When Gillette Glorified the Journey to Manhood

A look back at the 1989 Gillette ad that captured the essence of the male journey from boyhood to legacy before the brand decided to change its tune

By Your Bro · Mon Jan 07 2019 · Self Improvement

In 1989, a commercial for a razor blade managed to condense the entire arc of a man's life into sixty seconds of footage that actually meant something.

The Best a Man Can Get

Remember when Gillette glorified the journey to Manhood? [video src="https://auhdcvryjhwchiinwflg.supabase.co/storage/v1/object/public/article-images/2019/01/img_4164.mp4" ]

The 1989 "Best a Man Can Get" campaign didn't start with a lecture. It started with a heartbeat and a synth bassline. It showed a man at his wedding. A father holding his newborn. A guy winning a race. A businessman closing a deal. It wasn't just about shaving; it was about the face you presented to the world as you took on the various roles required of you. It was about the dignity of having a role to play in the first place.

Today, we see a lot of content that views these traditional milestones as outdated or, worse, inherently problematic. But for the men of that era, and the boys watching them, those images were the North Star. They suggested that if you worked hard, stayed sharp, and showed up for your family, you were doing something right. It was aspirational. It was a blueprint.

The Shift from Aspiration to Accusation

There is a massive difference between telling a man what he can be and telling him what he is doing wrong. In recent years, the same brand made waves with a very different message, one that focused more on the failures of men than their potential. We went from celebrating the "best" to policing the "worst."

The data shows that this shift isn't just a matter of hurt feelings. According to Pew Research, a growing number of men feel the definition of masculinity is under attack, leaving many without a clear sense of purpose. When you remove the goalposts, people stop running the play. If you don't give a young man a vision of what a 'good man' looks like, he will fill that void with whatever noise he finds on the internet. I talked about this when I listed the thirty fatherly rules to raise strong sons.

The Burden of Performance

The 1989 ad worked because it acknowledged the burden of performance. It showed a man getting ready for the day because the day expected something from him. He had to be a provider, a protector, and a competitor. These aren't just tropes; they are the fundamental pillars that have held society together for thousands of years.

I remember watching my own father get ready for work when I was six. He didn't say much. He just stood at the sink, lathered up, and Methodically cleared his face with a heavy brass razor. He looked like he was preparing for battle, even if that battle was just a middle-management meeting in a beige office. There was a solemnity to it. He was a man with a mission, and that morning ritual was his final check before heading out. We are losing that sense of ceremony.

Strength is a Baton

One of the most powerful shots in that old commercial is the father looking at his son. It captures the moment a man realizes he is no longer the protagonist of his own story. He has become the supporting character in the life of the next generation. This isn't a loss; it's an upgrade.

We often talk about how you owe the debt of mentorship. You didn't become a man in a vacuum. You were shaped by the men who came before you—the ones who taught you how to throw a punch, how to shake a hand, and how to stay when things got difficult. The 1989 ad acknowledged this lineage. It showed that manhood isn't a destination you arrive at and stay forever. It is a responsibility you carry and then pass on.

The Necessity of Visual Blueprints

Humans are visual creatures. We need to see what the finish line looks like. If every depiction of men in media is either a bumbling idiot, a villain, or a repressed soul, then young men will grow up without a healthy target. Research from the American Psychological Association has frequently discussed how men respond to social norms, and when those norms are purely negative, the result is often social withdrawal and a decline in mental health.

We need to bring back the glorification of the journey. Not because men are perfect, but because the pursuit of being better is what keeps us from being worse. A man without a target is a dangerous thing. He becomes stagnant. He becomes bitter. He starts focusing on petty grievances. When we see a man in a suit holding his child, we aren't seeing "oppression." We are seeing a guy who has found a reason to be disciplined. As I mentioned in the post on how to become the leader you were created to be, your strength needs a destination.

The Dry Reality of Being the Best

The slogan "The Best a Man Can Get" is actually quite humble when you think about it. It doesn't promise you will be an emperor. It just promises you will be the best version of yourself provided you have the right tools and the right mindset. It’s also a reminder that being 'the best' usually involves a lot of routine, boring work—like shaving every morning or showing up to work on time when you’d rather stay in bed.

Most of manhood is unglamorous. It is the grit in the gears. It is the quiet moments of choosing to do the right thing when no one is watching. That 1989 ad managed to make those quiet moments look heroic. We could use a little more of that selective editing in the real world.

Manhood wasn't different in 1989. The world was just more honest about what it looks like when a man decides to excel. You don't need a vintage commercial to tell you how to live, but it doesn't hurt to be reminded that the journey is worth the effort.

—Your Bro