Dettol has apologised and withdrawn a controversial advertisement in China after a campaign intended to challenge sexism triggered widespread backlash and calls for a boycott.
The British hygiene brand found itself at the centre of a social media storm after releasing a five-minute promotional video for one of its disinfectant products.
Styled as a short online drama, the advert follows a man searching for a girlfriend he describes as “clean” and “untainted by other men.” The storyline takes an unexpected turn when his new partner confronts him over his sexist views and ends their relationship.
The advert then draws a comparison between “toxic men” and bacteria, positioning Dettol’s disinfectant as the solution.
Rather than being seen as a criticism of misogyny, the campaign angered many viewers, who accused the company of objectifying women and reducing human relationships to a marketing gimmick.
As criticism intensified across Chinese social media platforms, Dettol removed the advertisement and issued a public apology.
The company said the campaign had been designed to challenge harmful gender stereotypes but acknowledged that the message failed to resonate as intended.
“We recognise that it has offended many people, especially women,” the company said in a statement. “We take responsibility for any shortcomings in the creation and review of the advert.”
Dettol also pledged to strengthen its content review and moderation processes to prevent similar controversies in the future.
The company added that while its mission has always been to protect the health of families, it also recognises the importance of respecting the dignity and equality of every individual.
The advert has fuelled heated debate online, with many users criticising the brand’s attempt to link personal “purity” with the cleaning power of its products.
“What a trashy advertisement. It’s left me speechless,” one user wrote on Weibo, China’s equivalent of X.
Another user said: “I’m never using Dettol again. There are so many other brands to choose from.”
The controversy has also drawn attention from media analysts.
Manya Koetse, founder of the Eye on Digital China newsletter, described the campaign as a major misstep for a company whose identity is built around cleanliness and trust.
“Even if the intention was to show that the male character was wrong, the message was communicated so poorly that it backfired completely,” she said.
The latest uproar is not the first time Dettol has faced criticism in China. The brand, owned by Reckitt, also attracted negative attention last year over another advertisement that critics said contained problematic messaging about women.
The incident highlights the growing risks global brands face when tackling sensitive social issues in marketing campaigns, particularly in highly connected markets where public reaction can escalate within hours.
