Gender Stereotyping in Advertisements: Is India on the road to role inversion?
UK’s stand on introducing rules imposing a ban on advertisements that highlight gender stereotyping is being viewed as a reformatory step. UK’s Advertising Standards Authority felt the need to eliminate such ads, as they cast a negative effect on society and have decided to be tough on such advertisements. The move is set to put the UK at par with other countries, where gender stereotyping in ads is actively discouraged.
According to Guy Parker (CEO –ASA), “While advertising is only one of many factors that contribute to unequal gender outcomes, tougher advertising standards can play an important role in tackling inequalities and improving outcomes for individuals, the economy and society as a whole.”
The Indian ad industry has also witnessed many advertisements that have predominant gender-linked roles. Most of the ads on insurance have a male protagonist, whereas ads promoting beauty products or household categories have primarily female protagonists. However, ‘Femvertism’ seems to be the new brand phenomenon focussing strongly on role inversion.
P&G’s personal grooming brand GILLETTE challenged Gender Stereotypes by portraying two girls Neha and Jyoti who run their father’s barber shop in the Banwari Tola Village, U.P, from the eyes of an 8 year old.
The campaign created by agency Grey India for Gillette (India), bagged the first-ever Silver Lion for India at Cannes in the year 2019. (Category – Entertainment Lions for Music)
This advertisement highlights the realization of a father, when he sees that his daughter is multi-tasking and not getting any help from her husband; and his step to corrective action. Laundry is no more a women’s job becomes the punch line of the advertisement.
The advertisement sparked conversation across multiple touch-points, leading to massive participation and 2.1 million people pledging their support to the cause. The campaign conceptualized by BBDO, won 5 awards at Cannes Lions 2016
It sarcastically highlights how household chores are linked specifically with women
The advertisement challenges the traditional societal norm of arranged marriage where the female is supposed to be adept in discharging household duties
The advertisement is a strong step against gender biasing and related perceptions at workplace
The initiative by Colors TV strongly highlights role inversion, where women also deserve a weekly off
This is a heart-warming advertisement focussing on the core issue of a female’s career succession when she plans for her family life.
The advertisement shows a female in the role of a boss and challenges a societal norm where a wife being immediate boss of her own husband is not taken in a positive faith. She is shown to successfully manage her personal and professional life.
The advertisement highlights a strong role inversion by depicting the willingness of a boy to adopt the surname of girl after marriage.
The advertisement shows a transgender in the protective role of a mother.
This advertisement is remarkable in terms of its visuals and dialogues. It shows females in the role of fighter pilots and how they are adding difference to society.
The above advertisements are few remarkable and bold steps that strongly raise voice against gender stereotyping; the list is not exhaustive though.
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Right time recognise and celebrate our hero’s and she-roes…..
bcs at the end the graves are identical.
A quite informative blog….
Thanks Utkarsh…
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Gender stereotyping in recruitment advertisements perpetuates and validates stereotypes prevalent in society. By means of a content analysis of Indian recruitment advertisements published in a national daily, the research concludes that gender stereotyping is being practised by recruiters across sectors in India. The study looks in detail at the kind of jobs that are being stereotyped as female. The study also found that gender stereotyping was less evident in fields that require higher education qualifications.
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