"It’s time all men paid attention”: raunchy ad exposes the literal meaning of ‘toxic masculinity’

While plastic pollution is an ongoing environmental concern, it can be difficult to raise awareness in fresh ways that engage general audiences. To tackle this, Danish NGO Plastic Change has released a provocative new campaign drawing attention to the dangers of microplastics in a wholly unconventional way.

The best adverts are built to spark conversation and stop us in our tracks, and Plastic Change's new ad is no different. Appropriating the saucy visuals of underwear branding, the playful yet powerful campaign is a perfect example of how subverting expectations can make a huge visual impact that resonates with audiences for good.

Created by marketing agency Worth Your While in collaboration with Glue Society, the campaign centres around how microplastics are infiltrating everywhere (and I mean everywhere), including men’s genitals, in some cases leading to fertility issues. Giving a whole new meaning to the phrase 'toxic masculinity', the ‘Are You Packing Microplastics?’ campaign is a strong call to action masked behind satirical subversion.

Shot by legendary photographer Derek Henderson, whose work has been featured in Vogue, Bottega Veneta and Louis Vuitton, the ads mimic the visuals of sleek black and white Calvin Klein campaigns. CK's signature bulge has been replaced by PET plastic bottles, while the waistbands bear provocative messages like “4 out of 5 dicks are packing plastic” and “How toxic is your masculinity?”.

The campaign was sparked by research from the International Journal of Impotence Research, which discovered microplastics in 80% of human penile tissue tested, while the Journal of Toxicological Sciences similarly found microplastics in every human testicle studied.

"Environmental campaigns often fail to reach men," says Anne Aittomaki, strategic director at Plastic Change. "Studies show that many men associate environmentally conscious behaviour with femininity and are therefore less influenced by the messages of environmental campaigns. The campaign aims to flip that script by reaching out to men. If saving the planet doesn’t feel urgent, maybe saving your sex life and ability to reproduce will. This isn’t scare-mongering – it’s science. And it’s time all men paid attention,” she adds.

For more inspiring campaigns check out Prost8's cheeky optical illusion billboard or take a look at GirlvsCancer's provocative billboard ad that was banned by the ASA.