Gillette has a new take on 'Best a Man Can Get' in ad that invokes #MeToo

New campaign comes 30 years after tagline was introduced on Super Bowl

Published On
Jan 14, 2019

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Gillette has a new take on "The Best a Man Can Get" in a campaign from Grey that tackles bullying, sexism and #MeToo, laying responsibility on men to be better.

"Is this the best a man can get?" a voiceover asks with an ironic tone as a gang of bullies chases a victim through a screen showing a vintage ad for the razor brand. The new work marks the 30th anniversary of the tagline, originally introduced in the 1989 Super Bowl ad depicted.

"Men need to hold other men accountable," says Terry Crews, a sexual assault victim and former pitchman for Gillette's Procter & Gamble Co. sibling Old Spice in testimony before Congress used in the long-form video. That's essentially the message of the "We Believe" ad, which introduces a new variant of the tagline "The Best Men Can Be." Short form 30- and 6-second versions will also begin running online Monday.

The ads dovetail with launch of TheBestMenCanBe.org, a new brand site that will provide more detail about Gillette's new stance, which will be backed by a commitment to donate at least $1 million annually the next three years to organizations designed to help men of all ages "achieve their personal best," according to the brand. Boys & Girls Clubs of America is the initial recipient.

Director of the spot is Kim Gehrig, who was selected via P&G's partnership with Free the Bid, a program that launched in 2016 that aims to get more female directors on ads. P&G began getting involed with the effort last year.

Gillette's is the latest in a series of new work ads for men's personal-care brands over the past year or so taking an evolved outlook on masculinity, ranging from Combe's Just For Men to competitors such as Unilever's Axe and Edgewell Personal Care's Schick.