Thirty years after first introducing the tagline “The Best A Man Can Get,” Gillette says it has taken a fresh look at what it means to be “the best” and how to portray those ideals in a modern way. The result is a new marketing campaign, along with a recommittment to the tagline and a pledge to support non-profit organizations helping men of all ages be their personal best, said the Procter & Gamble brand.

The new marketing campaign and charitable program—described as “dedicated to celebrating the stories of men making a positive impact, and to inspire others in the process”  —features a short film called We Believe (see below). The film begins with a compilation of actions commonly associated with “toxic masculinity.” More importantly, according to P&G, it then showcases examples of how men can take actions large and small to create meaningful change for themselves, their loved ones, their peers and set the right example for the next generation of men.

 

 

There has been plenty of consumer feedback on YouTube and social media since it rolled out yesterday, with many addressing the “toxic masculinity" aspect, and connecting it to backlash from the #MeToo movement.

“Gillette believes in the best in men,” said Gary Coombe, president, P&G Global Grooming. “By holding each other accountable, eliminating excuses for bad behavior, and supporting a new generation working toward their personal ‘best,’ we can help create positive change that will matter for years to come.”
  
In addition to debuting the short film, Gillette is taking action by committing to donating $1 million per year for the next three years to non-profit organizations executing programs in the US designed to help men of all ages achieve their personal “best.” Through this commitment, the brand says it wants to both deliver and inspire more:

• Respect – Demonstrating respect and fostering inclusivity for all, including genders, races, religions and orientations.
• Accountability – Ending phrases like “Boys Will Be Boys” and eliminating the justification of bad behavior.
• Role Modeling - Inspiring men to help create a new standard for boys to admire. We want boys to see and admire traits like honesty, integrity, hard work, empathy and respect – words that people across the U.S. use when describing what a great man looks like.

“In our last decade of work on the theory of masculinity in modern America, we’ve sought to understand both the internal and external forces that shape men’s attitudes, beliefs and actions,” said Drs. William Seymour, Ramel Smith, and Hector Torres of the Building a Better Man Project. “We’re honored to partner with Gillette as they seek to champion causes that can make a positive impact on men and boys.”

The first partner in this effort is The Boys & Girls Clubs of America, according to P&G.

“As the world’s largest marketer to men, we knew that joining the dialogue on ‘Modern Manhood’ would mean changing how we think about and portray men at every turn,” said Coombe. “As a starting point, and effective immediately, Gillette will review all public-facing content against a set of defined standards meant to ensure we fully reflect the ideals of Respect, Accountability and Role Modeling in the ads we run, the images we publish to social media, the words we choose, and more. For us, the decision to publicly assert our beliefs while celebrating men who are doing things right was an easy choice that makes a difference.”