Actor and fitness model Milind Soman's Instagram post in which he can be seen promoting Vim dishwashing liquid made specifically for men has gone viral and angered some social media users.
The advertisement, which was an attempt to normalize household chores for everyone, left many offended as they began accusing the actor of gender discrimination. In response to the backlash, the company tried to clear the air and said that the new black dishwashing liquid campaign for men was a joke.
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“We aren’t serious about the black pack, but we are super serious about men owning chores at home!”
Vim dishwashing liquid
In an Instagram post addressed to "men," the company wrote, "We aren’t serious about the black pack, but we are super serious about men owning chores at home!" The text of the post read, "Dear men, it was a joke. This way... you don't need a new bottle to enter the kitchen, just the understanding that these are also your chores!"
Milind Soman posts ad on Instagram
The outrage began shortly after Milind Soman posted an ad on Instagram to promote the product. The ad campaign emphasized that men should participate equally in washing dishes and other household chores. The ad shows a young man bragging at the gym about helping his mother wash dishes. Milind Soman then enters the scene, shows him a bottle of the black dishwashing liquid and says that now he can wash all the dishes and continue bragging. The bottle used in the video is not yellow or green for the brand, but black. Sharing the video, Soman wrote on Instagram, "Vim Black - dishwashing liquid made for men. Or is it?"
The ad intended to be satire was not liked by many users. One user said, "Sir! It's so disappointing to see you support stuff like this. What the hell is liquid detergent for men doing the bare minimum? Why is it labeled or gendered? And what the hell is the point of that? It makes no sense!!" Another wrote, "Please tell me it's a fake and not a real product. I refuse to believe we've fallen this far into the pit of idiotic capitalism." It should be noted that the brand has not launched any such product, as Vim Black's buy page says that it is out of stock and the price is $0.