Shaadi.com's new campaign features women taking the reins in the matrimonial process

In both the ads, the potential bride-to-be takes an active role in groom hunting, instead of the family initiating the conversation.

Shaadi.com has launched a campaign called ‘Pressure hatao, Shaadi.com pe aao’. It addresses the several pressures women in India face in their matchmaking journey and empowers them to take control of the situation.

Women are often put to the test in the process of finding their life partner. The traditional approach is inefficient and often discounts what women really want.

Not only do they end up meeting people who they do not relate to, but they must also deal with unnecessary pressures right through the journey. In a study conducted by Shaadi.com, 80 per cent women expressed that they would like to be in control of this journey, with limited intervention from others.

One would think that a pandemic (COVID) is the worst time to meet new people or date, but both dating apps and matrimonial services have been active on the advertising front.

We've seen multiple ads from dating services like Tinder, Bumble, as well as from matrimonial services like Jeevansathi. The common thread between all these ads is that they all attempt to empower women by letting them control who they speak to, when the meetings happen, and so on.

Shaadi.com also launched a feature a few months ago that allows users to meet virtually. The most notable part of these communication is that individuals take matters into their own hands, and their parents play their roles in the background.

In Shaadi.com's campaign, a ‘Pressure hatao’ moment highlighted in the campaign is the pressure of saying no to a proposal that has come via extended family. Also, the pressure of awkward questions asked by extended family members, and efforts to impress the boy’s family and get married earlier.

To further amplify its message, Shaadi.com is partnering with influencers to share their experiences on the pressures that they have faced on their social handles. This will encourage other users to share their experiences and begin conversations on the pressures one goes through.

Adhish Zaveri, senior director – marketing, Shaadi.com, said, “Shaadi.com has paved the way for India’s journey from arranged marriages to planned marriages. Planned marriages put the individual in the driver’s seat, while taking the family along. This campaign is an entertaining, relatable and condensed reflection of this journey.”

Added Rajdeepak Das, managing director - India, and chief creative officer - South Asia, Leo Burnett, "The #TakeThePressureOff campaign addresses some of the biggest problems in the arranged marriage setup through its humorous stories. The execution is light-hearted and we are sure a lot of people will relate to it in a fun way.”

Campaign credits

Creative agency: Leo Burnett

Executive creative director: Sonal Chhajerh

Creative team: Gaurav Kumar, Dipayan Purkayastha and Pratik Dhas

Client servicing team: Pooja Mehta, Sharvari Salvi, Ashupreet Khullar, Smruti Vyas

Production house: Prodigious

Director: Amit Satyaveer Singh