Furious people are destroying their razors after watching Gillette's ad - but it gave the company a crucial advantage over some of its biggest competitors
- On Monday, Gillette released a new commercial called "We Believe," showing men and boys bullying each other and engaging in sexual harassment. The #MeToo-inspired commercial encourages men to "say the right thing" and "act the right way."
- Angry consumers are threatening to boycott the brand over its new ad. Some are even throwing away their razors in protest and posting about it on social media.
- Despite this, a recent survey by Morning Consult showed that the backlash may be overblown. The majority of the customers surveyed had a better opinion of the brand because of the ad.
Social media has lit up with debate over Gillette's new ad telling men to stand up against toxic masculinity in the era of #MeToo.
Some consumers have taken to social media to threaten to boycott the brand, posting photos and videos of themselves discarding Gillette razors in protest and threatening to shop at rival razor brands such as Harry's and Dollar Shave Club, which are already chipping away at Gillette's business.
However, a recent survey found that it's possible this backlash has not only been overstated, but that the ad is actually having a positive impact on Gillette's image.
Read more: People are trashing their razors to protest Gillette's controversial ad about toxic masculinity
A survey of 2,020 adults done by Morning Consult and released on Thursday showed that the majority - 61% - of those surveyed had a positive opinion of the ad. Moreover, of the consumers who said that they use products from rival brands, 56% said they would be more likely to buy from Gillette after watching the ad.
Gillette had been the longtime market leader for razors until buzzy new startups such as Harry's and Dollar Shave Club arrived on the scene.
Harry's, the affordable direct-to-consumer service, immediately became a hit with millennials. In early 2018, it raised $112 million in funding to expand its business beyond men's grooming, bringing its total funding to $375 million.
Dollar Shave Club, which offers a similar subscription service, was bought by Unilever for $1 billion in 2016, which was one of the most expensive purchases ever for an e-commerce company.