Gillette looks to challenge toxic masculinity and boost the confidence of boys and men through this clever play on its ever-famous “The Best a Man Can Get” slogan.
The Best a Man Can Be takes aim at unhealthy behaviors in young men, from a lack of emotional intelligence to peer pressure, and it is this powerful message that makes this ad great. The Gillette commercial is just part of the company’s larger campaign, which works to help young men through strong role models and giving to community organizations — helping boys grow into strong, compassionate men.
“For more than 120 years, Gillette has been helping men look, feel, and be their best at every age and life stage.” But with this ad campaign, Gillette looks to dig deeper than their “the best a man can get” slogan.
In addition to powerful ads, Gillette has become a leading partner of the Global Boyhood Initiative, which, established by the Kering Foundation and Equimundo, works to support curriculum and resource development to encourage boys to be “healthy, emotionally connected, and nonviolent.”
This ad campaign was the source of some recent controversy. Many saw the ad as an attack on men and masculinity, rather than an opportunity to celebrate men and improve their overall health and well-being.
However, this controversy only helped the campaign, as it began to circulate on news networks and social media sites, garnering attention well beyond its ad spend.
Purpose gives this ad power
Not only does the social good of the ad give it power, so does the controversy and conversations it has started.
The company aims to help boys and men feel comfortable and confident expressing themselves. Bottled-up emotion can lead to a variety of personal and societal issues and by encouraging emotional intelligence in men, the ad campaign works to put the brand’s values into action. Gillette’s purpose-based advertising shows brand value in an engaging and meaningful way.
The Best a Man Can Be looks to encourage boys to:
- Share their emotions
- Speak up for others
- Pursue their ambitions
- Take pride in their physical appearance
The company is working to do this through programs that help boys and young men to engage with strong role models in their communities.
“The best a man can get” slogan rebranded
By playing off of its long-time, well-known slogan Gillette cleverly grabs attention and gets its audience thinking. Slogans, in general, are effective because of how easily they are remembered by viewers, so by re-iterating an already famous slogan, the company has ensured that their new ad campaign will live inside the minds of its audience members.
Nostalgic imagery evokes emotion
The images used in this ad campaign work to tug at the heartstrings and grab attention through an emotional call to action. From children learning to shave for the first time from their father to young boys failing to stop bullying due to peer pressure – this ad shows moments in a young man’s life that viewers are sure to relate to.
By drawing upon emotion, this ad campaign effectively draws attention to the social issues it is trying to address – issues viewers know too well.
Awareness advertising at its finest
The Best a Man Can Be beautifully celebrates Gillette’s brand values and draws attention to the brand as a caring, compassionate, and effective brand that puts its patrons first.
This campaign is an incredibly impactful part of the customer journey, drawing in new customers that might otherwise have heard of Gillette, but not considered them. This ad shows the company as a socially responsible organization. The effective communication of brand values makes it clear why this ad campaign is so successful.
Journey Advertising is a fantastic way to draw in new customers and ensure strong communication until the point of purchase (and beyond). This ad effectively creates brand awareness, getting the attention of new customers, but it goes beyond that. This ad also works to reaffirm to existing customers that they’ve made a good choice, working to build long-term brand loyalty.
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