Social media consumed itself battling over whether Gillette’s “We Believe” ad (nearly 10.7 million YouTube views since Monday, and counting) was a positive message or insulting, a reason to buy Gillette or #BoycottGillette. But I asked the marketing pros who subscribe to this newsletter whether Gillette had done something good for its brand and sales.
Jenn Morgan of Radically Distinct in Seattle said: “Gillette helped its brand by making it relevant in society, and at the same time, clarifying who their customer base is. Three men under the age of 35 brought up the ad to me yesterday.”
Anthony Koschmann of Eastern Michigan University wote: “Consumers have longer memories than most marketers give them credit for. Amid a growing trend of ‘politicizing the brand,’ it’s only going to work if the politics were already part of the brand’s DNA. At some point, a name brand is going to take politics too far, alienate its core customers, and kill the brand. It’s going to get worse before it gets better.”
Cristina Martin at Saatchi & Saatchi Wellness in New York said: “This ad celebrates men who stand up, not only for women but for other men too, demonstrating that both men and women are victimized. That said, I believe sales will remain unchanged, as this is just one more stunt that will blow over once your razor cartridge runs out.”
Matt Baker at Deutsch New York wrote: “Advertising is a ‘weak’ force. But like water on rock, in the long term a powerful force. What years of research has shown us is that it’s very hard to truly alienate existing customers—they might not love change, but they rarely leave. These vocal folk on social media are a tiny fraction, often themselves part of the echo chamber effect. Most people won’t care, but what Gillette might be doing is setting an agenda of inclusion that can begin to open up the brand to new audiences that until now have been looking to category disruptors rather than the category giant.”
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