Objectification of Women in Indian Ads – A Retrogression?
Indian advertisers should hear the alarm and understand that incessant exposure to such messages does have an impact on the viewers and the society at large.
Over frequent times I ponder, is it just me or several others still sense the heavy objectification of women in the Indian advertising. How casually do we take the female gender in present world can be deciphered from the recent instance when the so-called ‘brand’ Hardik Pandya’s apparent loose talk on women actually disavowed women’s status in the contemporary domain. Pandya, who used to endorse around eight brands, simultaneously represent the value of that particular brand. Even Gillette took a stand and removed the cricketer as its brand ambassador for the Indian market. But the real question is what does he (Pandya) signify as a brand? Also, what other brands with sexist and misogynistic content manifest?
How appalling it is to say, women continue to be sexualized and misinterpreted in advertisements, even in 2019. Advertisers can’t look at a woman selling beyond stereotypes and sex – whether it’s a fairness cream ad or a clothing brand. A wedding jewelry brand still thinks ‘getting married’ is what every girl dream of, and a beverage label can’t help but use woman as a seductive image to sell its mango drink.
What Men and Women Are Taught To Desire Through Advertisements?
A woman since her childhood is programmed to look like a Barbie doll – an image of perfection, which the Indian ads too portray. In the ads we see, a female would have perfect skin and shining body with no wrinkles or scars. She has a head of silky, radiant hair that looks dazzling bright. Funny but real in the sense, advertisements do what they shouldn’t, through their ads. While on the other hand, men are wired to desire and see the woman as such without a hunch of unpleasant attitude. The Indian ads have normalized such behavior.
Addiction’s Ad Showing Women As Nymphomaniacs
The deodorant ad, featuring Neil Nitin Mukesh, implies – to attract a woman, “just spray it on and turn her on”. The objectification of woman in this particular ad has disgusted me to the limit of abhorring self.
Nando’s Ghastly Attempt At Advertising
.@NandosIndia disgusting, disappointing, disturbing, absolute rubbish# u need sensible marketers @unwomenindia pic.twitter.com/TL8VtKUXQM
— Nishtha Satyam (@SatyamNishtha) March 26, 2016
HT’s Ad Strive to Play With Subconscious Biases
An advertiser very well knows the rudimentary subconscious bias of the Indian audience. Thus, they primarily reflect upon common ideologies of societies, thereby, leaving no stone unturned in strengthening them further. Just as this ad did by conveniently highlighting that a ‘fair, convent educated Brahmin girl’ is still the ideal standard of beauty in India.
Jack and Jones Encouragement of Sexual Harassement at Workplace
This ad is extremely disturbing as it normalizes sexual harassment of women in the work place, a hard-hitting issue a lot many women faces in the workplace. If a public figure like Ranveer Singh continues to glorify such advertisements, God know what our future may hold.
Pepe Jeans Ad Proclaims The Difference in Masculine and Feminine Clothes
Progressive Too – But Quantifiable Enough?
Obviously, the glass is not half empty, it’s half filled too. I understand there are advertisers continuously trying to uplift the status of women in society with their sensitive and sensible narration. But are those advertising handful? Even though an advertisement is not meant to be a moral guide, it does have certain responsibilities towards society merely because it reaches millions of homes and influences people, directly or indirectly. Indian advertisers should hear the alarm and understand that incessant exposure to such messages does have an impact on the viewers and the society at large. Gillette’s attempt on progressive advertising was commendable. We should too try and support this kind of advertising.
A woman is not an object, but a human being, just like man!