Seen+Noted: P&G sparks conversations on racial bias and inequality with launch of ‘The Look’
Procter & Gamble and Saturday Morning have teamed up to get the conversation started, so that we can all see beyond ‘The Look.’ The spot continues the conversation from Procter & Gamble’s Emmy Award-winning film “The Talk”.
The new film is designed to spark reflection and conversation on racial bias and inequality. The film highlights bias as experienced by many Black men in America.
“The Look” follows a Black man throughout his day as he encounters a variety of ‘looks’ that symbolize a barrier to acceptance. In the film, the windows of a passing car are raised after his son waves to a young girl in the back seat, occupants of an elevator seem to shut him out as he approaches and workers in a department store watch him with suspicion as he shops. For each scene, historical records and contemporary stories are provided at www.talkaboutbias.com to spark discussion and understanding on how these small ‘looks’, whether intentional or not, can have a potentially bigger impact. The film ends with the line ‘Let’s talk about the look so we can see beyond it.’
“We want to live in a world that is equal and inclusive – in race, gender, ethnicity, sexual identity, ability, religion and age – but the reality is, it’s not fully equal or inclusive and one of the core reasons is bias,” said Marc Pritchard, Chief Brand Officer, Procter & Gamble. “Empathy can be a particularly effective antidote to bias, and we created ‘The Look’ to change perspectives, prompt personal introspection, and bring people together for a conversation to ultimately change hearts and minds.”
“We believe we have a responsibility to use our voice in advertising as a force for good by addressing issues like bias. As it has already done for so many who have seen ‘The Look’, we hope this film leads to constructive conversation, understanding and positive action,” Pritchard added.
The film and website were produced in collaboration with SATURDAY MORNING, a creative collective founded by executives in the advertising industry who came together to create ideas that bring awareness to and shift perceptions on racial bias and injustice.
“The Look” was shot by a deliberately diverse leadership-duo, Director Anthony Mandler of Stink Films with Malik Sayeed as DOP, and is launching as part of an integrated campaign at www.talkaboutbias.com. It will be followed by a series of nationwide community conversations, individual and classroom educational resources and reading guides, informative and inspirational podcasts, virtual reality extensions and ongoing digital and social media activities through the end of 2019. This program is designed to go beyond simple awareness and equip and enable individuals and communities with tools to create lasting, substantive change.
17 Comments
Why does he have to be a judge at the end? Only people in positions of power or authority aren’t deserving of ‘The Look?’ It shouldn’t matter what job he does.
…it’s to contrast the story of ‘being looked at like some kind of criminal’ with the fact that the character is, in fact, a member of society with high repute. Essentially, it highlights the fact that race is the cause of ‘the look’.
And also, only white people give him the look?
The whole campaign is on the nose. I couldn’t care if he is green. I don’t give anyone a look. But I’m white. And as the ad shows. I’m racist. Because thats not racist at all. To say all white people give black men a look.
If your takeout from this is that he doesn’t deserve ‘The Look’ because he’s a judge, may I suggest taking another Look at it yourself?
Wow what are you scared of mate?
I don’t recall the ad saying all white people give black men the look. Or did you see yourself in it?
I hope you don’t wear your ‘it’s OK to be white’ t-shirt to work.
And this is what white, privileged fear looks like. Something hit a nerve?
Asking for a friend.
Get woke, go broke.
What exactly is P&G’s role in this?
Have they published their diversity figures along with the press release?
How many more of these do we have to put up with?
It’s like a LinkedIn crowdsourced ad.
It’s not going to make me buy their product, just get on and do your job but in an ethical way that won’t hurt the planet.
As for the sentiment of this ad – I feel guilty about nothing.
The whole point is that he spent the entire ad being ‘judged’, but he’s the judge.
We as a business shouldn’t encourage this too much, we’re pretty sexist, racist and certainly lead the way in ageism as it is.
I think this would have worked a lot better if Kendall Jenner gave all the people giving the look a can of Pepsi.
Leftist identity politics gone mad, again. These is no subject so mundane that leftist elites won’t try to invoke racism. Of course, leftist ideology demands a permanent underclass of people that leftist politicians can rally to ‘save’ in the name of fairness. It’s the exclusive preserve of reprobate cultural Marxists to spread division, fear and hatred. This particularly dirty little piece of communication vilifies white people with no evidence whatsoever to back it up. The average Australian is no more racist than the average person who identifies themselves as being from any particular group. It is a natural human reaction to have more trust for people you identify as being similar to yourself and less for people you see as different to you. This is not racism. This is a natural and deeply ingrained method of identifying threat levels. Only leftist elites would be so disgusting as to hijack a natural human response for political and social/financial gain. Do P&G makes ads in Africa or Asia showing white people being made to feel like an underclass in those places? An obvious question to the ridiculous comment above – is it not OK to be white? If you subscribe to the sentiments of this ad, the answer is clearly that it’s a sin to be white and that all white people are racist. What a ridiculous and deeply offensive proposition. Why is it OK to be anything but white? Is it colonialist guilt? Are white people living today guilty for what was done by long dead people in a different era? Elitist leftist dogma has no place in modern Australia. This ad is a disgraceful train-wreck and will be rightly rejected by Australians.
Let’s show how offensive it is to judge a black person for their skin colour by maligning a bunch of white people. Brilliant strategy P&G. Now, where can I buy some more of your skin lightening cream?
This ad isn’t saying “all white people are racist”. It’s saying that in all the examples shown, the racism came from white people. These instances make more sense when you read more about them on the website of course. In isolation, they just feel forced.
This piece’s problem is that it recreates scenes from decades past in a contemporary style, rather than showing contemporary scenes that people can actually recognise and possibly see themselves in, and think “oh wow – I didn’t realise”. Take the diner and pool scenes – I mean come on. Yes, there’s terrible stories behind the original instances. But using historical examples is just lazy when you’re trying to educate people in current year.
That and the fact that it’s so American and their hyper-sensitive race politics may not translate as well globally.
Hell let’s just hire all blacks at Procter and Gamble and diversify the company. Then the poor white man will really have something to cry about. If your a good worker regardless of skin color then promote. But this crap just shoot them right up the ladder because they are black is messed up. Swing road Greensboro plant all black HR department, all black safety leadership, lots of black women being brought in as leaders. Blacks being promoted as shift leaders, only blacks got nominated by Rachel Waller for CEO. So, Yeah at this plant blacks are getting promoted and the whites are left crying poor white man can’t get no where cause a white man named Abraham Lincoln fought for black people’s freedom. Damn!! Will it ever end. Go ahead slam me for my comments.