4 Ads That Can’t Look At Women Beyond Stereotypes And 4 Ads That Did It Beautifully!

Advertisers and brands in India are greatly disillusioned; they can’t think beyond selling stereotypes and sex! Or can they? Here’s a look.

There are two things that brands think sells in India – Stereotypes and Sex. No wonder in a ‘fairness crazy’ country like India, fairness creams still find a loyal customers base, a wedding jewelry ad still shows that ‘getting married’ is every woman’s dream in life and a beverage company uses a seductive image of a woman to sell its mango drink.

In the race to sell more products and make profits, some advertisers are finding the easiest routes they can, without giving a second thought. Our weekly #WomenontheMove chat got twitterati talking about the ads that they wished they hadn’t seen – and some that they loved!

Advertisements that we wish we hadn’t seen!

Malabar Gold And Diamonds

This regressive jewelry ad reinforces the stereotype that a woman’s only dream is to have a dream wedding! Seriously!

Don’t remember which brand (thank god!) ,but it’s a jewellery ad featuring a woman trying to get her family to giver her a dream wedding

— Vijayalakshmi Harish (@GranthaMaven) June 7, 2017

Fairness cream ads

The fairness creams ads- the recent ones that garb themselves as equality champions but base it on her complexion

— Tulika Dubey (@tulikaD) June 7, 2017

Men will be Men – Imperial blue ads

Imperial Blue ads are expert in this. #WomenOnTheMove

— Tarang Sinha (@TarangSinha) June 7, 2017

Oh! Did we forget Axe deodrants – the fragrance that turns women into nymphomaniacs!

they view women only as sex object and not as a living human being who might have their own thought process, likes & dislikes

— Kontiki (@santoor_mom) June 7, 2017

Well, all is not lost.

Despite the plethora of regressive ads that we are forced to put up with everyday, here are a few commercials that were sensitively made and sent across meaningful messages to our society, while doing their job for the brand.

Vicks #TouchOfCare

Recent ad of Vicks with the transgender mother was brilliantly made sending a powerful message too. #TouchOfCare #Womenonthemove

— Vaishali Gandhi (@vaishali178) June 7, 2017

Brooke Bond #ABoyWhoGirlsLike

Brooke bond which busted gender stereotypes by showing a little boy make tea for his sister #WomenOnTheMove

— Akshata (@Awestruck_Aks) June 7, 2017

Havells India

There was a havell’s ad: a mother makes rotis touching the fire with her hands. Her son makes tongs and tosses it with her. #WomenOnTheMove

— Kirthi (@kirthijayakumar) June 7, 2017

I found it nice because it went beyond the norm of a boy doing nothing to help his mother while waiting focal meal with entitlement.

— Kirthi (@kirthijayakumar) June 7, 2017

Amazon India #AdjustNoMore

I like that @amazonINI ad featuring Konkona Sen Sharma and Zareena Wahab as DiL-MiL. #WomenOnTheMove https://t.co/OlURQN0U7w

— Tarang Sinha (@TarangSinha) June 7, 2017

It is high time brands realise that the audience today is much more evolved and are not as dim-witted as they perceive them to be. Most of these advertisements are made by top ad agencies for multi-crore companies. Such insensitively made ads reflect negatively on the brand’s image.

The agency as well as the brand should be receptive and aware about the socio-cultural impact of their work. It is high time more advertisers stop typecasting women and come up with better, progressive ideas.

Image via Youtube

Jyotishree Mohanty

A part time backpacker, an accidental baker, a doting mother, a loving wife, a pampered

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