Ad-land rebels against stereotypes

Of late, every other ad out there is centred on a progressive theme with a story-line that busts a stereotype. Here's our pick of the recent lot.

While we are gradually pushing social stereotypes off of our subconscious awareness, the advertising industry isn't laid back with the thought either. Advertising as a media goes through multiple phases and themes. These themes, at times, are overt and easily identifiable while in others, they overlap and blend into one another. Agencies sometimes digress from centring the entire ad on products or services and hide them in the garb of cause-based messages. While some campaigns have made outright exposés of issues like body image, gender equality etc., others have done a fair bit of shaking them up. Gender inequality, same-sex relationships, body shaming and many more; they're popping bubbles everywhere.

Here are a bunch of ads handpicked from the recent lot that shows the way:-

Ford Freestyle

Unlike most automobile ads this new ad for the Ford Freestyle CUV is largely based on concepts like freedom, attachment, companionship and guess what... it is also laced with same-sex relationships. It's a blink and miss scene. Watch carefully, there are a couple of women in the front seats of the vehicle. The driver receives a peck on her cheek from her companion and goes ahead to etch a huge heart on the asphalt with the tires. The ad film is the brainchild of Global Team Blue and has done really well on YouTube.

Ford's latest campaign for Freestyle CUV

Comfort

A woman, probably a mom, dipping and pulling a piece of clothing from a bucket of suds, that's what you expect to see in a detergent ad. You'll see the same in this ad for Comfort Fabric Conditioner. While the mom washes the clothes of a young chap, Arjun, her son, dons a patriarchal tone and tells his sister to learn the skill, citing future use. But the mother tricks him into joining her and then follows the sweet lesson. Once Arjun is done with the chore, his mom makes it clear that washing clothes is not limited to his sister. The ad is crafted by Ogilvy and Mather India for Unilever.

Comfort's TVC for After Wash released in September 2017

Flipkart

Worked out by Dentsu Webchutney for e-commerce giant Flipkart, this noteworthy piece of work probably shows the most number of dads playing the most number of mom-roles in a single ad film. Yes, 'mom-roles'. Right from the start, however, the ad makes it clear that these are only "roles" and they are not limited to either of the parents. When was last time you saw a dad doing his daughter's hair? Also, keep in mind, it is the male Penguin who tend to the young when mom's away fishing.

Flipkart's #PenguinDad ad film from March this year

Ginger

This one really cracks the whip! This campaign by JWT India for Ginger, a clothing line by Lifestyle, really takes the bull by the horns. It is loaded with bold statements like "To hell with your fashion rules", "Like I care", "I don't dress for your stereotypes", all targeted at stereotyped female body image and fashion. If you stand anywhere near any of these stereotypes, this one will hit you in the face.

Lifestyle's latest ad for Ginger clothing line

Coke

The husband here is busy managing the kitchen and the towel across his left shoulder clearly shows that he's a pro at it. But his wife, on the other hand, is busy going through a magazine while she can't stop nagging on the phone about her load of kitchen and household work. The fun unfolds when the husband brings out a bottle of Coke. While most other ads have taken a more direct and obvious approach to nipping stereotypes, this one has done the same in a softer and subtler manner.

Coca-Cola's latest campaign

TATA Pravesh

Although this one came out as a Mother's Day special, the ad film has a scene where a father throws out a set of ankle bells (Ghungroo) that belong to his son. The father disapproves of his son's dream of being a dancer. The scene which follows includes a young girl practising martial arts. These contrasting images open new doors into the mind's corridor. This ad is conceptualized by JWT for Pravesh, a brand of doors by TATA.

TATA Pravesh's Strong Like Mom ad film

RPG India

This piece of work has also been prepared by Dentsu Webchutney for RPG India. It has a pretty surprise in the end. Initially, it looks like a happy guy preparing his breakfast, but as it turns out, the breakfast is neatly packed into a blue lunchbox and off it goes with his wife. It doesn't end here. Post the see-off, the husband who is probably working from home grabs his laptop and joins his colleagues via video conferencing.

RPG's A Recipe for Happiness is a part of a larger campaign