By The South African branch of the company marked National Women's Day with a poster urging women to "Look like a girl, Act like a lady, Think like a man, Work like a boss".
Naturally the response on social media was not positive.
Among those registering complaints was campaigner Caroline Criado-Perez, who asked "what fresh hell is this".
The company later apologised for the gaffe with a message on Facebook.
"Hi everyone. Let's start out by saying we're incredibly sorry for offending everybody - that was never our intention, but we completely understand where we've gone wrong," read the apology.
srsly, "think like a man"
What to Read Next
*stabs eyes out with bic pen*
ā Caroline CriadoPerez (@CCriadoPerez) August 11, 2015
"This post should never have gone out. The feedback you have given us will help us ensure that something like this will never happen again, and we appreciate that."
It's not the first time Bic has been criticised for its anti-women tendencies.
In 2012, it launched its Miss Bic ballpoint pen range. The pink pens had apparently been "designed to fit comfortably in a woman's hand".
The product attracted much mirth on release, with customer questions and answers on Amazon mocking the approach, such as "I am a man. Is it safe to use this pen?"
The title also inspired Bridget Christie's 2013 Edinburgh show A Bic for Her and her 2015 debut book A Book for Her.
The Miss Bic range is still available, and still attracting plenty of criticism on the Bic South Africa Facebook page, with many now also referencing the "Think like a man" poster.
"I'd rather have equal pay and less staggering sexual violence stats, than a pink pen, please," said Jeanine Cameron.
Yolandi Van Der Watt-Robinson added: "Oh yay. Pink pens to make me smarter. Now if only i could think like a man."
