Dettol, a British hygiene product brand, issued an apology and withdrew its advertisement in China after a short drama-style ad titled "Eliminate Toxic Men," which was intended to criticize gender bias, sparked heavy social backlash. The content was seen as misogynistic, likening women to "contamination" and linking relationship themes with cleanliness concepts.
Dettol, a disinfectant product brand, formally apologized on its Chinese social media after a short drama video advertising a new laundry disinfectant triggered strong anger among Chinese consumers. The ad was criticized for devaluing women and reinforcing outdated gender attitudes.
The controversial advertisement lasts about five minutes and tells the story from the perspective of a male lead searching for a partner who is "pure" and "has never been tainted by any man." In the clip, the man breaks up with his ex-girlfriend after learning she lived with another man before marriage, including dialogue that caused widespread dissatisfaction, such as, "No wonder you're so experienced in these things; someone else must have trained you" and "I can have any past, but my wife must not."
He also praises his new girlfriend, saying, "I'm lucky to have met this woman; she is innocent and has never been touched by another man." However, toward the end of the ad, a twist reveals the new girlfriend discovers his hateful and derogatory behavior toward women. She calls him a toxic man before breaking up, and the ad then presents Dettol products as a solution to "eliminate toxic men like bacteria that must be removed."
Although Dettol intended the twist at the end to criticize and admonish the misogynistic male character, the provocative content and harsh language early in the ad had already offended consumers. This led Chinese netizens on platforms like Weibo and Xiaohongshu to flood comments expressing their dissatisfaction.
One Chinese netizen said, "I could only watch for two minutes before having to stop; this video is toxic to the brain." Another commented, "No matter the twist at the end, allowing misogynistic remarks at the beginning shows complete disrespect for women," fueling calls to boycott the brand.
Dettol explained that the video was produced by an external content creator. The brand intended to criticize gender bias and support equal love values but acknowledged that parts of the clip were edited and shared online, distorting its original message. Nevertheless, the brand admitted fault in the content review process.
"We recognize that this advertisement has caused distress to many people, especially women. We take full responsibility for negligence in creating and reviewing this ad's content... While our mission is to protect family health, we understand that true protection means safeguarding everyone's dignity and right to equal treatment," the statement said.
Dettol immediately removed the video from all online platforms and pledged to overhaul its advertising content review system to prevent similar incidents in the future.
Liu Tingting, an internet industry observer, told the Global Times that this is a clear example of opportunistic marketing strategies deliberately provoking gender conflict to attract public attention and generate viral views.
"From a purely marketing perspective, it may achieve impressive reach, but such short-term hype inevitably leads to social outrage and serious damage to brand reputation. A good brand should seek both recognition and positive public attitudes. Unfortunately, some companies today prioritize attention over reputation, reflecting distorted corporate values. This type of marketing is inappropriate and toxic to society. It is time for organizations to reform and cleanse their flawed communication strategies," she said.
This is not Dettol's first backlash in China. Last year, the brand faced controversy over an ad containing the phrase, "That woman was 'returned' before the wedding; she must not be clean," which also angered Chinese consumers.