Dettol apologises after ad to clean up 'toxic men' backfires in China

British hygiene brand Dettol, owned by Reckitt, apologized and withdrew an advertisement in China after it faced criticism on social media over content that users described as misogynistic.

The five-minute advertisement, presented in the format of a "micro drama," followed a man searching for a partner he described as "clean" and "not tainted by other men." The storyline later shifted when the man's girlfriend confronted him over his views and ended the relationship.

The advertisement then positioned Dettol disinfectant as a solution, drawing a comparison between "toxic men" and bacteria, says the BBC.

The campaign prompted criticism across Chinese social media platforms including Weibo, where users said the advert objectified women and linked personal "purity" to the effectiveness of a cleaning product. Some users also called for a boycott of the brand.

Manya Koetse of the Eye on Digital China newsletter said that while the campaign may have intended to criticize the male character's behavior, the message was poorly communicated and "backfired spectacularly".

In a statement issued on Monday, Dettol apologized for offense caused by the campaign, particularly to women, and acknowledged "negligence in creating and reviewing" the content.

The company said the advertisement had been intended to challenge gender stereotypes, but that excerpts circulated online had distorted the central message of the longer-form content.

Dettol said it had removed the advertisement and would review its content moderation processes.

The incident follows criticism faced by the brand last year over another advertisement that featured a woman being "returned" before her wedding because she was "not clean."

The controversy comes as Chinese authorities have increased scrutiny of the rapidly growing micro-drama format, including content related to materialism and violence.