What does it mean to be a man today?
What does it mean to be a man today? Shaving brand Harry’s today launched A Man Like You; a new campaign, bringing to life the conversation of what it means to be a man today – to challenge gender stereotypes in advertising and be a true ally for men. The short film tells the story of an alien navigating how to be a man with the help of a young boy. As a result of the alien’s many questions, it is the boy who learns that the traditional ideals of masculinity imposed on men are sometimes too narrow for today’s world. In the end, a real man is simply a good human.
An interesting concept in a world where macho-man is often the go to for advertising agencies, Harry’s A Man Like You campaign follows last year’s review by the UK’s Advertising Standards Authority (ASA) on harmful gender stereotyping in advertising which seeks to develop new standards on adverts that feature stereotypical gender roles or characteristics.
Harry’s messaging has always been fun and the brand doesn’t take itself too seriously – highlighting the fact that a man today can be both strong and nurturing, self-assured and accepting of others. We enjoy this novel approach, and in fact Harry’s approach in general – with the company setting aside 1% of their annual sales for their social mission partners and given their time to organisations they care about. Yes this is a marketing effort, but at least it’s one we can relate to, one with a legitimate social cause and crucially – something different.
