PRESS RELEASE

Sub: AIMWA files complaint with ASCI against Gillette’s W.A.L.S. campaign

All India Men’s Welfare Association (AIMWA) is the first ever organization formed to protect the rights and interests of men and to fight against all kinds of discrimination against men and boys in all arenas – social, legal, economic, etc.

AIMWA has launched a massive online protest against the “Women against Lazy Stubble (W.A.L.S.)” campaign started by the Gillette brand of Procter and Gamble India Ltd. (P&G) wherein P&G openly declared the campaign as “Women on the warpath” and has called men, who sport stubble or prefer to remain unshaven, as lazy in order to boost their sales of products of the shaving range.

The demands made by AIMWA are as follows

1. Procter and Gamble should stop the “Women against Lazy Stubble” campaign immediately.
2. They should publish a 10 cm. X 12 cm. apology for insulting men, in all leading national dailies, on either the front page or back page.
3. Actresses Minisha Lamba, Neha Dhupia and Mugdha Godse should tender apologies to all men for calling them lazy and urging women to detest unshaven men.
4. Procter and Gamble should also tender an apology for making a Gender Hate Speech, and
5. They should give an undertaking that they will never design sexist anti-male ad campaigns in future under any circumstances.

However, as there has been no official response from P&G on this issue of withdrawing the ad campaign or complying with the above demands, AIMWA is constrained to make an official complaint in this matter with the Advertizing Standards Council of India (ASCI) for designing a sexist anti-male ad-campaign offending the sentiments of men’s rights organization by calling all men lazy just to boost their sales and in turn also creating an environment that promotes Domestic Violence against Men.

As such AIMWA has launched an official complaint with the Council so that it can take necessary action against Gillette and P&G as per its policies.

Additionally, Katherine Albrecht’s “Talk Radio with Freedom” from the United States interviewed Mr. Parthasarthy, member of All India Men’s Welfare Association on AIMWA’s protest against the W.A.L.S. campaign of Gillette.

Details about “Talk Radio with Freedom” can be found at,

http://www.katherinealbrecht.com/index.php?option=com_content&view=category&layout=blog&id=20&Itemid=129

Details about the radio program can be found at,

http://aimwa.in/gillettes-mischievous-lazy-stub-ad-falls-flat

AIMWA will continue the protest against P&G and Gillette till all the demands are met. AIMWA further urges the people to boycott all brands under the Procter and Gamble India Ltd. Company like, Braun coffeemaker, Duracell, Old Spice, Pantene, Vicks, Oral-B, Head and Shoulders, Gillette, Tide, Pampers, Pringle potato chips, Ariel detergent, etc. and use alternate brands for the same products.

Date: 04 Jan 2010                          Thanks and Regards

Place: Bangalore                                                 Virag
President
All India Men’s Welfare Association