Dettol has issued an apology after its latest Chinese television advert drew widespread outrage.
The five‑minute clip, styled as a micro drama, starts with a man searching for a partner who is “clean” and “not tainted by other men.” In the finale the woman confronts him for misogyny and breaks up, while Dettol is positioned as the antidote to “toxic men” that are likened to bacteria.
Viewers on Weibo accused the piece of objectifying women and called for a boycott. A surge of comments criticized the messaging and the senior management of the brand.
Dettol said the content was designed to challenge gender stereotypes but acknowledged that snippets circulated online distorted its core message. The company removed the ad and stated it would refit its content‑review processes.
Previously, the brand has faced backlash for a 2025 advert that implied a bride was unclean when she was sent away from a wedding. The repeated controversies underline the delicate balance international brands must keep in China’s media landscape.
See also: China cracks down on soft porn, violence and materialism in viral micro dramas.
