Advertisers and brands in India are greatly disillusioned; they can't think beyond selling stereotypes and sex! #WomenOnTheMove
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!
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, 2017Related Stories The Woman In The New Indian Ads Is Empowered. Or Is She? Finally An Ad That Breaks Silence Around Periods With Women Bleeding Red, Not Blue!
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
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
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
Imperial Blue ads are expert in this. #WomenOnTheMove — Tarang Sinha (@TarangSinha) June 7, 2017
Imperial Blue ads are expert in this. #WomenOnTheMove
— Tarang Sinha (@TarangSinha) June 7, 2017
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
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
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.
Recent ad of Vicks with the transgender mother was brilliantly made sending a powerful message too. #TouchOfCare #Womenonthemove — Vaishali Gandhi (@vaishali178) June 7, 2017
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 which busted gender stereotypes by showing a little boy make tea for his sister #WomenOnTheMove — Akshata (@Awestruck_Aks) June 7, 2017
Brooke bond which busted gender stereotypes by showing a little boy make tea for his sister #WomenOnTheMove
— Akshata (@Awestruck_Aks) June 7, 2017
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
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
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.
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
I like that @amazonINI ad featuring Konkona Sen Sharma and Zareena Wahab as DiL-MiL. #WomenOnTheMove https://t.co/OlURQN0U7w
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
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