Posted on 08/03/2019 9:18:00 AM PDT by blam
Gillette CEO and president Gary Coombe is defending the $8 billion write-down Procter & Gamble experienced last quarter related to his brand, saying in a recent interview that it was “worth paying” and that he doesn’t mind alienating some customers.
Coombe told Marketing Week that the loss was “a price worth paying” as the 188-year-old maker of razors, blades and other grooming products contends with dwindling sales.
“It was pretty stark. We were losing share, we were losing awareness and penetration, and something had to be done,” Coombe said. He said Gillette decided to “take a chance in an emotionally-charged way.”
Gillette debuted a commercial in January that not only spotlighted the #MeToo movement but attacked traditional masculinity. In a series of scenes, the commercial depicted men and boys engaging in sexual harassment, bullying and workplace condescension towards women.
“Is this the best a man can get?” the commercial asked, inverting Gillette’s famous tagline “the best a man can get.”
Another ad debuted in May showing a transgender male youth learning how to shave. Gillette also attacked traditional feminine beauty in ads for its Venus razors for women, featuring obese and transexual models.
The commercials received widespread pushback on social media. Coombe told Marketing Week that the backlash was more intense than he expected, but that he doesn’t regret running them.
“I don’t enjoy that some people were offended by the film and upset at the brand as a consequence. That’s not nice and goes against every ounce of training I’ve had in this industry over a third of a century,” he said.
“But I am absolutely of the view now that for the majority of people to fall more deeply in love with today’s brands have to risk upsetting a small minority and that’s what we’ve done.”
(Excerpt) Read more at breitbart.com ...
Unfortunately for Gillette the wokes don’t shave.
Must be a trend in trendy advertising. Nike is currently running ads featuring a very obese individual and a mentally challenged individual.
P&G is just as homo/trans friendly as Gillette. They probably signed off on this. Now they’re sending this clown out to try to undo the damage by doubling down. These corporations are all run by woke fools.
I’m done with Gillette and every product P&G sells.
What an incredibly foolish person he is. The Pajama Boy CEO.
Target, Marriott and Wayfair.
Ads were bad enough without this new trend. It’s painful.
The customer is always right. This is what drives the economy. The demand controls the supply. The customer wins.
Wow...he’s got ears as big as Odumbo’s.
IF he could flap em, he could fly......LOL
How does a moron like that progress to CEO? Doesn’t matter. No Gillette products will darken the door of this house.
Gillette’s investors should be pissed and want his head on a platter
Yep, we wish people with such problems all the good fortune in the world to improve their situation, but we also probably don't want to see them numerous times whenever we watch a few hours of TV.
Well said.
I wonder if the investors feel the same way.
That’s how sick they are they will destroy capitalism from within.
Someone ask him if it’s worth it to harm America’s children with this crazy nonsense is he some kind of expert in children’s mental health? I doubt it hes just a fanatic.
Thanks, I have added Target, Marriott and Way fair to my list of Woke Companies.
Doesn’t look (or sound) like Coombes has ever had to contend with personal “traditional masculinity,” or masculinity of any kind.
Yes, any CEO that alienates customers should be shown the DOOR.
“Coombe told Marketing Week that the backlash was more intense than he expected, but that he doesn’t regret running them.”
No Gillette bought JC Penney... well, their marketing team anyway. Probably got them for a great price.
This is similar to all the billionaires saying, “Please, tax us more!”
There is always a motive (and deep pockets) behind financial illogic.
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