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Article

18 Jan 2019

Author:
Alexandra Topping, Kate Lyons & Matthew Weaver, The Guardian

Gillette addresses toxic masculinity & gender-based violence in new advertisement

"Gillette #MeToo razors ad on 'toxic masculinity' gets praise - and abuse," 15 Jan 2019

Shaving company Gillette has been bombarded with both praise and abuse after launching an advertising campaign promoting a new kind of positive masculinity... The advertisement features news clips of reporting on the #MeToo movement, as well as images showing sexism in films, in boardrooms, and of violence between boys... "This commercial isn’t anti-male. It’s pro-humanity,” wrote Bernice King, daughter of the late civil rights legend Martin Luther King.

... PR expert Mark Borkowski said, "“It is no longer enough for brands to simply sell a product, customers are demanding that they have a purpose – that they stand for something."... [Gillette wrote on its website]... “It’s time we acknowledge that brands, like ours, play a role in influencing culture... From today on, we pledge to actively challenge the stereotypes and expectations of what it means to be a man everywhere you see Gillette."... The campaign follows other campaigns by major international brands that have dealt with social and political issues. In 2018 Nike ran a campaign featuring NFL star Colin Kaepernick, who drew criticism from Donald Trump for kneeling during the national anthem to protest against racism.