Dettol Apologizes for Ad Sparking Outrage Over 'Objectifying Women'

Dettol, the hygiene brand owned by British consumer goods giant Reckitt, issued a public apology on Monday after an advertisement sparked widespread backlash for allegedly objectifying women and promoting outdated views on relationships.

The laundry disinfectant ad, which circulated on Chinese social media, featured lines including "I may not be her first, but my future wife must be" and "clean and untouched by other men" – remarks critics said were deeply offensive to women. The nearly 5-minute video, which borrowed from short-drama storytelling, deliberately builds a misogynistic male persona, only to subvert it in the final scene — when the woman recognizes his toxic character and chooses to walk away, breaking free from the relationship. The ad went viral and triggered calls for a boycott, despite the attempted plot twist at the end.

In a statement posted on its official Weibo account, Reckitt said the video was created by a third-party influencer and first published on May 24, adding that clips circulating online had been edited and taken out of context, distorting the original intent. The company said it had "immediately ordered the removal" of the ad.

"Although the video was designed to criticize gender bias, it offended many people, especially women," the statement read. "We sincerely apologize for the deficiencies in content expression and failures in the review process. Responsibilities that cannot be shirked".

Reckitt added that it would revamp its content review mechanism and tighten marketing oversight to prevent a recurrence.

Reckitt's portfolio includes Durex and Veet.