Dettol takes down controversial ad about 'toxic men' and gender double standards

A Dettol advertisement comparing "toxic men" to germs fell on its face after facing backlash in China, for showing a man seeking a "clean and untouched woman." The company has apologised and withdrawn the advert. The five-minute clip is basically a microdrama and was released on several platforms in May. It starts with a man in a relationship comparing his current partner to his ex. He says he found out that his former girlfriends had lived with another man previously. He starts recalling the times she was forward and open with physical contact. He then breaks up with her, saying it felt like receiving “secondhand service”. He then tells his friend that he wants a “clean and untouched” woman to marry. “I may not be a virgin, but my future wife has to be," the man says.

He then bumps into another woman. He says, “Thank goodness I met her. Clean and pure, never contaminated by a man. I've dated over a dozen girls, and I've finally found one who's pure... who hasn't done it before, you know?”

Chinese social media users slam Dettol ad

When his girlfriend finds out about his views on women, she starts seeing the misogyny in him. The woman then breaks up with him. The advert ends with the words: "A toxic man is just like these germs – you need Dettol to eliminate them completely to feel at ease." Chinese social media users are furious with the Dettol ad, which the company has now taken down amid calls for a boycott of the brand. "What a trashy advertisement. It's left me speechless," a user wrote on Chinese social media platform Weibo, with another adding, “I will never use Dettol again.”

Dettol responds to criticism of new ad

Responding to the backlash, the company said that the idea behind the ad was to "challenge unequal gender attitudes and promote healthy, confident views on relationships and lifestyles". But the edited videos on social media have muddled up the real message of the advert, it added. The brand said the micro drama was produced by a third party, and it took “responsibility for any negligence in creating and reviewing the content of the advert”. It said: “We are well aware that true protection also lies in safeguarding the dignity of every individual and their right to be treated equally.”