Here, we have listed some of such progressive ads:
(please click > Next to know the names of the ads)1. Nirma
[caption id="attachment_89306" align="aligncenter" width="669"]
Nirma[/caption]
Remember that popular jingle "Hema, Rekha, Jaya aur Sushma, sabki pasand Nirma..."? Released in 2011, this 25-year-old jingle was successfully used to show four proactive women in pristine white getting down into a muddy puddle to push an ambulance stuck in the dirt, while a group of men continues staring without lifting a finger. The ad featured four leading actors back in that time who were popular “bahus” of the TV industry. Though some might say the commercial also associated detergent powder only with women, eight years back this was a good attempt to dispel the notion that women are physically weak. Moving with the times, maybe Nirma itself realised that and switched to 'Nirma Advance' with Hrithik Roshan as their ambassador, breaking the association with the female gender.
2. Nescafe #ItAllStarts
[caption id="attachment_89304" align="aligncenter" width="669"]
Nescafe[/caption]
A struggling stand-up comedian, who also stammers, gets rejected due to his speech disfluency. Not one to accept defeat, he keeps going and turns this weakness into his strength. “Time lagta hain yaar bu...bu...bu...buffering main”. Yay!! he finally makes it.
Released in 2014, this ad opted for a fresh theme - highlighting the important issue of stammering which is stigmatised in the society, yet cannot suppress the talent of an individual.
3. Nike: Da Da Ding
[caption id="attachment_89305" align="aligncenter" width="669"]
Nike[/caption]
The all women ad, featuring real-life athletes, was a part of Nike's “Just Do It” campaign. This ad aimed to encourage women to take up sports and break the typecast of men only pursuing fitness. Sportspersons from diverse fields like Rani Rampal (hockey), Jyoti Ann Burrett (football), Joshna Chinappa (Squash) and Ishita Malviya (surfing) lent the required athletic ‘josh’ to this advertisement. Deepika Padukone (badminton) was also part of this commercial but she shared equal screen space with others. Released in 2016, this ad was a fresh take on strong, empowered and healthy women.
4. Jabong: 'Be You'
[caption id="attachment_89302" align="aligncenter" width="669"]
Jabong[/caption]
It was a bold attempt from a leading brand like Jabong that sticks to its message “Be You” in the advertisement. Released in 2016, this ad celebrated diversity by advocating choice. The campaign showcased men wearing ‘nath’ (nose ring) and heels, women draping sarees in jeans and tying turban, and more such unconventional representations.
5. Dove: Let's Break the Rules of Beauty
[caption id="attachment_89301" align="aligncenter" width="669"]
Dove[/caption]
“Isn't that strange that in a country of 631 million women, there's still only one face of beauty, when there's so much more to be admired...” Dove, which is one of the leading beauty brands, questioned the beauty standards of India by showcasing women of all size, shape and colour. And all of them looked really unconventional. And that was the beauty of the commercial, that how the brand inspires women to “break the rules of beauty”.
6. Bournvita Badam Booster – Tayyari Har Exam Ki
[caption id="attachment_89299" align="aligncenter" width="669"]
Bournvita Badam Booster[/caption]
It is well known how Indians put great emphasis on academic performance to determine a child's future. This commercial attempted to break that outlook and change the mindset of people about marks and grades. In the ad, a principal addresses parents at a parent-teacher meeting and advises them to focus more on the learning experience rather than scores “...aisa koi report card aaj tak bana nei hain jo ek bache ki kabiliyat bata sake...”. Marks are indeed important but not the end of the world. A beautiful and a progressive ad released right before pre-boards with a tagline 'tayyari har exam ki'.
7. Ariel: Sons #ShareTheLoad
[caption id="attachment_89298" align="aligncenter" width="669"]
Ariel[/caption]
A mother calls her daughter and is shocked to learn that she's planning to quit her successful career in order to manage the household chores. Looking at her son, the mother realises how she raised her two children in an unequal way by not teaching him to participate in housework. This third film of the #ShareTheLoad campaign shows that despite a new wave of change in the society, there's still a long way to go.
8. Dabur Vatika: #BraveandBeautiful
[caption id="attachment_89300" align="aligncenter" width="669"]
Dabur Vatika[/caption]
Dabur Vatika, one of the leading hair care brands, salutes women cancer survivors by featuring a young mother who's trying to regain her regular life post-cancer. In the commercial, a bald woman is getting ready for office. At first, she chooses a western outfit and covers her head with a shawl. But later she ends up wearing a simple saree and flaunt her bald head with a ‘bindi’. And the blurb of the song says, “Some people don't need hair to look beautiful”.
9. Kotak Mahindra 811 - #IndiaInvited
[caption id="attachment_89303" align="aligncenter" width="669"]
Kotak Mahindra 811[/caption]
Another beautiful campaign by Kotak Mahindra featuring Ranveer Singh which talks about 'inclusivity'. In the ad, the protagonist, i.e. Singh, sitting on a bench in a railway station, shows how our society discriminates against people on the basis of caste, creed, appearance, religion, sexual identity and so on, and goes on to reassure that Kotak Mahindra 811 account is accessible to anyone regardless of their background. In fact, he quotes how he is being mocked in the society “...ye atrangi kya acting karega?” In the backdrop of most bank advertisements typecasting white collar males as the centre of attention, this ad was quite a breath of fresh air.
Looking at the plethora of commercials in mass media, it would seem no one knows how to be a ‘perfect’ man and woman better than these ads. But here are a few campaigns we absolutely loved, as they initiated a positive change by seeking to dispel long ingrained societal norms.
