Some consumers have taken to social media to threaten to boycott the brand, postingphotos and videos of themselves discarding Gillette razors in protest and threatening to shop at rival razor brands such as Harry's and Dollar Shave Club, which are already chipping away at Gillette's business.
However, a recent surveyfound that it's possible this backlash has not only been overstated, but that the ad is actually having a positive impact on Gillette's image.
A survey of 2,020 adults done by Morning Consult and released on Thursday showed thatthe majority 61% of those surveyed had a positive opinion of the ad. Moreover, of the consumers who said that they use products from rival brands, 56% said they would be more likely to buy from Gillette after watching the ad.
Gillette had been the longtime market leader for razors until buzzy new startups such as Harry's and Dollar Shave Club arrived on the scene.
Harry's, theaffordable direct-to-consumer service, immediately became a hit with millennials. In early 2018, it raised $112 million in funding to expand its businessbeyond men's grooming, bringing itstotal funding to $375 million.
Dollar Shave Club, which offers a similar subscription service, was bought by Unilever for $1 billion in 2016,which was one of the most expensive purchases ever for an e-commerce company.
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