Today’s men — straight, gay, and queer — find themselves at a crossroad between old ideals of traditional masculinity and newer, non-binary concepts of what it can mean to be a man.
This campaign is for the man who feels unrepresented by current ads for men in the category, the man who wants to express a different kind of masculinity, and for the guy who’s just a “regular guy.”
Transit Posters
These posters redefine the narrative of socially-constructed masculine expectations, ideals, and behaviours that currently dominate the category.
Rephrasing Gillette’s iconic tagline, “The Best a Man Can Get,” to “The Best For Every Man” articulates the brand’s shift to broadening inclusivity and representation, and also focuses on the consumer’s relationship with Gillette rather than their products. The Real Men Diaries also steps away from traditional category images of a ‘clean-cut man shaving,’ so that any man can identify with our message.
Paid Social Media
The Real Men Diaries Docuseries
Six seconds to three hours of men just being men.
Available on YouTube, the series brings the campaign’s posters to life, documenting the fascinating private lives of modern men.
Men being men.
Also featured as 6 second paid YouTube spots.
With no context and no button to skip, The Real Men Diaries Docuseries ads create intrigue and creative personification of the rest of the campaign.
Owned Social Media
Connected to Gillette’s official account, The Real Men Diaries gets its own Instagram for men to engage with, and tell us what makes them real men. Users can submit their own Real Men Confession through the story poll, which is then reviewed and posted.
“I go to the men’s room just to check myself out.”
- @wedontknow991
“Sometimes I play Ed Sheeran for the sole purpose of crying.”
- @baconislife
“My shampoo smells like cinnamon buns.”
- @regandann
Website
The Best for Every Man
Gillette’s website gets a makeover, where consumers can now choose to shop by personality or by product.
The Best for Every Personality
Shoppers can scroll through a list of “personalities” and pick the one that they identify with.
The Best for You
All personality types end up having access to the same products; shopping by personality gives consumers a fun, semi-customizable experience.
Potential Earned Media: Press Mentions
“Gillette’s New Docuseries Has Us Watching Hours of Men in Their Natural Environments (and Underwear)”
- GQ
“11 Times Gillette’s New Campaign Got Me More Than I Get Myself”
- BuzzFeed
“Gillette’s The Real Men Diaries Campaign is Talking to its Target in Union Station’s Man-Only Zone: The Men’s Room”
- Toronto Life
“Gillette is Changing the Conversation on Modern Masculinity”
- AdAge