Third quarter earnings are being release. Procter and Gamble reported Tuesday that it wrote down the value of its Gillette brand by $8 billion dollars. Before showing the ad that played a part in this write down, I want to define the word advertising (via Wikipedia):
Advertising is a marketing communication that employs an openly sponsored, non-personal message to promote or sell a product, service or idea. Sponsors of advertising are typically businesses wishing to promote their products or services.
The point of advertising is to sell more products. It is not to virtue signal to people who do not use your products. It is not to alienate your customers with ideological driven dribble. With this background you are ready to see ‘what not to do’ when advertising.
First, children do not shave. Why the ad talks about children bullying is beyond me.
Second, young teens that begin to shave have only one thing on their mind. This was true from the beginning of mankind. It will be true when the sun burns out. With small exceptions, men are biologicly hard wired to desire beautiful women. This reality transcends race, ideology, culture, geography, economic class, etc.
The video has 31 million views. It has twice as many dislikes than likes. The comments section is about 90% negative. It is being called the “8 billion dollar write down”. Gillette posted this advertisement at a time when it is facing new and fierce competition from startup subscription clubs like Dollar Shave Club and Harry’s.
I do not own shares of Procter and Gamble. If I did, I would sell immediately. Management cares more about virtue signaling than the share holders. As far as I know, not a signal person has been fired over this blunder.
As a side note, the ad implies wolf whistling is bad behavior. Wolf whistling is a lighthearted way for a man to get a women’s attention. It almost never works. Men who do it are out of ideas.