Rarely do commercials instruct the public on anything more than the nature of the products they are pushing. From time to time, however, some advertisement campaigns go the extra mile to do good and contribute to the public’s recognition of society’s own prejudices and biases. Recently, Pantene Phillipines addressed the double standards women are subjected to at work, while simulatenously promoting the Pantene brand. Sexual discrimination is not just about thinking that women may not be “as good as” men in the workplace. It also includes the perception that they should not be, resulting in situations where hard-working and persuasive women are viewed unfavorably, because those attributes don’t fit into traditional gender stereotypes.
Pantene’s ad, which contains no dialogue, is extremely effective in highlighting this form of gender inequality and discrimination. The ad struck Sheryl Sandberg, Chief Operating Officer at Facebook, prompting her to tweet that it had earned the “Lean In prize of the day.” See the ad here: Labels Against Women.