Bic Apologizes for Controversial Ad That Sparked Major Backlash

This ad, posted on Bic South Africa’s Facebook page, sparked outrage among users. On Tuesday, the company apologized for posting it. (Photo: Bic)

A message encouraging women to “look like a girl” and “think like a man” has been removed from Bic South Africa’s Facebook page after the pen manufacturer posted it in honor of National Women’s Day. On Tuesday, it posted an apology in its place.

South Africa’s Women’s Day is a national holiday celebrated every Aug. 9, paying homage to women’s strength and power, so users were surprised to see an ad from Bic South Africa that told women to think like a man. The message read: “Look like a girl/Act like a lady/Think like a man/Work like a boss.”

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Comments to the post expressed disgust and outrage at the message. “‘Look like a girl?’ Because the infantilization of women and the sexualization of children is exactly the kind of blurred line we need! Act like a lady? Because narrow, straitjacket social scripts about ‘proper’ ladylike behavior is precisely what emancipation was all about. Think like a man? Because women’s thoughts are not worth knowing. Work like a boss? Whatever the hell that means. Bic, you are literally ruining Women’s Day,” said one commenter, according to the Sunday Times.

Another user wrote, “Why am I expected to look like a child? Why am I expected to see the world through a masculine lens? Why am I expected to 'think like a man’ but not expected to act “like a man” on my so-called manly thoughts? There are so many different ways Bic could’ve celebrated women that don’t try and dictate how women must live their lives. I’m disappointed.“

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Bic took down the post and issued an apology on Sunday, explaining it took the quote from a “women in business” blog. “We can assure you that we meant it in the most empowering way possible and in no way derogatory towards women,” the company wrote. But many users didn’t accept the apology. As one user translated it, “We are sorry we offended but are not sorry for our ad because it came from another website which means it’s not really our fault.”

On Tuesday night, Bic removed its first apology and issued a new one: “Let’s start out by saying we’re incredibly sorry for offending everybody — that was never our intention, but we completely understand where we’ve gone wrong. This post should never have gone out. The feedback you have given us will help us ensure that something like this will never happen again, and we appreciate that.”

Amy Morin, psychotherapist and author of 13 Things Mentally Strong People Don’t Do, says the original message was disturbing on many levels. “Implying women should look like a 'girl’ is quite disturbing. Such messages contribute to the sexualization of children. Additionally, it perpetuates the idea that women are only attractive when they look young,” she tells Yahoo Parenting. “Insinuating that men think better than women is offensive. Although research studies show there are some differences between the male and female brain, one isn’t better than the other. They’re just different. It’s not clear what Bic was implying about the way men think versus the way women think.”

The lesson can be damaging to young girls, she adds. “Advertisements such as this suggest women aren’t good enough,” Morin says. “Rather than reinforcing the notion that people can become the best versions of themselves, the ad tells women they need to act like men to succeed.”

Carla Stokes, PhD, an adolescence expert and life coach, says the Bic ad sends a mixed message to young women. “Girls are confused about what it means to be a girl,” she tells Yahoo Parenting. “I’m in the United States but these messages are global, and the common theme they are getting is that they are less than, and not as worthy or as valuable as men or boys.”

The message reinforces gender roles and can be harmful to young people who don’t conform, Stokes says. “The overall message is that boys are leaders, girls are followers. Boys are smart, girls are stupid. It reinforces sexist and outdated stereotypes about how women are supposed to act, based on what’s considered desirable to men — being proper, virtuous. And when girls don’t fit into those standards, they can be bullied, shunned, even harassed.”

Stokes says the best way to combat messages like this — other than fighting back on Facebook — is to discuss them with your kids. “It’s important to talk to daughters about what it means to be a girl and the messages they receive from society. We need to teach them to challenge traditionally held gender roles,” she says. “Their worth doesn’t come from appearance, or from attention from boys. They need to know that being a girl is good enough. It’s so important for parents to monitor the messages their girls are exposed to and balance them out with positive ones. In this case, show them the ad, ask them what they think, and spark a dialogue. Let them know there isn’t just one version of girlhood.”

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