is The Boys & Girls Clubs of America. Positive experiences at Boys & Girls Clubs provides young men with the important social and emotional skills they need to communicate effectively, to work with others, and develop coping mechanisms in order to face challenging situations. These skills are critical in everyday life and to the success of young people.
With more than 4,300 Clubs across the country, Boys & Girls Clubs’ singular mission is to ensure that youth in America have the opportunities that set them up for success so that they graduate on-time with a plan for their futures, where they live healthy lifestyles and give back to their communities.
more anti-white anti-male bullshit
"why can't we all just be nice bunny rabbits? stop making me feel unsafe"
vs.
"it's a cruel world. be strong and protect your family"
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