Ironical India Pt.1: Representation of Females In Indian Advertisements

Before we start off, “Mayul, why this topic now”? “Didn’t you write something about Marvel/DC just less than a week ago”? “How does this make any sense now”?

and the best, 

"Dude, wtf! Don't MaNspLaiN"

A ‘right so, just because the Indian media is filled with advertisements and commercials that are either fraught or polarizing in some sense, it doesn’t necessarily mean issues other than these two are no more needed to be addressed. It’s been an ailing issue since ages and continues to be and hence. ;)

With that said, let’s begin

Since the origins of humankind, there has always been a dissection in the way gender pertaining roes are perceived and hence, manifested in the ways ideas are put forth and propagated. From the Stone Age to the current times, the very idea of the social construct of gender has largely affected commercial, political and opinion expressing opportunities that the “female” or in fact all the other genders but “male” gets.

The battle for equality, though apparently has given us the desired results; universal adult franchise, reservation of women in the political setup in terms of representation and say in decision making policy, it is still in fact resulting into nothing but compromise, window dressing and pride drive prejudice, being particularly present among st the men.

The whole idea of masculinity has been distorted by men themselves. Exhibitors of “rage/aggression” and inappropriately “insisting” characters are some of the many ills that the unchecked male dominant society has developed within it over the many years so far.

While Kabir Singh faced a significant back lash from around the country, it collected an enormous 379 Cr. during its run. So, maybe that kid who posted on social media about not liking the film, was because he just wanted to remain in the good books of his friends, who know? :D

Having kept all these things in perspective, we talk about representation of females in Indian Advertisements.

Now, deliberately being analytical, it wouldn’t be to wrong to avoid the numbers and just approach the topic subjectively,

Why? Because the change in ideologies, the progression, more specifically, the rationale driven flexibility brought in the irrational rigidity process of billions of people, spanning over generations cannot be put into fixed numbers and matrices.

Having said that,

The Indian Advertisements industry does seem to have seen a change in the way potential female stars, advertisement ideas and their associated products are put into work. From female cast being depicted as only associated to roses and marriage, fortunately the ideas have somewhat changed their horizon to the roles being played in manners that push the character in picture, beyond the limits, thereby overcoming sex pertaining concepts of menstruation, female body being adequately strong for the military, having sex at will (out of the mandated confines of marriage), freedom of speech and above all, professional independence, which otherwise are taboos to talk or even address in the society.

Sure does the casting couch affliction exist, however with the much necessary revolutionary movements such as the “#metoo” and “#girlpower” has not only offered a supportive platform for the female actors to come out and share their sour experience but has also made the men hold more accountability in the sense that they now not only acknowledge the ills that are existent in the industry, but also take full responsibility of them as a gender, and not allow them to digress and lose the essence, by taking it on their personal pride and ego.

While the MeToo movement couldn't pick up its due pace significantly beyond the metros, it did gain some of its fair share of momentum when it came to sensitization and awareness.

In such diverse nation with a huge population where ironically enough, people connect to commercials and get influenced by them way more effectively than government announcements (PSAs), there lies a moral responsibility on the advertisement makers in the Indian Advertisement (Commercials) Industry.

A control group is a part of the population under evaluation that isn't necessarily subjected to specific stimulus' while a treatment group is categorically subjected to the same. As we see here, people with Ads showed some reception as opposed to those who were only limited to PSAs.

However, fortunately with the recent progressive/inclusive changed in ideologies, one may be able to see a hundred percent transparent and righteous depiction and formulation of advertisement ideas, projects and presentations in times to come.

I guess, that's where:

"this is Mayul"

signing off :)