British disinfectant brand Dettol is facing a boycott in China after an advert showed a man seeking to marry a ‘clean and untouched woman’.
While the brand said it intended to criticise ‘toxic men’ with its ad, it has sparked controversy on social media, with several critics saying it is offensive to women.
The five-minute-long advert for a multipurpose disinfectant was styled as a micro-drama and features a man comparing his girlfriend to his former partner.
After he learns that his girlfriend had previously had another partner, he breaks up with her and calls their relationship a second half service.
The man then tells his friends he intends to find a ‘clean and untouched’ woman, adding: ‘I’m not a virgin myself, but my future wife has to be.’
When he begins dating a new woman, he tells his friends, ‘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?’.
But things take a turn when his girlfriend breaks up with him after becoming fed up with his double standards.
Dettol is facing a boycott in China after an advert showed a man seeking to marry a ‘clean and untouched woman’
The man in the advert appears saying he wants a ‘clean and untouched’ woman
The advert ends with his girlfriend throwing his socks into a washing machine as a voice-over says: ‘A toxic man is just like these germs – you need Dettol to eliminate them completely to feel at ease.’
Dettol has since pulled the advert following widespread criticism from Chinese social media users who said the clip objectifies women.
Many also expressed their outrage at the brand’s attempts to compare a person’s ‘purity’ with Dettol’s product.
Several called for the boycott of the brand, owned by British multinational Reckitt.
‘What a trashy advertisement. It’s left me speechless,’ a user wrote on Chinese social media platform Weibo.
Dettol responded with a statement apologising for the advert.
It said it intended to ‘challenge unequal gender attitudes and promote healthy, confident views on relationships and lifestyles,’ but said that edited clips circulating online had tainted the original message.
The brand added that the advert had been produced by a third-party agency, but said it took ‘responsibility for any negligence in creating and reviewing the content of the advert’.
When the man begins dating a new woman, he boasts that she has ‘never been contaminated by a man.’
But the advert takes a turn when his girlfriend dumps him for his double standards
‘We are well aware that true protection also lies in safeguarding the dignity of every individual and their right to be treated equally,’ it added.
It is not the first time Dettol has been caught in controversy in China.
Last year, an advert featured the slogan: ‘The woman was “returned” just before her wedding; it must be because she was not clean,’ sparking backlash.
The Daily Mail has reached out to Dettol for comment.
