Pantene Produces An Overtly Feminist Ad — But It Won't Be Seen In The US

Most women's haircare ads don't have much politics. But Pantene's current advertising in the Philippines elegantly addresses the double-standards women often face at work.

The ad features gorgeous, thin models with shining hair in go-getter jobs. And then it overlays the different ways women are viewed compared to their male counterparts: A confident executive is a "boss" as a man, but "bossy" when she's a woman; an emphatic speaker is "persuasive" as a man, but "pushy" as a woman. A version of the song "Mad World" plays in the background:

Facebook COO Sheryl Sandberg, who is also the author of "Lean In," took notice. The Pantene video premiered in early November, but it went internationally viral after Sandberg posted this on her Facebook a few days ago:

BBDO Guerrero worked with Pantene Philipines on the #WhipIt campaign led by the ad. They teamed with the website Rappler for weekly essays reflecting on gender bias and the roles of women, and held a forum late last month.

Using a hashtag in the title seems to have worked, because it's been trending on Twitter for the past few days, and the comments are largely positive:

If you watch a video today, it's GOT to be this one. #WhipIt Labels Against Women (@PantenePH): http://t.co/ccgxdvJcz9

— Roxanne Chia 사여선 ☃ (@LacedIvory) December 10, 2013

Excellent ad on gender stereotypes & not letting labels get the better of you. Via @panteneph& @YouTube#WhipIt - http://t.co/1KEhNVR0DZ

— Zaib Shaikh (@Zaib_Shaikh) December 9, 2013

Nicely done, @Pantene Philippines. There's no shame in hard work or feeling pretty. #WhipIthttp://t.co/dH7icpUheK

— Janine Falcon (@JanineFalcon) December 7, 2013

SEE ALSO: This New Autocomplete Ad Shows What SHOULD Come Up When You Do A Google Search For 'Women'

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