Gillette’s Bold Rebrand: “The Best Men Can Be” Campaign

Introduction

Let’s get back to a day in 2019, the exact date being January 13, a day that the internet was about to explode. It was not from a celebrity scandal or any political drama, but from a razor commercial that brought up a simple yet profound question: “Is this the best a man can get?” Gillette’s campaign revolutionized the advertising move just like that.

Their new campaign, “The Best Men Can Be,” did not just have selling the razors in mind. It, in fact, was challenging an entire culture’s understanding of the idea of being a man. They created a fresh perspective to the idea and to their brand as well. What happened next became one of the most polarizing marketing moments of all times. Here is an extensive case study of Gillette’s campaign. Let’s explore how a century-old razor company dared to take a risk with bigger objectives than profit and what anyone from the marketing field can take away from this.

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Campaign Background & Context

Gillette had found its place in men’s grooming ever since it came with the tagline, “ The Best a Man Can Get” in 1989. It started cultural debates and discussions around the idea of masculinity. With a shift in thought and the social environment, Gillette recognized the need to modernize its brand promise, with young adults like Millennials (and Gen Z) as the target audience.

It is in 2019 that the brand came up with a new approach to their marketing. Factors like the #MeToo movement and generational transformations that were happening around pushed them to do so. The #MeToo movement that started in 2017 has played a great part in changing discussions about masculinity and power stressing more on taking responsibility. The traditional masculine behaviours were sabotaged giving way to a scrutinized approach. Millennials and Gen Z consumers weren’t just buying products, they were buying from brands that shared their ideals. Research shows that about 73% of millennials were willing to pay more for sustainable products and socially responsible brands.

There were active conversations around toxic masculinity with high-profile cases taking over the headlines. Society was getting ready for a transformed ideology about manhood. In this scenario, Gillette made a critical choice between evolving or remaining irrelevant.

Campaign Objectives & Strategic Insight

Gillette’s leadership team, with the brand director Pankaj Bhalla as the head, came up with a very calculated and bold decision. They decided to leverage their cultural authority around masculinity to lead a conversation about positive male behaviour. This became their core objective. 

Primary Objectives:

   Cultural Leadership: The rebrand positions Gillette as a thought leader in modern discussions about masculinity.

   Demographic Expansion: It helps connect authentically with younger consumers who expected brands to take stands on social issues.

   Brand Differentiation: It moves beyond product features to emotional and value-based positioning.

   Long-term Relevance: It ensures that Gillette remains culturally significant in an era of rapid social change.

The Strategic Insight

The campaign was built on a crucial consumer insight discovered through extensive research. There were many men who couldn’t relate to the stereotypical masculine behaviours and were actively seeking a different standard of masculinity.

An extensive internal research showed that about 61% of men felt that traditional masculine stereotypes were outdated as well as limiting. More importantly, among the crucial category aged between 18 and 34, 79.6% of viewers responded positively to progressive messages about masculinity.

The Financial Commitment

To prove this was not just a marketing strategy, Gillette pledged about $1 million on an annual basis for three years to non-profit organizations. They aimed at helping men and boys become role models, which signalled real investment beyond marketing strategies.

It stands as a bold stand of activism with accountability and not just advertising. Strategically, the campaign had digitally and value-based updated consumers who think less of traditional representations in advertisements. Gillette, thus, committed to align itself with progressive ideals and have a firm hold in a rapidly evolving market.

Creative Execution & Messaging

A creative approach to conveying the message makes the campaign all too appealing. The video, “We Believe: The Best Men Can Be” that went viral was at the heart of the campaign. There were no plans for action sequences for the advertisement as is the standard way. Instead, viewers saw moments of men being accountable like men stepping in to stop harassment, fathers guiding their sons toward kindness and respect. The message that ended with is “It’s only by challenging ourselves to do more that we can get closer to our best.”

They made sure that the content is authentic and raw. Beyond the screen, Gillette extended its commitment by launching real partnerships with organizations that help boys and men become better role models.

The Dream Team

In addition to unveiling the new phase of advertisement, Gillette assembled an all-star creative team to bring their vision to life. This actually 

• Director: Kim Gehrig, the acclaimed filmmaker behind Nike’s “Dream Crazy” and Sport England’s “This Girl Can”
• Agency: Grey New York, Gillette’s long-time creative partner
• Production: Somesuch, known for ground-breaking social issue campaigns

The Creative Masterpiece

The main content at hand was a 1-minute, 48-second film that would become one of the most watched and analyzed advertisements in history. Here’s how they did it:

First of all, the ad film opened with a powerful subversion of Gillette’s own tagline: “Is this the best a man can get? Is it?”

Problem Identification: A montage of troubling scenes:

• Boys bullying each other while adults dismiss it as “boys will be boys”
• Men catcalling women on the street
• Sexual harassment in professional settings
• Mansplaining and interrupting women
• Media coverage of the #MeToo movement

Solution Showcase: Positive examples of men:

• Intervening to stop bullying
• Calling out inappropriate behavior
• Mentoring young boys to be respectful
• Demonstrating emotional intelligence and empathy

Call to Action: The message that “the boys watching today will be the men of tomorrow” and that men must actively choose to be better.

Revolutionary Approach: Unlike the razor ads that came before, there were no shots with prime focus on the product at all. Neither were there any slow-motion scenes of men shaving, or the gleaming razors. Instead, there was just natural and unfiltered social commentary.

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Public Response & Controversy

The acceptance of such a revolutionary step in ad film making should also be analyzed in detail. Along the line of reception, there is a strict space where it was not totally appreciated as well. Here is an extensive exploration of the reception:

The Digital Explosion

The response was immediate as well as intense. It was something polarizing beyond Gillette’s speculations and anticipation. In the first 24 hours, there were 1.1 million social media mentions which is about 214% increase from the previous day. On YouTube, there was a hike in the views, it came up to 4+ million. Above all, #TheBestMenCanBe hashtag was used 187,400 times, which marked the digital revolution. 

After the first week, the ad hit  1.5 million total social media mentions, which shows how people have taken over the ad’s message and their social commitment. YouTube views went up to 32+ million. In addition to all this, there were about 28 million views on Twitter. 

The Backlash Tsunami

When it comes to the negative reaction, it can be commented to be somewhat swift as well as fierce. YouTube metrics tell the story. Like-to-dislike ratio was approximately 1 to 3. Within no time, the ad became the most disliked videos on YouTube. The comments section was flooded with negative remarks, rage and threats of boycott.

When it comes to the other social media platforms, here is a breakdown of the sentiment:
As per BrandTotal’s analysis there came about,

63% negative sentiment

 29% neutral sentiment

 8% positive sentiment

The Boycott Movement:  

#BoycottGillette went trending across various platforms.  Thousands posted videos of themselves throwing away Gillette products. Conservative commentators like Candace Owens called it “cultural Marxism”. Piers Morgan accused Gillette of waging “war against masculinity”.

The Support Wave

The campaign surely received significant praise from the remaining active consumers of both the product and largely the advertisement.

Celebrity Endorsements:

Bernice King (daughter of Martin Luther King Jr.) praised the message.

Terry Crews defended the campaign on The View.

Multiple celebrities shared positive reactions across social platforms.

Demographic Insights:
The response varied dramatically by age and gender:

• Millennials and Gen Z: Significantly more positive.
• Women: 51% of targeted audience, largely supportive.
• Older males: Most negative reactions.

Industry Recognition:
Marketing experts were divided, but many praised Gillette’s courage. Scott Galloway of NYU Stern called it “authentic brand activism” that would pay long-term dividends.

Brand Positioning & Purpose

Gillette’s campaign represented a revolutionary shift in brand positioning that marked the transformation. Their focus shifted from product to purpose. 

Old positioning: Best razor for best performance.

New positioning: Best brand for best men.

Another key shift happened from features to values.

Old messaging: Superior shaving technology.

New messaging: Superior masculine values.

Initially the target audience was addressed individually and now they referred to collective sensibility.

Old focus: Individual grooming success.

New focus: Collective social responsibility.

The Continued Evolution

Gillette proved this not to be a one-off stunt with campaigns to follow up. Instead, it came up with a motive to break the stereotypes and touch upon the young minds. They made inclusivity their trademark.

“First Shave” of 2019 featured transgender teen Samson Bonkeabantu Brown in his first shaving experience. This landed them on winning a Cannes Glass Lion for inclusion.

The Indian version of “Shaving Stereotypes” showcased female barbers challenging gender employment norms. This landed them a Silver Lion at Cannes.

These campaigns demonstrated Gillette’s original and genuine commitment to progressive masculinity that works beyond the initial moment of going viral.

Results & KPIs

While the widespread boycott threats remained, Gillette’s financial performance also went surprisingly up.

Sales Stability:

P&G CFO Jon Moeller reported sales were “in-line with pre-campaign levels”.

Gillette Shave Club subscription service continued growing and adding new subscribers.

P&G’s grooming segment saw 4% organic growth in Q2 2019.

Market Performance:

Stock price remained stable throughout the controversy.

Brand maintained market leadership despite competitive pressure.

Engagement Success: Beyond the Backlash

The campaign achieved unprecedented engagement metrics:

YouTube Performance:

• 32+ million views across all platforms.
•  2.5x engagement rate after three days (1.5x higher than platform average).
• Significantly outperformed Nike’s Kaepernick ad in pure engagement numbers.

Social Media Dominance:

• 1.5 million mentions in the first week.
• Generated more online discussion than any Gillette campaign in history.
• Earned media value estimated at $163 million.

Target Audience Achievement

The significant impact can be noted to be Gillette’s achievement of its primary objective with younger consumers.

Demographic Success:
Jon Moeller confirmed: “Early results, when you look at the age-group specifics, both internally and externally, reflect that we’re accomplishing that objective” of connecting with younger consumer groups.

Values Alignment:
Post-campaign research showed 71% of viewers said they shared Gillette’s values after watching the ad.

Corporate Social Responsibility Impact

The $3 million commitment created reflected in the measurable social impact. Boys & Girls Clubs of America received initial funding for mentorship programmes. In addition to this, multiple non-profit organizations benefited from the three-year initiative that they signed up for. Most importantly, the brand established new industry standards for authentic corporate activism.

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Recognition & Industry Impact

The campaign’s impact extended far beyond commercial success:

Industry Recognition:

• WARC Effectiveness Awards: Recognized as an exemplary “Influential Ideas” campaign.
• Cannes Lions: Related Gillette campaigns won multiple Lions, including prestigious Glass Lions for diversity and inclusion.
• Academic Integration: Became mandatory case study in business schools worldwide.

Cultural Influence:

• Media Coverage: Generated extensive analysis in every major publication globally.
• Policy Discussions: Influenced corporate policies around masculinity and workplace behaviour.
• Research Papers: Spawned dozens of academic studies on brand activism.

Industry Standards Revolution

The campaign fundamentally transformed the advertising landscape. New benchmarks were laid for:

Purpose-Driven Marketing: Demonstrated how brands can authentically address social issues.

Risk Management: Showed how companies can weather intense backlash while maintaining integrity.

Authentic Activism: Set standards for genuine corporate social responsibility beyond surface messaging.

There builds a long-term legacy along the line of this advertisement strategy and social messaging. Marc Pritchard, P&G’s Chief Brand Officer, described it as “the spark that said: ‘We’re going to put a point of view out there and start a conversation'” at Cannes Lions 2019. The campaign is now studied globally as a significant moment in the evolution of brand activism.

Key Marketing Takeaways

The advertisement and filming techniques and content that revolutionized the advertising landscape can be looked at as a master class in bold marketing. Gillette’s campaign offers invaluable lessons for modern marketers:

1. Authenticity Syncs with Perfection

The $3 million non-profit commitment differentiated genuine activism from “purpose-washing.” Brands must back bold statements supported by real activities and sustained investment.

2. Know Your Audience 

Different demographics received and responded to Gillette dramatically in different ways. Success metrics must align with target audience priorities, not universal approval. Gillette succeeded with their core target (younger consumers) despite older male backlash.

3. Controversy Amplifies Reach

Polarizing content generates significantly more engagement than safe messaging. The campaign achieved 2.5 times more normal engagement rates and massive earned media coverage.

4. Leadership Backed by Organizational Courage

Taking stands on divisive issues requires unfailing commitment with leadership roles. CEO support and risk tolerance are crucial for dealing with intense criticism.

5. Value-Based Marketing Creates Loyalty

It is to be appreciated that sales remained stable despite boycotts. This suggests value-aligned consumers who compensate for lost customers. Purpose-driven ads and campaigns can create deeper customer relationships than product-focused messaging.

6. Short-term Pain Reaps Long-term Gain

Initial backlash, in fact, helped acquire industry recognition and in turn positive and successful business outcomes. Brand evolution often requires accepting temporary criticism for lasting cultural relevance.

7. Integration with Business Strategy

The campaign aligned with broader business needs. The social media involvement ensured reaching younger consumers who are the major target audience. This helped in establishing modernized brand identity. Purpose marketing works best when solving real business challenges.

Conclusion

Gillette’s “The Best Men Can Be” campaign stands as a benchmark for marketing revolution. In the corporate marketing scenario, it changed how brands can engage with social issues. This campaign proved that our marketplace can be hyperconnected and value-driven. Brands that stand for something impactful have the potential to create deeper and lasting cultural relevance.

Gillette didn’t just change their strategy or tagline. They changed the conversation about what brands can accomplish when they choose completely fresh and bold takes. They proved that with authentic social commitment with strategic courage and genuine purpose, companies can ensure profit as well as positive social change.

The ad film and campaign helped realize that consumers support brands that take stands on important issues. Gillette’s campaign, thus, serves as both inspiration as well as a marketing model to follow. The message is clearly delivered – the brands that will take over the market are those brave enough to challenge the stereotypes and choose a different path.