An Indian laundry detergent commercial has one big fan — Sheryl Sandberg.
The Facebook COO praised the commercial for spreading the message that dads should “share the load” of household responsibilities with their wives.
“This is one of the most powerful videos I have ever seen — showing how stereotypes hurt all of us and are passed from generation to generation,” Sandberg wrote in a post on Facebook. “When little girls and boys play house they model their parents’ behavior; this doesn’t just impact their childhood games, it shapes their long-term dreams.”
In the commercial, a father writes a letter apologizing to his daughter after seeing her singlehandedly taking care of her own family as her husband sits on the couch. He watches sadly as she brings a drink to her husband, washes her son’s shirt, makes dinner and takes a business call.
The father says he’s sorry that he hasn’t set a better example and pledges to help his wife around the house. The commercial, which was put out by Ariel India, P&G, and BBDO Worldwide, closes with the father and his wife doing a load of laundry together.
In the Facebook post, Sandberg said the ad campaign was an important step toward creating more “equal homes.”
The video has gone viral and has spurred conversation about traditional familial roles.
Sandberg gained notoriety for her book “Lean In,” which encourages women to advance their careers. She’s also created charities and organizations that support gender equality and help women get ahead in the workplace.
In the final lines of her post, Sandberg encouraged dads to “ShareTheLoad” and “LeanInTogether for equality.”
