Harry’s | A Man Like You

When Harry’s approached us, they were a startup in search of a brand. Facing pressure from industry leaders who could easily match Harry’s prices or copy its online subscription model, Harry’s was eager to shift the conversation to its purpose. For Harry’s, that purpose is to change the face of masculinity, starting with the way it’s portrayed in advertising. Rather than feature perfectly chiseled models with incredible jawlines and six-pack abs, Harry’s believes in reflecting the honest, vulnerable and often messy reality of what it means to be a man today.

Traditionally, the expectation for men is to be strong, tough and often emotionally unavailable. And while there are positives to be gleaned, there is also real harm to both genders as a result of these stereotypes.

A more progressive view of masculinity embraces the “ands”—the idea that men can be both strong and vulnerable, self-assured and accepting of others. It’s not a shift, but an expansion in the spectrum of masculinity. Our objective was to raise awareness of Harry’s as not just a razor startup, but a grooming brand that embraces all men while amplifying the ongoing conversation around what it means to be a man today.

What does it really mean to be a man? What does society expect of us? And if an alien came down from outer space, how would you explain all of this to him/her? These are the questions we sought to answer with a short film entitled, “A Man Like You.” It’s the story of an alien who discovers how to be a man with the help of a young boy. Each lesson is a window into a larger conversation—how to walk, how to take care of yourself, when to be afraid. But through the alien’s journey to manhood, it is the boy who learns that the traditional rules imposed on men are too limiting for today’s world.

Because after all, the story is not about an alien at all, but instead about the boy and the idea that “being a man” is ultimately about realizing the rules don’t exist.

In the first six weeks, the film garnered more than 49 million views. Additionally, the film achieved over 200K social engagements including overwhelmingly positive comments despite the fact that Internet conversation surrounding the topic of masculinity is overwhelmingly negative. The film was featured in the press by influential publications including GQ, Esquire, Wired, The Telegraph and more as well as industry press in AdWeek, Creativity, Communication Arts and others.