Advertising & Social Change Article by: Anna Wood Advertising has long been a vehicle for social change, from the age of Rosie the Riveter to today. Gillette released an advertisement in January of 2019 that focused on the slogan ‘The Best a Man Can Get.’ This slogan has been used by Gillette for over 30 years to attest to the quality of their razors, but this campaign aimed to redefine that slogan to mean something else: the best men can be. Gillette’s attempt to tackle the issue of toxic masculinity through examples of men holding other men accountable and teaching young boys how to be emotionally vulnerable did not go unnoticed, though it was met with mixed reception from the public. Although the Gillette was lauded with much praise, a significant number of people criticized this advertisement because they understood the message to be that men should not be masculine or enjoy ‘manly’ things. However, if refraining from catcalling women, getting into fistfights, or bullying peers is considered to be “an attack on masculinity,” it seems that that is the root of the issue in itself and the advertisement was successful in highlighting that.
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While Gillette focused on a specific issue, Pepsi’s April 2017 advertisement with Kendall Jenner did not seem to stand for anything at all. It began with a diverse group of people moving from their jobs to the streets, and ended with Jenner
Graphic by: Schuyler Hample leaving the set of her photo shoot to join the crowds and solve the conflict by handing the police a can of Pepsi—all with no easily identifiable purpose. Rather, it seemed to simply portray generic social justice. This ad quickly accumulated a significant amount of backlash, and Pepsi eventually pulled it. Many viewers rejected the implication that the simple exchange of a can of soda can bridge the gap between the police and protesters, because police brutality has been a serious issue in the United States, leading to the deaths of many black men. There was also strong sentiment that this advertisement minimizes and mocks the struggles that people who are actually in the front lines of social movements face. The response to these kinds of advertisements often raises questions about what kinds of companies can make politically charged statements. By analyzing these situations and the responses, one can tell that it is not necessarily the brand, but rather how it chooses to spread the message that determines the audience’s reactions. In addition, the position that the company already holds in the market is important to consider. As long as companies continue to make political statements with their advertising platforms, there will be support and there will be resistance.