Pantene Ad Tackles Sexist Workplace Stereotypes

  • 10 years ago
As a manufacturer of hair care products, Pantene Philippines just released a controversial ad as part of their #WhipIt marketing campaign to encourage discussion of the various perceptions surrounding gender stereotypes.

Gender stereotypes can be confusing since everyone has their own take on the subject, and individual experiences vary based on environment and culture. As a manufacturer of hair care products, Pantene Philippines just released a controversial ad as part of their #WhipIt marketing campaign to encourage discussion of the various perceptions surrounding gender stereotypes.

The ad features men and women in the same series of work situations but with different words applied to each gender. For example, the word “boss” appears next to a man giving direction while “bossy” appears next to the woman giving direction. With more than 1.7 million hits on YouTube and counting, the ad concludes with the words “Don’t let labels hold you back. Be strong and shine.”

Aside from the generally positive response, some criticize the ad as perpetuating and capitalizing on these stereotypes with thin, beautiful models to sell more of their product.

What do you think of Pantene’s ad?

Recommended