I’ve seen a grand total of one “social justice” ad that actually made me think and change some behaviors, the “Like a Girl” campaign from Always (this is the long version, a shorter version ran during the Super Bowl four years ago). Yeah, I’d like it even better if it wasn’t a commercial, but things like this have to get funded somehow.
Another twitter quote that I particularly like - “I mean, it appears that Gillette isn’t a good product for sensitive skin after all.”
I love this ad (is anyone shocked?), and one of the things I LOVE about it is that people are talking about toxic masculinity and what it means.
Changing a culture takes time, and for the dialogue to continue. The #MeToo did a lot, but alone, it would never be enough. Do I think an ad put out by Gillette is going to change everything and all of the issues of gender violence will just fall away?
No.
Of course not - but every single part contributes.
Did Gillette alienate a huge piece of their customer base? I can tell you that everyone has been talking about Gillette for a few days now…that counts for something.
^This.
That’s a good one! It best sums up how I feel about it.
Gillette should stick to selling razors.
Yeah, like the commercial featuring the identical twin NFL players, one of whom has parts of his hands missing.
If nothing else, the Gillette ad has done a great job of getting people to talk about the Gillette ad.
I do not understand the negative reactions to this ad at all, to be honest. I understand that people on the right are always looking to be offended (at least, my impression so far is that it’s folks on the right getting offended at this), but I still don’t get it.
It’s the same with the reactions to Clinton’s deplorables comment: ‘Some of Trump’s supporters are going to be deplorable; they are racist, sexist, Islamophobic (this is true – he had some in his cabinet, and at his rallies). We can’t reach those, but let’s reach out people who need help.’ And, the reaction from the offenderati was “hey, she just called me deplorable!” Well? Are you racist, sexist, etc.? No? Then, she didn’t call you that.
Here, Gillette is saying, hey, don’t be an asshole, or one of those assholes that excuses assholish behavior by other men. Bullying and catcalling is bad, umkay? Be a good person and set a good example for the next generation of men. And, the reaction from the offenderati seems to be, “hey, they just called me an asshole!” If the shoe fits, wear it, but if it doesn’t, you’re not an asshole and they didn’t call you one.
Velocity (and others), have you seen those pictures where they show how some asshole parked their car over two (or more!) spots and they were called out as the asshole they are? Did you look at that picture and think, “Hey, I park my car. They just called me an asshole!” Because, unless you park diagonally over two spots, you’re not the asshole they are talking about.
Yeah, if you can find it. I had a hard time finding the actual ad rather than all the offenderati reactions to it. Fucking snowflakes. They probably need some safe space where women are still treated as objects and second class citizens and weaker boys are there to be beaten up and bullied.
Meh, I object to grouping all men into a misogynist category.
Gillette created a opportunistic commercial to cash in on the metoo movement.
Did you watch the commercial? They very clearly did not group all men into a misogynist category. I mean, it couldn’t be more obvious – the guys who stopped the misogynist assholes were clearly not so themselves, right? Seriously, WTF with your comment?
Except they didn’t group all men into a misogynist category. They made that pretty clear.
On the other hand, it is a widespread problem that includes a whole lot of men. Even those of us who think we’re pretty enlightened probably can find ways to improve our behavior. Efforts to promote a conversation about men’s behavior is a good thing.
Do you feel this ad is doing that? If so, how?
Ya, actually those saying that all men have to be fragile assholes who can only gain their personal value by debasing and objectifying others is closer to “grouping all men into a X category”
https://gillette.com/en-us/the-best-men-can-be
To be clear my biggest issue is that I felt like they trivialized sexual harassment etc…but after seeing the response it is quite clear that they had to frame their message using kid gloves because challenging men to stand up for what is right is some how viewed as “misogynist”
It is odd that the cognitive dissonance of this ad caused so much mental discomfort.
The guys that stopped the behavior were later in the commercial after being suitably enlightened and changed.
Most men aren’t knuckle dragging, unibrow Neanderthals. A lots changed in the past forty years for the better.
There are still some jerks out there but their numbers are dwindling.
Are you going to defend what you wrote up above or admit that they didn’t portray all men as misogynists? Or, should I just give up right now with this interaction?
I mean, I can move goalposts with the best of them, but it’s not particularly fun discussing something with someone while he’s digging them up and moving them off the field.
So you’re saying that the ad showed that men are capable of making a lot of progress, and many of them have made this progress, becoming better people and helping make a better society?
Yeah, we already made that progress a long time ago.
There’s a night and day difference in how men treated women in my teen years (1970’s) and today.
I just feel the commercial unfairly makes assumptions about men. It seems aimed at a male culture that largely disappeared decades ago
Only some men, agreed? And, those men are bullying, sexist assholes, agreed?
I wasn’t offended because I’m not a bullying, sexist asshole. How about you?
Take a look at this meme. They call that person who parked the car a douchebag. Were they calling all people who park cars douchebags? Why or why not? Did they unfairly make assumptions about car parkers? Why or why not? Are they calling you a douchebag?
I wasn’t offended.
I just wasn’t impressed. Meh, is the best word I can use.