Dettol apologises over offensive ad targeting women in China

Reckitt’s hygiene brand Dettol has issued an official apology after an online advertisement drew widespread criticism in China for being offensive to women. The controversial ad has since been taken down, MARKETING-INTERACTIVE has confirmed.

The video, which was created by a third-party content producer and promoted by Dettol, featured lines such as: “It’s okay if I’m not a virgin, but my future wife has to be one,” and “Do you know how to tell if a girlfriend has previously cohabited with a man?”

Netizens and consumers heavily condemned the content for objectifying women and reinforcing a rigid double standard that accepts male past relationships while stigmatising female ones. Many felt the creative concept unfairly disparaged women's personal histories.

In response to the backlash, Dettol’s customer service team initially acknowledged the complaints on 21 June, confirming that the matter would be reviewed internally.

On 22 June, Dettol issued an official statement on Weibo explaining the intent behind the campaign. According to the brand, the video was originally intended to challenge gender stereotypes through a specific narrative twist.

However, the brand claimed that the clips had been taken out of context and misleadingly edited during production. Dettol also admitted that severe flaws in the script’s wording ultimately left many women feeling offended, prompting the company to order the immediate removal of the problematic video from all platforms.

“There were clear shortcomings in both the content and our internal review process. We cannot evade our responsibility, and we offer our sincere apologies.”

The apology has polarised Chinese internet users. Some netizens argued that the brand cannot shift the blame to a third-party creator, given that Dettol officially approved, posted, and amplified the video on its own channels. Others, however, expressed a willingness to accept the apology and give the company the benefit of the doubt.

MARKETING-INTERACTIVE has reached out to Dettol for a statement.

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The backlash against Dettol highlights the ongoing risks brands face when trying to leverage provocative social commentary in their creative work.

In a parallel case this May, tech brand OPPO sparked outrage with a Mother’s Day campaign that featured the line: “My mum has two ‘husbands’.” While the brand explained that the creative intent was to challenge traditional stereotypes and present a more multi-dimensional image of modern mothers, the public remained unconvinced, forcing the brand to apologise.

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