A different kind of campaign for Pantene Philippines came to our attention, pointing out some stereotypical reactions people have towards men and women with identical behavior in the workplace.
This spot belongs to BBDO Guerrero in Manila, and it demonstrates quite well the double standards that apply in a demanding working environment, leading to different labels for men and women. It is a “Mad World” indeed, and this soundtrack by Tears for Fears couldn’t be a better choice for this add.
So, what exactly is going on here? Said add uses some well targeted exaggeration in order to display a rather annoying situation, which is (yes it is) true. While a successful businessman is accepted as “boss” the woman in the same position, is “bossy.” A man pointing the finger at his audience can be “persuasive” while a woman is “pushy.” A well dressed and stylish guy walking down the road full of confidence, enjoying his good looks, can be considered as “smooth”, but a dressed-up woman crossing the street as confident as if she were on a catwalk is a “show-off.”
The same story would apply for a mother/life partner who works during the night, in order to deliver an important project for work. The woman would be “selfish” while the man would be “dedicated”.
We haven’t quite figured out how a shampoo bottle which promises to give us glossy hair, is the right ending to this important social subject the video delivers, but the #whipit campaign has managed to make us reconsider a serious deal of things. It may target mostly emotionally charged women, but it pushes an important spot on gender stereotypes. Doesn’t it?
See the YouTube video below.
