Trending for a Reason: Gillette Goes Viral
If you haven’t seen Gillette’s newest commercial “The Best Men Can Be” then you are missing Gillette’s view new take on male role modeling. This commercial is definitely getting people talking and there is a lot of controversy about whether the ad is modeling good behavior in men or simply attacking their masculinity. The ad talks about bullying, cyber bullying and sexual harassment by men but also shows men standing up for one another. So, what is your view on this ad?
What Makes a Man Masculine Anyways?
Many men are raised to believe that being tough is about showing strong masculinity. This is partially true; however, Gillette’s commercial displays a different view of masculinity. Men can still be tough, have strong masculinity AND model good behavior. Standing up for what is right and being at your best can exhibit the strength of a man’s character while still sustaining his masculinity. This ad simply shows men modeling bad behavior as well as men modeling good behavior, and I think the message here is that we need to see more of the latter. Being a mom of two boys, I can say the scenes with the mothers hugging their boys hit home with me. It’s a mom’s gut instinct to always protect her children, and I know I am not alone when I say that bullying is out of control. The man in the video helping that child being bullied is what all of us should be doing, man or woman. However, Gillette does make razors for both men and women, and if they wanted to settle the score with the perceived attack on masculinity then they could have made the ad modeling good behavior in both genders. But, with that being said, it wouldn’t have made such an impact nor would it have gone viral. The ad was intentional, controversial and impactful.
See the Good in All Things
If you ask me, I think that we see enough bullying, sexual harassment and overall bad behavior in the news and not just from men. Getting a little reminder that it is okay to stand up for the underdog and that it’s okay to model good behavior should be seen a little more often. I have two boys that I would gladly show this video. It displays the overall goodness of men’s values and character and is what I try to instill in them every day. Gillette’s commercial gets a five-star review from me. It covers many controversial topics and provides an insight on how some problems can be resolved all while preserving a man’s masculinity, but that’s just my take on this commercial. Any commercial that sparks this much conversation is a win in my book.
