Pantene is taking a cue from Dove and using their advertisements to shed some light on ridiculous gender norms. In a sequel to "Labels Against Women," the hair care company is telling women to be strong and own their opinions in "Not Sorry."
The ad follows several women as they apologize before even sharing their thoughts, asking a question or reacting to a normal everyday situation. One woman apologizes before asking a "stupid question," another says "sorry" when handing her child over to her partner. The ad then doubles back and shows the same women in the same scenarios, this time not feeling the least bit apologetic. "Don't be sorry," the spot reads, "be strong and shine."
"We've struck a chord in terms of changing gender norms for women," said Kevin Crociata, the marketing director of Procter & Gamble's North American hair care business. "We used market research to look at what gender norms were holding women back and tried to tap into the most relevant and insightful areas. This problem of saying sorry, it wasn't just something women in the U.S. were facing but globally. After the success of the first campaign, 'Shine Strong' is something we're committed to as a brand."
