Sexist anti-male ad campaign by Gillette can potentially promote male suicides

Proctor and Gamble owned brand Gillette, the premium product company offering men’s shaving ranges has been running a sexist anti-male ad campaign trying to bank on the existing misandry (social hatred against men) in the society with a view to make hay while sun shines.

Little do they realize the fact that such campaigns only dampen their social image and turn men – their real customers – off and they must refrain from designing such campaigns?

Here is a video of their ad

Synopsis of the ad:

1. Men must take up the role of a soldier in order to respect women.
2. A nation prospers only when it respects its women.

Press Release: AIMWA files complaint with ASCI against Gillette’s W.A.L.S. campaign

PRESS RELEASE

Sub: AIMWA files complaint with ASCI against Gillette’s W.A.L.S. campaign

All India Men’s Welfare Association (AIMWA) is the first ever organization formed to protect the rights and interests of men and to fight against all kinds of discrimination against men and boys in all arenas – social, legal, economic, etc.

AIMWA has launched a massive online protest against the “Women against Lazy Stubble (W.A.L.S.)” campaign started by the Gillette brand of Procter and Gamble India Ltd. (P&G) wherein P&G openly declared the campaign as “Women on the warpath” and has called men, who sport stubble or prefer to remain unshaven, as lazy in order to boost their sales of products of the shaving range.

Reader’s Response to Bindass Poll on Gillette’s Campaing W.A.L.S.

Original Comments.

Translated Version:-

In continuation with the article, Navbharat Times conducted a poll asking, “Whether sporting stubble is a sign of laziness or a fashion statement? They got a lot of answers. Some selected ones are printed here –

Shaving is not a sign of Laziness, but a matter of fashion

• This ad is completely gender biased. They are doing this for their own profits. These kinds of promotion techniques are shameful for any company – Swarup.
• According to me, it is wrong to say that men do not shave due to laziness. Ordinarily, men professionals shave as per the code and conduct of their service, but men in middle and lower positions are very busy in their work and household chores and do not get time to shave. Hence, lack of time is the reason for not shaving. In a modern society, shaving is a part of fashion only as a man can do anything to look like a hero – Dr. O. P. Sharma.
• I think stubble is a matter of fashion and not laziness. Gillette should apologize for their statement – Neena Dhulia.

Whether I shave or not….My Wish

Written By: – Poonam Pandey

New Delhi: Boys…have you shaved? If not, then you might just be tagged as lazy. At least those women can do so who are listening to Bollywood actresses Mugdha Godse, Neha Dhupia and Minisha Lamba. In a new ad campaign started by Gillette, the multinational brand of safety razors, these beauties are appealing to women to encourage their men to shave and also that those men who do not shave daily are lazy.

This ad campaign has hit many a men and they have started a crusade against it. An organization by the name of All India Men Welfare Association (AIMWA), has started a protest against this ad campaign, terming it anti-male, not only in India but in the US as well. They have demanded an apology from the multinational and if no response is received in the next 4-5 days, then AIMWA will make complaints to the ministry of Information and Broadcasting and other appropriate forums.

Gillette is breaking families

A Hyderabad-based women’s NGO joins hands with its male counterparts against the Shave India Campaign

Written by Anshuman G Dutta

Bollywood hotties Mugdha Godse, Neha Dhupia and Minissha Lamba are urging women to encourage their men to get rid of facial hair. But, here’s good news for those men fed up with “derogatory” advertisements prodding them to shave. The fairer sex supports the stubble too.

After men-only NGOs raised their voice against the new campaign of Gillette, a multi-national brand of safety razors, which has launched a tirade against facial hair, a Hyderabad-based NGO, All India Forgotten Women’s Association (AIFWA), has also join hands with its male counterparts.

Gillette, a brand owned by Procter and Gamble (P&G), launched a Women Against Lazy Stubble (WALS) advertisement featuring Bollywood hotties urging women to encourage their men to get rid of facial hair. Men grow stubble just out of their laziness, the campaign said.

According to the NGO, the advertisement is derogatory and has the tendency to create family disharmony.

An MNC can’t Make fun of masculinity

An ad campaign that prods men to shave has made members of a men-only NGO pull at their hair

‘Mooch nahi to kuch nahi’. Indian men, traditionally, grow up believing moustache is the most potent symbol of masculinity. In fact, shaving off the moustache is considered inauspicious even by Hindus, especially in north India.

However, a new campaign by a multi-national brand of safety razors has launched a tirade against facial hair that “communicates a heroic image of the independent, willing and able to do manly things”.

Roger Federer

Rahul Dravid

Tiger Woods

Men stand up for their stubbly chins

New Delhi: Wearing a beard or staying clean shaven is a man’s prerogative. But a new campaign by Gillette is making some men feel this “fundamental” right is being violated. Thousands of men have ganged up against the latest Gillette campaign — Shave India Movement, Women against Lazy Stubble — terming it mental harassment. Some of them have lodged a protest with the Advertising Standards Council of India (ASCI). They have also called for a boycott of all Gillette products to “discourage” companies from creating campaigns that “spread hatred among genders” and “hurt religious sentiments.”

“In the Gillette campaign, men who do not shave or those who wear stubble are shown to be lazy, so their women have every right to detest and demean them,” said Mumbai-based PR Gokul of the All India Men’s Welfare Association (AIMWA). “Gillette also tags this campaign as women on the warpath. We feel it portrays men negatively and tries to curb their choices” said Mumbai-based PR Gokul of the All India Men’s Welfare Association.

AIMWA Announces December 7 as the National Stubble Day

PRESS RELEASE

Sub: Announcing December 7 as the National Stubble Day

About AIMWA:

All India Men’s Welfare Association (AIMWA) is the first ever organization formed in India to fight against all kinds of discrimination against men and boys. AIMWA was launched in Hyderabad on 11^th October 2009 and has expanded to Bangalore and Chennai within two months of its launch with around 1000 members.

Background:

Gillette, the manufacturer of branded shaving products for men has come up with the idea of “Women against Lazy Stubble” wherein men not shaving, or men sporting stubble have been tagged as “lazy” and their women have every right to detest and demean them. And Gillette also tags this campaign as “Women on the warpath”. This ad campaign was launched on November 7, 2009 and includes campaigns on various media channels as well.

Objections: