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Tag: Anouk

  • 10 ads that broke stereotypes

    10 ads that broke stereotypes

    MUMBAI: Even as Gen Z with its short attention span skips through advertisements, jumping from channel to channel between breaks, there are some ads that are hard to ignore — be it for their peppy jingles, catchy tag lines or cool visuals.

     

    And then there are those, which not only touch us but leave us rattled and questioning. The recently released campaign by Anouk starring Radhika Apte is of the latter kind. Conceptualised by Ogilvy & Mather, the TVC talks about an issue we hardly hear ourselves addressing, even though it affects us pretty much uniformly throughout the country. That being the discrimination in workplace against expecting women.

     

    The ad showcases Radhika Apte as an independent woman working as a senior architect who misses her chance of being promoted in a well known architectural firm, by virtue of her pregnancy. In spite of being reassured that her performance isn’t being questioned, Apte is met with strong views on how pregnancy can be a disadvantage at the workplace. The ad concludes with Apte raising a voice against the discrimination and moving on to start her own thing.

     

    Anouk’s third chapter in ‘Bold Is Beautiful’ definitely treads away from the convention, into uncharted territories.

     

    This isn’t the first time that advertising fraternity has tried its hand at a non cliche plot line for a campaign concept and broken stereotypes. Off late there has been a  steep raise in campaigns with embedded social messages. Be it edgy and progressive storytelling that talk of non binary relationships, modern take on marriages and womanhood, or openly discussing Taboo subjects like sexual health and freedom.

     

    Needless to mention, every time an unconventional ad is released, it not only sparks conversations over the internet, it also leaves a viral trail of debates. Something Sideways co-founder Abhijit Avasthi finds smart but easy way of advertising.

     

    Though courting controversy for the sake of it doesn’t fit well with BBH India CEO Subhash Kamath either, he is all in for talking about issues that take us out of comfort zone if  “the content of the ad should be strategically relevant to the brand it is talking about. If it’s relevant and connects with people, even though it may piss off a few, it’s totally worth it to take up the challenge,” he shares.

     

     

    Given the buzz around the latest Anouk ad, Indiantelevision.com compiled a list of ten advertisements that broke stereotypes in recent times after speaking to several creatives in the industry. Here’s the list, though not in any particular order:

     

    Anouk: Bold is Beautiful : Radhika Apte

    The latest Anouk ad is simple and handles the issue directly instead of going for the ‘hinted’ approach. Not going deeper into the dos and don’ts of handling an issue like pregnant working women, and if the advertisement has done justice to it, it definitely starts a conversation on a topic we seldom shed light upon, even though there are many who are directly or indirectly affected by it,

     

    Airtel, Boss

    This Airtel ad that came out in 2014 sparked quite a controversy and left a trail of subsequent online debates amongst netizen. The advertisement showcased a modern day couple who work in the same company, with the wife being the husband’s boss. In office she asks him to work late and finish his pending work, while at home she reaches early to cook up a storm for her husband in the kitchen. While breaking a stereotype of work pay imbalance in India, the advertisement no doubt sent a confusing message. Going beyond the debate of the ‘right kind of message,’ this ad is still remembered for being different and addressing a non ‘black and white’ situation on gender equality.

     

    Remarriage: Tanishq

    Perhaps the most celebrated of them all when it comes to path breaking ideas, is the Tanishq jewellery advertisement that came out in 2013.

     

    While the setting of a wedding with the bride donning shiny jewellery doesn’t seem anything original for a jewellery brand, the narrative throws viewers a googly as we see the would be bride addressed as ‘mama’ by a little girl. Captioning it as ‘a wedding to remember’ this ad film conceived by Lowe Lintas and Partners not only opened up conversation on remarriage. It also changed its perception from being a social stigma to a glamorous affair.

     

    The Seatbelt Crew:

    Sometimes a simple message needs to be delivered with a powerful impact, and that’s exactly what Ogilvy and Mather did for VithU’s public service initiative on road safety norms. This two-minute video shot at a traffic light in Mumbai went viral, garnering more than 3.4 million views on YouTube.

     

    What makes the advertisement even more unique is that unlike most advertisements featuring transgenders, this one doesn’t ridicule them or weep over their pathos of everyday survival. Here, the transgender women we see on camera are means to an end, just like several celebrities or good looking models who are cast in advertisements to draw attention from a relevant target group.

     

    Do The Rex:

    At a time when condom ads are heavily layered with sexual innuendos, and cryptic ways of depicting sexual tension, Durex’s ‘Do the Rex’ campaign came as a breath of fresh air. It’s in your face and honest. And starts  a much needed conversation amongst the youth, which directly affects their sexual health. And who better to spearhead the youth campaign than Bollywood actor and youth icon Ranvir Singh, known for his unapologetic attitude.

     

    Add some catchy music and groovy visuals to the mix and you have the perfect concoction to sell condoms to the youth and 40 plus alike. Directed by Karan Kapadia, no sooner did the video release than it went viral across multiple digital platform, and giving rise to a long sustaining campaign.

     

    Meglow: Fairness cream for men

    If you are one of those who are tired of watching advertisements that put being fair as an essential for succeeding in life, be it women or men, you probably cheered Emraan Hashmi for delivering the punch line in this ad film. Shot like any other typical male fairness cream ad, the story follows your typical underdog, trying for a job and losing his ‘glow’ as he stresses over it.

     

    Enter Emraan Hashmi with the solution to all his troubles: a fairness cream that will return his lost glow and lead him at the path of success… or not. The ad film ends with the anti-climatic disclaimer that fairness creams don’t land you job, but credentials do, even if you are dark.

     

    Sofy #Iamnotdown

    Sometimes we fail to realise that age old customs and habits that come to us naturally, might actually be a projection of social stigma. Such is the case with using phrases like ‘I am down,’ ‘I have got my chums’ etc, instead of directly addressing the topic of menstrual period. Sanitary napkin brand Sofy almost waged a war with their #SofyConversations campaign that went viral earlier this year. The campaign showcased young women from different walks of life urging women to start using the word ‘Periods’ instead of cryptic aliases, and accept what is natural to them with dignity.

     

    FastTrack: Come Out Of The Closet

    Recently the advertising world has made a huge progress when it comes to addressing non-binary relationships and same sex couples. While some approach it in a hilarious or heavier tone, Fast Track’s ‘Come Out Of The Closet’ campaign gave it a witty and humourous touch. Without being loud mouth about it, the ad showcases two young women with edgy fashion sense come out a closet, literally! It doesn’t take a scientist to figure out what the metaphorical reference is made with the closet.

     

    Shaadi.com: My Conditions Apply

    When it comes to breaking stereotypes there is an endless scope to deliver in the wedding scene in India, which, though went digital ages ago with matrimonial sites like Shaadi.com and BharatMatromony, it hardly shed away the conservative notions attached to it. Naturally it falls behind the rapidly progressing lifestyle of millennials who respects a woman’s choice and preferences when it comes to marriage. Shaadi.com’s latest ad campaign shows its attempt to transition from being just a marriage consultancy portal to reflection of the wants and aspirations of the country’s youth.

     

    Whisper: Touch The Pickle

    Yet another campaign about breaking taboos surrounding women’s menstrual cycle, this one deals with the dozens of Dos and Don’ts that are imposed upon women by society restricting them during periods. Starting from restrictions on what to wear, to superstitions on touching pickle, there are a whole stack of baseless superstitions and restrictions that make the experience harder for women in our society. Whisper’s #TouchThePickle campaign shouts out to all women who are fed up of these taboos, to break away and break taboos. Developed by P&G India and BBDO India this campaign was not only struck a chord with millions of women within the country, was also lauded internationally by winning the Glass Lion Grand Prix at Cannes International Festival of Creativity.

     

    While these advertisements grabbed our attention, there are plenty others that have strayed from the tried and tested formula and attempted something out of the box. The list goes on…

  • Piyush Pandey breaks stereotypes with Anouk ad

    Piyush Pandey breaks stereotypes with Anouk ad

    MUMBAI: Famous for coming up with out of the box ideas, Ogilvy and Mather executive chairman and national creative director Piyush Pandey has managed to touch a raw nerve with the Bold Is Beautiful campaign orchestrated for Anouk.

     

    Anouk is an apparel brand that specializes in Indian and traditional women clothes and is promoted by Myntra. Pandey and his maverick bunch were looking to convey the message that it’s not just the westerners who are progressive in their thinking and are breaking stereotypes and that traditional Indians are also very much doing it. To convey this message, O&M launched an ad featuring a lesbian couple in a live-in relationship. One of them has invited her parents to meet her partner and the ad emphasizes on their preparation to encounter The Visit.

     

    Speaking to Indiantelevision.com about the ad Pandey says, “No idea is drawn without keeping the brand in my mind. Anouk is an Indian wear specialist and there are a number of other brands who specialize in the same so we had to come up with something that stands out and that’s how Bold is Beautiful came into existence.”

     

    The ad went viral and has garnered more than one million views on YouTube. The ad began trending on social media too, and also kick-started a debate as to whether this ad featuring a lesbian couple was the first of its kind.

     

    When queried if the debate made a difference to the creators, Pandey replies, “I don’t know if this is the first or not and I wasn’t really concerned about that either. For me, if there is an understanding of the brand and the creative, you create complements or add value to that. And that’s what really matters. Of course we wanted our work to stand out and leave a mark but we were not concerned whether it was the first ad to feature a lesbian couple.”

     

    “The reaction we got so far is overwhelming and frankly speaking I did not expect it to be so positive. This only goes to prove that we have taken a step forward. I knew people will talk about it positively but such a wide reaction is highly satisfying. It’s almost like the viewers and the client telling us, Bold Is Beautiful,” Pandey adds.

     

     

    Breaking stereotypes has been a key facet for Pandey and his India team. Not long back the ad men did something similar with Her Life, Her Choices campaign for Titan Raga, which got again got more than one million views on YouTube.

     

    The film begins with a lady sitting in a cafeteria and a reading book. A man asks her if the seat is occupied and without looking at him she says that it’s empty. Eventually when she looks at him she finds the interruption was by her ex-lover. When she asks him how he has been, he makes a reference to her leaving him. As they talk and catch up, it is revealed that both of them are still single. On being asked why it is so, she tells the man that she never gets time from work. This being something he knew all too well, he makes a passing comment about how their relationship would have worked had she stopped working. She retaliates by saying that he could have also quit. Offended, he tells her that he could not have quit; seeing how he is a man and says, “How can a man not work.”

     

    Amused, she looks down at her Raga and tells him that he is still the same man that she had left all those years ago. She then proceeds to offer the ashamed man coffee as she goes on talking.

     

    The film ends with a shot of the watch and her voice over saying, “Khud se naya rishta.” (A new relationship with one’s self).

     

     

    Taproot also made an ad that broke stereotypes in recent times in their commercial for Airtel, where the wife is shown as being the boss. Both husband and wife work in the same office where the woman is the boss. The ad shows her giving assignments to her husband and also assigning constraint deadlines. However, post office hours, she goes home and cooks for him while he is busy working. The ad brings a smile to every viewer and also sends a strong message across.

     

     

    Sanitary napkin brand Sofy has also launched a non-conventional TVC where they ask why girls say they are down while they have their period and a send across a strong message that having their period is not something to hide. A few years back, daily broadsheet Hindustan Times launched a commercial featuring two homosexual men out for a date and a spectator stares at them with suspicion. At that very moment another man slaps him with a HT newspaper and the tagline says, “It’s time to open up.”

     

    Later, Fastrack came up with a commercial featuring a lesbian encounter as a part of its quirky series of ‘Move On’ ads.

     

    With Indian ads becoming progressive and open-minded, the message is loud is clear that the saree and kurta are apparels not thoughts and people should not be judged based on what they wear. The Indian ad fraternity is setting a strong example of a progressive nature and it is being lauded by the one and all.

     

    This time it was Ogilvy’s Piyush Pandey and his ‘men in black,’ who took the country towards liberalism one step at a time… tomorrow it will be someone else from another organization who is bold enough to break typecasts and come up with something liberally different!