The war against masculinity in America

Gillette scourged, more recently, in its advertising the so-called toxic masculinity. The approach handle is for the company as a fortune exasperated the Americans are now discussing a commercial. the By Kathrin Werner, New York

advertising for Gillette looked over decades: men rubbing pleased on striking chin, women throw themselves in strong arms, under the freshly shaved faces, shaved men Shine at work on Wall Street. A Gillette clean-shaven man a Chaammpioooonnnn, successfully sang the Jingle voice. Finally, the catchy tune: "Gillette - the Best in the man."

Gillette, a brand of the American consumer goods company Procter & Gamble, has decided that the old Slogan is able to tolerate a modernisation. The company has released a one Minute and 48-second promotional film that could be controversial. To use instead of the old pattern with the shaved the success of men, the company decided for a new approach. "The best men can be" - "The Best thing that can be men," is the new Slogan. Rather than presenting itself as a product that "brings out the Best in man" to the fore, Gillette in the new advertising spot placed on the need to explain to the men what the Best part is that you can be. Instead of the man's offer, asks him to do something more: to be something.

"boys will be boys"

this behavior Is the Best, ask Gillette first, and shows examples of toxic masculinity: boys bully each other and fight. The perpetrators of #Metoo. A Manager, the abwatscht an employee is in a Meeting, paternal, and on the shoulder tatscht. A man who pinches before johlendem audience in a TV show of a woman in the ass. An endless number of fathers before the Grills, watching their children in case of a scuffle, and in the chorus shouting: "boys will be boys". For this kind of men, you might think, does not want to Gillette.

the description of The new Gillette's, followed by several images: A man holds a of the other of them, a woman on the street to rise. A young father calls his daughter to say: "I am strong." Another father moves to settle a fight between children. The advertising encourages men to say "the Right thing" and "doing the right thing". At the end of the Clip, the razor company men are not exhorted to forget that you are a role model: "The young, the watch you today, are the men of tomorrow." What you don't get to see in the advertising spot: shaver.

Although most people agree that it is good, when boys bully each other, men and women adjust, the commercial mostly not good. And many of the customers have a different idea of masculinity than Gillette, as well as in humans, the sense behind Gillette's discussion of the new masculinity to nothing more than greed. Finally, Procter & Gamble is a publicly traded, major international group that exists for one reason: to sell products and earn money with it. Gillette's razors are not sold in the last time very well. So the group tried to set a current theme for advertising purposes to exploit, and in the case of young customers suck up the criticism. Because young customers in particular pay more attention to it, if a company does Good, have identified a number of polls. About "toxic masculinity" is currently en vogue.

men rights activists in an uproar

In Germany, the group advertises on its Website with a similar attitude: "The old image of men" is history - there is no more designs to give "the man", but a variety of life, says Gillette. "Modern men define masculinity. Values play a large role. Values such as family, community, and equality." Only is it so, that there are still men who are hang on to the old image of men and convinced that there is a proper Definition of masculinity. These are the men who are most on the Internet on the according to.

In social media to call for the release of the commercials, the self-proclaimed "men's rights activists" to the Gillette Boycott, and post pictures and Videos as you destroy your razor. On Youtube, the promotional video has already received 720 000 Dislikes and only 340 000 Likes. Twitter users such as @El_Mariachi051 announce, to search for a brand, "to appreciate the masculinity and white". Others call the advertising "feminist Propaganda". The conservative columnist Todd Starnes argued on Fox News that the advertisement was a slip for "a war against masculinity in America", the "in class rooms to be conducted, in which professors try to convince a new Generation of students, that with men there is something wrong that want to protect their families and provide".

On the new site TheBestaManCanBe.org Gillette explains why the company feels called to encourage men to self-improvement: "It is time that we recognize that brands such as our influence in the culture," writes Gillette. "And as a company, the men are encouraged to give their Best, we have a responsibility to promote positive, achievable, inclusive and healthy versions of what it means to be a man."

Earlier dealt Gillette, good razor to restore, and to convince the customer of the need for an extra blade to spend more money to bring the customer to define their manhood.