Why a recent dishwashing ad for men is making netizens furious: ‘This is a joke right?’

For quite some time, individuals have been challenging traditional gender roles within households, questioning the prevailing notion that domestic chores are primarily the responsibility of women, while men are conditioned to believe it is not their duty. Despite some positive changes from various campaigns, there is still much work to be done to shift the focus from gender-specific roles to inclusive participation in household tasks.

A recent marketing initiative by the well-known dishwashing brand Vim aimed to challenge these stereotypes by encouraging men to engage in dishwashing at home using “Vim Black,” a dishwashing liquid packaged in a black bottle marketed specifically “for men.” However, this approach sparked confusion among netizens, who couldn’t understand why a basic household chore was being turned into a gender-specific activity, especially when the end goal of any dishwashing liquid is the same – achieving clean utensils, regardless of the person performing the task.

The advertisement features actor, model, and fitness enthusiast Milind Soman as the face of Vim (Hindustan Unilever Ltd’s household cleaning supplies brand). In the ad, a man working out in the gym talks about “helping” his mother with the dishes. Soman approaches him, sarcastically commending him for “bragging,” and then presents him with Vim Black, stating, “Vim Black for men, easy to clean, more to brag.”

The Instagram post of the video received a barrage of disapproving comments. Many users expressed their disbelief, emphasizing that household chores should not be gender-specific. One person hoped that the video was a spoof, while others pointed out the absurdity of introducing a new product when the original dishwashing liquid serves the same purpose.

In response to the criticism, Vim explained on social media that household chores should be shared responsibilities, and men gain no special credit for doing the bare minimum. They emphasized that washing dishes is the same for everyone, and there’s no need for a new bottle to enter the kitchen—just the realization that these chores are for everyone. The company suggested focusing on owning responsibilities rather than boasting about them.

The choice of black for the product’s color seemed to allude to the common practice of packaging men’s products in darker colors, such as face wash, dishwashing liquid, and grooming products like razors, creams, and gels. This, in contrast to women-centric packaging typically done in shades of pink, white, green, and so on.