Gillette Asks How We Define Masculinity in the #MeToo Era as ‘The Best a Man Can Get’ Turns 30

Now, the task of communicating a brand’s message is far more complicated, as is evident in Gillette’s latest attempt to explore what its now-iconic slogan means today.

“We Believe,” created by AOR Grey New York, turns the classic statement into a question: Is this the best that we, as men, can be? Its answer is a somewhat hopeful “no, but …”

The 90-second spot touches on a series of issues bedeviling men of all ages today like real and virtual bullying, sexual harassment and misogyny, and the persistence of gender imbalance in corporate America.

Ultimately, the ad posits, this all comes down to how men see themselves.

Many men are locked in a catch-22 as they attempt to be the best they can be while still satisfying society’s ever-shifting but restrictively narrow definitions of masculinity.

“Gillette believes in the best in men,” said Gary Coombe, president, P&G Global Grooming, in a statement. “By holding each other accountable, eliminating excuses for bad behavior and supporting a new generation working toward their personal ‘best,’ we can help create positive change that will matter for years to come.”

In a series of surveys preceding the work, P&G and the research division of Omnicom PR firm Ketchum found that men and women in the United States believed the following four attributes define a “great man”: honesty, moral integrity, hard work and respect of others.

Participants listed the most popular things men could do to be considered “great” as being a good father, setting a good example and taking unprompted action to help those in need.

Gillette promised to donate $1 million per year over the next three years to U.S. nonprofits that share its mission of helping men be their best; the first such organization is the Boys and Girls Clubs of America.

It’s a small sum, but it’s a start.

The ad was notably directed by U.K.-based Kim Gehrig, whose recent work includes Sport England’s acclaimed “This Girl Can” series and “Viva La Vulva,” a female empowerment anthem for Swedish brand Libresse that was one of Adweek’s favorite spots of 2018.

CREDITS

Agency: Grey New York
Client: Gillette
Campaign: “We Believe”

Worldwide Chief Creative Officer: John Patroulis
Deputy Chief Creative Officer: Jeff Stamp
Executive Creative Director: Joe Mongognia
Group Creative Director: Asan Aslam
Creative Director: Patrick Conlon
Planning Director: Kristian Henschel
EVP, Global Account Director: Brian Weston
SVP, Global Account Director: Marie Massat
VP, Global Account Director: Robert Chedid
Account Supervisor: Julie Ressler
Account Executive: Lindsay Auerbach
Project Manager: Joey Scarillo

Executive Production: Townhouse
VP, Executive Producer: Katy Hill
VP, Integrated Producer: Rondell Wescott
Music Producer: Kurt Steinke
Casting Supervision: Nina Pratt
Talent Manager: Alice Lambrides
Business Manager: Suzanne Voss

Production Company (location): somesuch
Director: Kim Gherig
Director of Photography: Adam Arkapaw
Executive Producer: Nicky Barnes
Line Producer: Saul Germaine

Editorial: Cosmo Street
Editors: Joshua Berger + Tom Lindsay
Head of Production: Anne Lai
Executive Producer: Maura Woodward

VFX, Picture Finishing, and Telecine: Moving Picture Company (MPC)
VFX Supervisor: Thiago Porto
Colorist: Mark Gethin
Creative Director: Alvin Cruz
Flame Artists: Joey Deady + John Shafto
2D Lead: Rob Ufer
Executive Producer: Matthew Loranger
Color Executive Producer: Meghan Lang
VFX Producer: Aiste Akelaityte
Color Producer: Rebecca Boorsma

Sound Design: Heard City
Sound Engineer: Keith Reynaud
Asst Sound Engineer: Tom Morris
Executive Producer: Gloria Pitagorsky

Music: Future Perfect Music
Composer/Artist: John Connolly, Adam Hochstatter, Ben Pacheco
Arranger: Victor Magro
Song title: “Reach Out”
Executive Producer: Maxwell Gosling