CTV News quotes Sarah Kaplan about socially conscious advertising: “The ad places Gillette among handfuls of other companies who have turned to socially-conscious advertising — a growing phenomenon abroad and in Canada, said Sarah Kaplan, director of the University of Toronto’s Institute for Gender and the Economy.

Two men are seen in a scene from the first advertisement in Gillette’s ‘The Best Men Can Be’ campaign. (Gillette / YouTube)

“We are seeing it more and more,” she said, pointing out household cleaning product ads that have been increasingly featuring men and a Bud Light beer promotion starring celebrities Seth Rogen and Amy Schumer complaining about gender-based product pricing.

“Advertisers have already been moving in the direction of breaking down these stereotypes and gender norms and many have taken on subtle forms, but Gillette is being much more explicit about what they are trying to accomplish and I think there will be more movement in this direction.””