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Gillette's new ad

JustVJustV Community Manager Posts: 5,579 Part of The Furniture
in Politics & Debate
I assume most people have at least heard about this - what do people think of the short film Gillette released?

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=koPmuEyP3a0&t=7s

It's been very controversial, particularly among their main consumers (check out the amount of dislikes). Keen to hear how people feel about the film and also to hear any ideas about 'what it means to be a man'. :)
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Comments

  • Former MemberFormer Member Posts: 193 Trailblazer
    I think this is really interesting.

    On the one hand, I'm a woman, and I can only see it as a good thing that men help us to discourage the sexual harassment of women. Like I really admire the heforshe movement for the same reason. It's hard for women to stand up against this sort of behaviour if men aren't willing to play their own part in helping to protect their daughters, their sisters, their mothers, their wives, their girlfriends, and their friends from having to endure sexual harassment as a societal norm.

    But on the other hand, I'm not so sure that preventing men and boys from behaving in a "masculine" way is necessarily the way to do it. I don't see much harm in boys (or girls for that matter) play fighting as long as things don't get out of hand. I don't think there's anything wrong with men wanting to look and appear manly if they choose, just so long as it's not at the expense of women's dignity and doesn't involve treating women like nothing more than sexual objects. I also think that given their target audience for their product, implying that masculine traits are somehow "bad" or "wrong" probably wasn't the cleverest advertising tactic. But they're no doubt going to find that out very soon...

    So I am pleased to see an advert that does clearly state that the sexual harassment of women is not okay and that men ought to be playing a role in trying to prevent it and in moderating their own behaviour. But I don't see why that has to be at the expense of other expressions of masculinity. Masculinity doesn't just have to be about objectifying women, there can be far more to it than that.
  • SienaSiena Posts: 15,681 Skive's The Limit
    Mike said:
    I assume most people have at least heard about this - what do people think of the short film Gillette released?
    I havent heard about this or read about it before seeing this.  

    I dont really see what wrong with it. They are not saying this how every man/boy is. Or generalising males either.  They even say “say the right thing thing, do the right thing, some already are” 

    some people do say “ boys will be boys” - to excuse bad behaviour. 

    & the video shows the good part of being masculine too. 

    But guess if females was put in a negative sort of way like this there would be backlash too. But still kinda confused as its not saying every male is the same so dont see how it is attacking 
    “And when they look at you, they won't see everything you've been through. They won't see the **** that turned to scars that began to fade with time. They won't see the heartbreaking things that shook up and changed your entire world. They won't know how many tears you cried or even what it was you were crying about. They won't see how strong you had to be because you had no other choice. What they will see though is how compassionate you are because you experienced pain. What they will see is how kind you are because you experienced how cruel the world is. What they will see is how good you are because you've seen how bad things or people can be. The difference between you and your experiences are who you choose to be, despite everything that could have turned you cold and unkind.You are the good the world needs and the best of us.” ~ Kirsten Corley
  • SienaSiena Posts: 15,681 Skive's The Limit
    edited January 2019
    And if you know you’re not one of those - why would you feel like your maculinity is being attacked? It says the good about ‘masculinity’ & if you know you show the good then surely you’d know you’re not one being attacked - if it only showed all the bad then I’d understand but I don’t get why you feel your masculinity has been attacked. 
    Post edited by Siena on
    “And when they look at you, they won't see everything you've been through. They won't see the **** that turned to scars that began to fade with time. They won't see the heartbreaking things that shook up and changed your entire world. They won't know how many tears you cried or even what it was you were crying about. They won't see how strong you had to be because you had no other choice. What they will see though is how compassionate you are because you experienced pain. What they will see is how kind you are because you experienced how cruel the world is. What they will see is how good you are because you've seen how bad things or people can be. The difference between you and your experiences are who you choose to be, despite everything that could have turned you cold and unkind.You are the good the world needs and the best of us.” ~ Kirsten Corley
  • SkiveSkive Posts: 15,287 Skive's The Limit
    Large corporation exploits legitimate social issues and uses intensity politics for profit.

    Don't be a bully, don't belittle colleagues and don't harass women - it's undeniable that these are good positive messages right? If you object to this advert you must be guilty of this type of behaviour? That's the argument. 

    You have to be very careful that a rejection of 'toxic masculinity' doesn't just end up being an attack on men and the things men do. When did identity politics go from promoting inclusion to promoting division?



    Weekender Offender 
  • SienaSiena Posts: 15,681 Skive's The Limit
    Aidan said:
    Never said my masculinity is attacked, 
    But you said 
    Aidan said
    to try to attack masculinity and, ultimately, make money? No. 
    It’s only attacking the men who sexually abuse and bully ect. Not all men. 

    “And when they look at you, they won't see everything you've been through. They won't see the **** that turned to scars that began to fade with time. They won't see the heartbreaking things that shook up and changed your entire world. They won't know how many tears you cried or even what it was you were crying about. They won't see how strong you had to be because you had no other choice. What they will see though is how compassionate you are because you experienced pain. What they will see is how kind you are because you experienced how cruel the world is. What they will see is how good you are because you've seen how bad things or people can be. The difference between you and your experiences are who you choose to be, despite everything that could have turned you cold and unkind.You are the good the world needs and the best of us.” ~ Kirsten Corley
  • AzzimanAzziman Moderator, Community Champion Posts: 2,073 Boards Champion
    Any time a company expresses a political idea, some people will like it and others won't. It doesn't matter whether it's a good message or not.
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  • Former MemberFormer Member Posts: 1,171 Wise Owl
    I actually love the ad but find it pretty ironic that it's from a company who have, for decades, made stereotypical products - girls ones Pink and boys ones Blue and priced them all differently when they are all actually the same thing :joy: 
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