Bye Bye Gillette - I didn't know you considered me toxic.

Have you seen this? A new ad from Gillette:

https://gillette.com/en-us/the-best-men-can-be

Jumping on the PC band wagon and ranting about Toxic Masculinity. What the bleep is that?

I don't use much Gillette but my future purchases are over. Who at Gillette decided insulting your major demographic is a good business move?

If this is too political I guess the thread will be removed - though Gillette fired the first round.

Somehow they think this will appeal to someone. I don't want to comment on the actual commercial but something is bugging me lately.

Since when did it become acceptable for these large companies to tell us how to live our lives? Why do I need a company tell me what to think, what is acceptable to them when it comes to hobbies, and what I do in my home? It is none of their business.

Since I use a straight razor - Gillette can take their commercials elsewhere....

All the reason for me to continue wetshaving with the products I currently use. I haven't seen a Dollar Shave Club ad in quite some time, but I remember them being funny, manly and appealing to men for several aspects including price and it caused me to try the brand to move away from Gillette many years ago before I started wetshaving, leaving Gillette behind for good. This new Gillette commercial is the opposite of Dollar Shave club commercials and just purely from a business sense, seems completely counterproductive. I was literally shocked after watching the advertisement and still cannot figure out how this is going to sell razors/cream/after shave for them.

The OP mentioned this thread potentially getting political and I can see that: the advertisement was PURELY political in nature. I can see no attempt there to sell products only to make a political/ideological statement. Moreover, that political statement targets the largest segment of their customer base.

It seems there's a very specific demographic that's very offended by this commercial. It really tells me what kind of person they are.

I generally don’t weigh in on this topic, but I will this time.

We tend to rail on large corporations for not having a soul, being mindless sociopaths. The first sign of a “Soul” or acting in a “responsible “ manner, we take it personally.

It gave me pause, I thought about my behaviour, and asked my spouse if that was me. I have a son, I don’t want to repeat the sins of MY past, and part of that is introspection.

Well done Gillette!

Thank you Phil.  My guess is that this strikes a nerve for many of us.  

It's okay to embrace new ideas.  It's not okay to piss on the old, nor is it okay to presume that when new and old conflict, new is in every instance and every respect better.  It is a stretch IMO to attribute this move to corporate "soul" rather than calculated PR pandering. Hardtop01 may be right up to a point, and some Gillette employees no doubt resonate with the text, but PR pandering or some sort of calculated profit making decision is at least as plausible IMO.  Second, I don't want to repeat the sins of my past either, but I also don't want to join in the sins of the present.    No generation is immune from hubris, including this one, and this ad goes far beyond introspection.  It is one sided.  Where does it discuss what is commendable about what men have been doing these last 100 years?  What is it about the last 100 years of masculinity that Gillette wants to celebrate?  What is it that is worth preserving?  Is there nothing?  I am reminded of the musical Oklahoma, and Aunt Eller's line from The Farmer and The Cowhand Can be Friends: "I don't say I'm no better than anybody else, But I'll be damned if I ain't just as good!".   There are sins of omission as well as commission.  Unless one thinks that the last 100 years of men have nothing praiseworthy to show for their masculinity, then whatever good there may be in this Gillette's ad is obscured by the one-sided, bigoted, implicitly anti-male spin.

So after due deliberation and earnest attempts to thoughtfully consider different views (something men have been doing for millennia), and while reserving some judgement for consideration of further comments, I come back to what my daddy used to say at times like these:  F**k Gillette.

Daddy sometimes hit the nail on the head without wasting a lot of time - another thing men have been doing for the last 100 years, and more.

All the reason for me to continue wetshaving with the products I currently use.  I haven't seen a Dollar Shave Club ad in quite some time, but I remember them being funny, manly and appealing to men for several aspects including price and it caused me to try the brand to move away from Gillette many years ago before I started wetshaving, leaving Gillette behind for good.  This new Gillette commercial is the opposite of Dollar Shave club commercials and just purely from a business sense, seems completely counterproductive. I was literally shocked after watching the advertisement and still cannot figure out how this is going to sell razors/cream/after shave for them.

The OP mentioned this thread potentially getting political and I can see that: the advertisement was PURELY political in nature.  I can see no attempt there to sell products only to make a political/ideological statement. Moreover, that political statement targets the largest segment of their customer base.

Maybe Gillette looked at the demographics of who is using their products - decided the "offended at everything" crowd was their new target audience and decided they, as a company, they need to tell those people what to think. Seems to work on a lot of people. I would rather have quality products then life lessons from a company.

Then again - I have never been much of a "run with the herd" type of guy - but then I really don't care what society thinks of me...

Collective fear stimulates herd instinct, and tends to produce ferocity toward those who are not regarded as members of the herd. - Bertrand Russell

The human race is a herd. Here we are, unique, eternal aspects of consciousness with an infinity of potential, and we have allowed ourselves to become an unthinking, unquestioning blob of conformity and uniformity. A herd. Once we concede to the herd mentality, we can be controlled and directed by a tiny few. And we are. - David Icke

Thank you Phil.  My guess is that this strikes a nerve for many of us.  

It's okay to embrace new ideas.  It's not okay to piss on the old, nor is it okay to presume that when new and old conflict, new is in every instance and every respect better.  It is a stretch IMO to attribute this move to corporate "soul" rather than calculated PR pandering. Hardtop01 may be right up to a point, and some Gillette employees no doubt resonate with the text, but PR pandering or some sort of calculated profit making decision is at least as plausible IMO.  Second, I don't want to repeat the sins of my past either, but I also don't want to join in the sins of the present.    No generation is immune from hubris, including this one, and this ad goes far beyond introspection.  It is one sided.  Where does it discuss what is commendable about what men have been doing these last 100 years?  What is it about the last 100 years of masculinity that Gillette wants to celebrate?  What is it that is worth preserving?  Is there nothing?  I am reminded of the musical Oklahoma, and Aunt Eller's line from The Farmer and The Cowhand Can be Friends: "I don't say I'm no better than anybody else, But I'll be damned if I ain't just as good!".   There are sins of omission as well as commission.  Unless one thinks that the last 100 years of men have nothing praiseworthy to show for their masculinity, then whatever good there may be in this Gillette's ad is obscured by the one-sided, bigoted, implicitly anti-male spin.

So after due deliberation and earnest attempts to thoughtfully consider different views (something men have been doing for millennia), and while reserving some judgement for consideration of further comments, I come back to what my daddy used to say at times like these:  F**k Gillette.

Daddy sometimes hit the nail on the head without wasting a lot of time - another thing men have been doing for the last 100 years, and more.

An excellent point that I agree to a point. Should it really matter where a “social poke” comes from? Nike? Gillette? My Father?

Secondly we are pretty good about putting accomplishments forward and being recognized for them, not so much about the things we stumble on.

I wasn’t offended by the ad, it gave me a “Check” regardless of the intent, and it has accomplished the goal of opening the discussion and dialogue. Like it or not, Gillette is mission accomplished.

I am not big on most ads as they demean the viewer. (Does anyone here remember the “Please don’t squeeze the Charmin” commercials?). This, though, was one of the finest I have seen. It is thought provoking and, frankly, if one’s masculinity is so fragile as to be offended by this then perhaps he should be using a Gillette Fusion as opposed to a DE, SE, or straight as there is less chance of cutting oneself.

Gillette needs to appeal to younger shavers if they are going to have a future. It makes perfect business sense and I like the message as well. I thought it was quite moving actually.