A Gillette advertisement which references bullying, the #MeToo movement and toxic masculinity has split opnion online. The company’s short film plays on their famous slogan ‘the best a man can get’, replacing it with ‘the best men can be’. And while some have praised the message of the advert, others have declared they will boycott the razor brand. The ad has garnered more than nine million views on YouTube, with more than 500,000 ‘dislikes’ compared to 125,000 ‘likes’. Comments on the video are largely negative, with one angry viewer writing that ‘in less than two minutes you managed to alienate your biggest sales group for your products.’ But the brand believes the new advertisement aligns with its slogan and says it believes in ‘the best of men’. "By holding each other accountable, eliminating excuses for bad behaviour, and supporting a new generation working toward their personal 'best,' we can help create positive change that will matter for years to come," says its president, Gary Coombe. Rob Saunders, an account manager for UK advertising company the Media Agency Group, told the BBC that there was no need for widespread panic at Gillette just yet. "Their ad is getting them good publicity and good numbers and causing a debate - which they must have known when they put out this ad… This ad would have been approved by many people high up at Gillette,” he said.

For the full story click here