It's really amazing how some brands never learn. Actually it's not. Brands are like people. No, wait -- brands are run by people and like it or not, some people never learn. That lack of learning was
on display this week as Bic South Africa is taking heat for a #HappyWomensDay ad it posted on its Facebook page.
The ad copy read: "Like like a girl. Act like a lady. Think like a man.
Work like a boss." I mean, really? Seriously? They might as well have shouted, "Hey ladies, grow a pair. You'll get further in life." Who the hell approves this stuff?
But the best part is
the half-assed apology by Bic Marketing Manager Wandile Setlhodi who
said: "So basically this post, it was not meant to be offensive in any way because
we had intended it to be empowering and in no way did we want to offend anyone. Some of our followers actually did like it. We didn't think that it would get this uproar; it was really a motivation
for women, women who aspire to reach their dreams."
Okay -- so it's for women who aspire to reach their dreams. Got it. But they have to think like a man to achieve their dreams?
Haven’t we moved on from this mindset?
Oh, but wait. Bic was the brand that thought it was a good idea to come out with a line of Bic For Her pens that were all like pink and
slim and "designed to fit comfortably in a woman's hand."
Sure, the entire world has gone overboard with political correctness to the point where a comedian's job is now more tricky than
that of a brain surgeon -- but I'm pretty sure we've collectively reached the point where a woman does not have to act like a man to get ahead in business
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.
Ironic that in the same line about never learning was a glaring punctuation error.