Creative Critique through the gender lens: Ad reviews 17-21 February

Motilal Oswal

 

 

The advertisement depicts equal participation in terms of investments by men and women.  It is interesting to note that the ad shows a woman slipping on the tread mill while staring at a man ...it is shown as casually as the man staring at a woman on the road and hitting a pole.  However, It is important to remember that while looking at the other sex is normal behaviour, staring at others even when we know that it is causing discomfort to them is harassment. The ad successfully depicts the general behaviour on streets without glorifying it.

 

GS Score: 3.5/5

 

Vicco Vajardanti:

 

 

A girl is shown to be enjoying eating at a festive occassion. No cliched objectification of the  woman, even though the ad features a Bollywood celebrity - Alia Bhat.

 

GS Score 3/5

 

Tata Trust #TwoBinsLifeWins:

 

Deeply impactful and sensitive portrayal of the contribution of the sanitation workers in our country and their near invisibility.

 

While the story line seems to be about men who lose their lives cleaning the manholes, the tag line talks of segregating waste. The link between non- segregation of waste, clogging of drains and deaths of men cleaning the drains/manholes is not brought out clearly. Therefore, the culpability of all of us in those deaths is not highlighted.

 

If it is about segregation and better waste disposal and management, it is important to highlight women as well, as they play an equal role in waste collection, segregation, and disposal. 

The advertisement could have been more inclusive by focusing on both men and women sanitation workers and not just on men.

 

GS Score 3/5

 

Dabur Red Toothpaste

 

The ad depicts the innumerable ways in which men and women use their teeth. However, the depiction is very stereotypical -  men chewing sugar cane and women biting the thread delicately while sewing the button on the shirt of a man rushing to office. Would it have made a big difference to the ad if it showed a woman chewing the sugar cane and the man biting the thread after stitching a button on his shirt? Just a thought. 

 

GS Score 2/5

 

Masala Expert Kurkure:

 

Quite an uninspiring advertisement cashing in on mass appeal of a male celebrity to endorse a product.   

 

GS Score 2/5

 

Idea:

The ad depicts the passion of a man to run his business successfully. It depicts a man without any hesitation dawning  a saree and breaking the stereotype of only women marketing women's apparels. The fact that the photographer believes in his own idea and encourages the businessman to partner with him to make this "not working to networking" idea a success through social media is truly thought provoking. It reminds me of the men in showrooms who drape the saree around themselves to show us how beautiful it is!!

 

GS Score: 4.2/5