[Sportschosun reporter Jang Jong-ho] In China, an ad for global hygiene brand Dettol has been engulfed in controversy over sexism and sexual humiliation of women. The brand eventually removed the ad and issued an official apology.
According to Chinese outlet Dahe News and Hong Kong's South China Morning Post (SCMP), Dettol recently released an apology over its ad for a clothing disinfectant detergent.
The ad was a mini-drama-style video of about four minutes that was released in late May, and some scenes drew criticism from Chinese consumers.
The problematic scenes included lines from the male lead such as, "How can you know whether your girlfriend has ever lived with another man?" "I don't have to be a virgin, but my future wife must be," and "I like that my girlfriend is clean and has not been contaminated by other men."
In the video, the man learns that his girlfriend had previously lived with someone else and breaks up with her, saying, "Why didn't you tell me that? Don't you value your own reputation?" He then begins a new relationship with a woman he describes as "pure as a blank sheet of paper."
In particular, he boasts that he has dated more than 10 women in the past, yet tells a friend that he was looking for a woman with no sexual experience before meeting him. The video also shows him calling his former partners "dirty" and criticizing revealing clothing. Another line that fueled the backlash was his reference to a woman's virginity as a man's "trophy."
However, at the end of the ad, the current girlfriend pushes back against his attitude and says, "Toxic men are like germs, so they should be wiped out with Dettol disinfectant."
As the controversy grew, Dettol explained that the ad was produced by an outside agency and that its original intent was to criticize sexist attitudes. The company said, "Through the plot twist, we tried to deliver a message that unequal gender perceptions must be overcome," and added, "Our goal was to encourage a healthy, confident view of relationships and life."
It also said, "Some scenes distorted the ad's original intent and ultimately offended many women," adding, "We acknowledge responsibility for the inappropriate content and the lack of internal review."
Criticism has spread rapidly across Chinese online communities, and some consumers have even mentioned a boycott.
One netizen criticized the ad, saying, "Who calls someone 'dirty' because of their dating history? It sounds like something from the 19th century." Another consumer said, "I will not buy this brand's products anymore." Critics also asked, "Was there not a single employee who pointed out the problem before the ad was released?"
Legal circles have also raised the possibility that the ad may have violated Chinese law.
Some legal experts said it could run afoul of China's Law on the Protection of Women's Rights and Interests in China. If authorities deem the matter serious, the advertiser could face a fine of 200,000 to 1 million yuan, or about 45 million to 220 million won, they said.
Jang Jong-ho, Sportschosun, bellho@sportschosun.com
