What happens when brands shift to inclusive marketing? Gilette Case Study

What’s the first thing that comes to mind when you think of Gillette? 

Is it a fit young white man, getting ready for work? Is he at an important office job or driving expensive cars? Maybe he’s flirting with a wife or girlfriend? Or is he working out and playing sports?

Well, all of these are examples of the stereotypes Gillette has used over the years, as see in this 1989 ad and this 1993 one.  

The danger of advertising with stereotypes

These stereotypes of masculinity portray a limited type of individual that is far from representative of all men on this planet. Needless to say, not all men are straight or have wives and girlfriends, or children either. Nor do all men work in high pressure office jobs or value sports or cars. And all men certainly aren’t white, thin, young and non-disabled.

Not only that, but trying to force these values onto people can be harmful! 

Masculinity itself is a social construct. It refers to the roles, behaviours and attributes seen as appropriate for boys and men in a given society. Toxic masculinity, therefore, is when behaviours cause harm to society and men themselves and it’s thought that all boys and men in some fashion. So trying to force behaviours and norms onto men, such as those old fashioned stereotypes from Gillette ads, can have a big impact on society. 

But then in 2019 Gillette made a shift.

Gillette released the ‘The Best a Man Can Get’ ad in as part of a campaign called ‘We Believe’, a campaign that aims to ‘ensure all boys grow up benefitting from positive role models’.

In the ad, Gillette interrogates toxic masculinity and encourages men to hold each other accountable for unacceptable behaviour like bullying and sexual harassment. 

This time Gillette was inclusive! People of various ages and body types, as well as different ethnicities, are included. And Gillette even acknowledges those older ads and challenges their meaning, proving they no longer align with those old fashioned values!

The Controversy

The ad was met with mixed reception. While many enjoyed the ad and supported it’s message there were was also a lot of back lash. Many thought it was too PC (politically correct) and that it wasn’t the brand’ place to comment on social issues. There was also the opinion that the ad showed men as ‘horrible’ and various celebrities even took to Twitter to announce that they’d boycott the brand.

Gillette’s Response

Gillette defended their campaign. In an interview with Forbes, Damon Jones (Vice President, Global Communications and Advocacy at Procter and Gamble) said, “We're not saying all guys are bad. We're not trying to misrepresent any one individual. What we're saying is, as a collective group let's have a little less bad behaviour and more good. That's the big message behind it.”

When they released the campaign Gillette promised that from now on they would ‘actively challenge the stereotypes and expectations of what it means to be a man everywhere you see Gillette.’

That’s why we think this campaign deserves recognition and is a successful example of a shift in their marketing. Gillette promised to actually represent men in their full individuality, by being inclusive in their representation and accurate in their portrayal. They made a bold statement and supported it with their brand values. 

Gillette’s Inclusive Marketing

Later that year, Gillette released ‘First Shave, the Story of Samson.’ In the ad, a man teaches his son how to shave. Not only does it have rare transgender representation, but it also has layers of intersectionality. 

For those unaware, intersectionality is when multiple marginalised categorisations, such as race and gender, overlap. Here, we see a Black trans man and his older Black father, two types of people that aren't represented enough in marketing. 

There are at least 1.6 million transgender individuals in the US alone, yet trans men are still rarely seen in marketing, a fact that shows in the responses to the ad. It was met with a much more positive reception, especially in the trans community who were finally bale to see themselves represented! 

Gillette India also shorlty after released their Man Enough and The Barbershop Girls of India ads which have reached over 50 million views between them. Much like ‘The Best A Man Can Be,’ these ads continue to show the complexities of masculinity and empower women.

Final Thoughts

Since 2019, Gillette now uses a much wider variety of individuals in their marketing,  including partnering with celebrities like Guillermo Rodriguez and Julian Dennison. 

The results of this? It opens Gilette up to a much wider market. They keep moving and adapting with the times and unapologetically represent their brand values. The shift to inclusive marketing is vital for brands that want to grow their audiences and stay relevant in the modern world.

We get it, shifting to inclusive marketing can be daunting. That’s why at Arima & Co, we offer a range of services to help guide your brand shift your marketing while feeling prepared and confident!