Posted on 01/18/2019 12:46:14 AM PST by Kaslin
So who is the mastermind at Gillette who came up with the idea that the best way to sell men's razors is to insult the customers with condescending liberal propaganda about "toxic masculinity"? Is pandering to the perpetually angry feminists in the media the way to grab positive "news" coverage? Is online buzz the goal? If so, it must also be Gillette's goal to have its customers rush over to the Schick display.
A century ago, Gillette ran ads in newspapers touting American soldiers of World War I using their product: the "clean fighters" of the Allied forces "fighting for clean ideals." They were "millions of big, strong-limbed super-men ... fighting to save Freedom." Today, there are no strong-limbed men. There are bullies and sexual harassers in need of castration.
Go ahead; try to tell us we're exaggerating. NPR's Tovia Smith lovingly introduced Gillette's latest ad campaign saying, "The first half of the ad portrays males as boorish, sexually harassing women, mansplaining and bullying."
The ad insists on Social Change. The narrator proclaims: "We can't hide from it. ... We can't laugh it off, making the same old excuses. ... And there will be no going back." A long row of apparently loathsome backyard dads stands in front of a long row of smoking charcoal grills, and the dads echo the excuse "Boys will be boys."
Because somehow, in the last century, troglodyte men were bullies who never stopped bullies and never taught their boys to respect women (including their mothers? and sisters?). This isn't selling razors. It's selling an obnoxious, boorish political cartoon.
Gillette would protest that the ad says "some" men, not all men, are awful. But it is mansplaining to all men, assuming they are all dim and in need of an education. So it's comical that after these insults about male stereotypes, the website dedicated to this ad campaign insists, "From today on, we pledge to actively challenge the stereotypes and expectations of what it means to be a man everywhere you see Gillette."
All you need are re-education camps. Big Brother, call your office.
NPR loved it. Smith wrote, "Call it a new kind of corporate machismo, volunteering to march bravely ahead into the culture wars." This may be the only time in NPR's history that it has applauded "machismo."
For grins, try to imagine Gillette marketing its Venus line of razors to women in this way. Imagine the reaction if these geniuses were to run an ad against "toxic femininity," saying the time is over for women gossiping and bullying women. NPR would go into spasmodic convulsions. The bra burners would take to the streets. Women are presumed to be the victimized gender -- oppressed by men (yuk!), not poisoned by testosterone.
The contrast of the men's ad with a Gillette Venus ad from October is amazing. The narrator actually says: "It's time to do things a new way -- your way, without conforming to conventions so that your skin writes the rules. Because no one gets an opinion on how you live your life, or why you shave." Yet more political sermonizing, and now the polar opposite of Gillette's male-bashing campaign!
The ad goes on to brag about how these ads are made by a "female-led team" with women behind and in front of the camera. "We're celebrating every woman and her skin," the narrator says. Celebrating "every woman"? These women are even celebrating the bullies? Well, their skin "writes the rules," apparently.
There's a word for these ad campaigns: vomit. Go buy a Schick, where men are men; women are women; and all they want is a shave.
I don’t know that I want to get myself that riled up. One day when I don’t feel like burning this whole sick culture down I might take a peek. Thanks
Stuff like these ads happens when those in charge of marketing are influenced by so called trends created and reported by the socialist media. At any rate there will be those who believe as long as they get the name right it’s good promotion will be soon learning that’s not necessarily so.
I think they’re walking away from their male customers entirely — and focusing their marketing efforts on female customers.
From Phil on Gillette
Posted on January 17, 2019 | 1 comment
“First off, allow me to congratulate you people on what I consider to be an epic example of a disastrous business decision.
Let me guess, there are a bunch of testosterone challenged individuals in upper management who thought it would be a great idea to politically alienate a large portion of their customer base?
How awesome is that?
Because, you know, making a business decision to put out a social justice warrior message decrying masculinity when the product you produce and sell to has been historically purchased by men strikes me as being self defeating right out the door.
But what do I know, I am one of those toxic males you seem to think that young boys and young men should avoid turning out to be.
Being such, I laugh and spit in your general direction for being so stupid.
Mark my words you pansy motherfuckers, there is going to come a day in the not too distant future when you are going to desperately wish there were some people like me around to save your ass from this cultural armageddon you are working so hard for.”
Make sure you finish the read here: https://bustednuckles.com/2019/01/15/a-brief-message-to-proctor-gamble-and-the-gillette-razor-company-about-their-advertisements-concerning-toxic-masculinity/
The two commercials showing stupid men, one sneezing and dropping his computer to reveal to the teleconference that he was wearing boxer shorts with hearts on them, and the other where the guy coughs and throws his phone into the sewer have me really fed up.
When companies start showing respect to us men, I will start using their products, again. Until then, may they fall into the dustbin of history.
Think about this a moment. “Toxic” “Masculinity”. This is an invented term by liberals for liberals. It’s a created idea. It’s unicorn and big foot crap. There is no such thing as toxic masculinity.
Liberals are selling snake oil that sexism is an example of toxic masculinity. But they can’t even define sexism anymore. Everything in the progressive/liberal/social lexicon is specifically vague and platitudinous. They mean whatever they want it to mean and can constantly change.
They create insults to stir emotion. Then they influence with fear. Then they point to their opposition and claim “fear mongering”. They actually invent terms (Safe Space, Toxic Masculinity, micro aggressions, passive bias/racism/sexism/etc., institutional racism/sexism/etc., unconscious sexism/racism, etc.)
Their attack is on the American culture of individualism and freedom. That’s it. All the tools of victimization, division, hatred, fear, etc. are all in an effort to destabilize this country, from the roots up.
...microfiber dust cloths for replacing the Swiffers.
___________________
I use those and the silver-impregnated eco-cloths. I use washable pads for floor mopping. All work well. But the Swiffer dusters are best for corners and open-work areas of furniture. I prefer them. There are competitors, but they aren’t as efficient.
Same w/the Magic Erasers. All the melanine foam competitors crumble and just don’t do an adequate job.
One drop of Dawn beats 6x as much of any competitor.
SIGH. I will survive. I just wish they would stop trying to propagandize and continue to sell and distribute good products. I do not care what their personal politics might be. I just refuse to allow myself to support their attempts at social control.
Real men don't give a rat's arse what others think.
If a women’s razor company put out an ad about “Toxic Femininity”, they’d be out of business in a week for being sexist.
true
Bic Razor ads are suddenly in hot rotation on local radio.
I have also noticed a couple more Harry’s and Dollar Shave Club ads just recently.
I have been a Gillette customer since I was a freshman in college. Back then they used to give away a toiletries kit to all freshman. It worked. I have been buying their razors ever since(37 years). The fact is their product are better quality and stay sharp longer than the other brands that I have tried.
FYI, the ONLY reason razor blades dull is because they start to rust. Therefore, if you rinse them and hang them up to dry they will last months. I read an article where the author kept his razor in a mineral oil bath between uses. He claimed that the razor would stay sharp for 6 months.
I was going to patronize The Art of Shaving, a shop that specializes in shaving supplies such as fancy razors, but then I found out that it is also owned by Procter and Gamble.
Not so sure about that. Schick is produced by Edgewell and Gillette by P & G, which are separate companies.
You can also buy a Bic, made by a French company, Société Bic, which, though public, is still dominated by the family that founded it.
For later...
I sent my email 4 days ago and no response yet. I would say they’re being deluged with outcries over this fiasco.
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