By Michelle Malkin
Wednesday, January 16, 2019
One of the world’s most successful brands committed
ideological hara-kiri this week. Recognized around the world as a symbol of
manly civility for more than a century, Gillette will now be remembered as the
company that did itself in by sacrificing a massive consumer base at the altar
of progressivism.
To which I say: R.I.P.-C. (Rest in Political
Correctness).
In case you hadn’t seen or heard: Parent company Procter
& Gamble launched a Gillette ad campaign blanket-demonizing men as ogres
and bullies. Guilt-ridden actors gaze ruefully at their reflections in the
mirror — not because they’ve neglected their hygiene, but simply because
they’re men. Various scenarios of boys being boors and males being monsters
flash across the screen before woke interlocutors show how “real” men behave in
nonaggressive, conciliatory, and apologetic ways.
At home and at work, in the boardroom, on the playground,
and even while barbecuing in the backyard, Gillette sees nothing but
testosterone-driven trouble. Message: Y chromosomes are toxic. The “best a man
can get” can no longer be attained without first renouncing oppressive
manliness.
Self-improvement must begin with self-flagellation.
A Gillette company statement explained that after “taking
a hard look at our past” and “reflecting on the types of men and behaviors we want
to celebrate,” officials decided to “actively challenge the stereotypes and
expectations of what it means to be a man everywhere you see Gillette.”
But Proctor & Gamble, which bought Gillette in 2005
for $57 billion, doesn’t spell out which part exactly of the 118-year-old
company’s past it now rejects. Was it founder King Gillette, the relentless
entrepreneur who appealed to “red-blooded” young American soldiers? Was it the
decades of multimillion-dollar promotional campaigns catering to physically
superior athletes?
Or perhaps the mau-mauing marketers have adopted the
radical-feminist position that shaving itself is sexist. Is the ultimate goal
to undermine the very raison d’être of the $15 billion shave-care industry?
I ask only half in jest. How else to explain this latest
suicidal episode of collective consumer-shaming? Gillette’s two-minute,
man-bashing missive may have racked up 7 million views on YouTube, but the
“dislikes” outnumber “likes” by 4 to 1.
And the reviews are brutal:
“How to destroy your company in 1 minute 48 seconds.”
“Companies attempting to make profit should stick to
that.”
“The single male is the most attacked maligned ridiculed
and forgotten person in today’s society.”
“You can buy High Quality Razors that are NOT Gillette at
the 99 Cents Store with NO lecturing on how to be a Man.”
“I’ll buy P&G products again when I see them release
an equivalent ad targeting negative female traits: toxic femininity/paternity
fraud/fake accusations . . . doubt that’s going to happen any time soon!”
“So now Gillette thinks that it is the arbiter of what
all men should think, say, and watch. Screw Gillette, bought their products for
almost 50 years, I will never buy another Gillette product. NEVER!!!”
“Thank you Gillette, I purchased your razors and chopped
off my testicles with it. No more toxic masculinity!”
Ouch.
You may remember that P&G, which I unfondly refer to
Protest & Grumble, has dipped its sanctimonious toe into social-justice
waters before. In 2017, the company tackled identity politics with a video
called “The Talk.” The preachy ad stoked fear and hatred of police and
perpetuated racial stereotypes of officers lurking around every corner waiting
to pounce on innocent black children and teenagers — alienating law-enforcement
families across the country and insulting every minority cop to boot.
The backlash against that ad apparently didn’t faze
Protest & Grumble’s activist zealots. Once again, industry marketers are
proving they’re not satisfied with selling useful products people want and
need. No, they’re hell-bent on exploiting successful businesses to cram odious
politics down consumers’ throats.
Like many Silicon Valley giants (hello, Facebook and
Twitter) and SJW-hijacked sports enterprises (hello, NFL and ESPN), Gillette is
now openly discriminating against its consumers-turned-critics to curry
political favor with the Me Too movement. Savvy social-media observers caught
the company throttling negative comments and dislikes on its YouTube video.
They can manipulate likes and deplatform dissenters. But they won’t be able to
disguise the bloodletting effect of toxic sanctimony on their bottom line.
Falling on your virtue-signaling blade may win you awards
and headlines, but ultimately, it’s a fatal proposition.
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