Dettol Apologizes and Retracts 'Toxic Men' Advert in China
Dettol said the 5-minute campaign was meant to challenge misogyny, but critics said it objectified women and called for a boycott.
- On Monday, British hygiene brand Dettol apologized and withdrew a five-minute micro-drama advertisement in China, accepting "responsibility for any negligence in creating and reviewing the content" after widespread backlash.
- While the campaign intended to criticize gender stereotypes by comparing "toxic men are just like bacteria" to germs, viewers condemned the content as sexist and objectifying.
- The video depicted a man demanding a partner who is "clean" and "not tainted by other men," sparking condemnation on Weibo and Xiaohongshu, where one user wrote: "What a trashy advertisement. quit watching after just two minutes."
- Dettol acknowledged the video "offended many people, especially women," stating it was created by a third-party producer and committing to review its content moderation processes.
- Manya Koetse, who runs the Eye on Digital China newsletter, called the campaign "quite a mess for a brand whose entire business revolves around cleanliness," noting the company faced similar backlash last year.
24 Articles
24 Articles
The British cleaning brand Dettol is under fire in China over an advertisement that, according to the company, was intended to highlight gender stereotypes. However, according to viewers, that message did not get across, and the advertisement actually led to the insulting of women in particular.
Dettol-Advertisement: In China a commercial of the company for hygiene and disinfection was withdrawn. In the video, women who are not virgins were called "spotted".
‘Tainted by other men’: Dettol issues public apology after ‘sexist’ detergent ad sparks anger in China
The five-minute ad depicting a boyfriend who demanded a "clean" wife has triggered outrage, with critics saying the campaign's attempt to challenge sexism instead reinforced harmful stereotypes.
Dettol made a public apology — “What a terrible advertisement, it left me speechless,” write users on Chinese social media
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