Brands swamp the ad landscape yearly with women’s day campaigns to celebrate womenhood. However, amidst the sea of similar stories, a few have managed to cut through the noise with honesty, imagination, and actual celebration of women’s strength and choice-making. This Women’s Day, there are always a fresh set of campaigns that emerged, each telling a story of empowerment in its own voice.
Breaking Stereotypes with Humor: Swiggy and Luminous Lead the Way
Swiggy’s rap-based campaign, “Bill Ladke Ko Kyun Diya?” featuring Agsyworld, flipped the script on traditional gender roles. The catchy rap, challenging the stereotype of men always handling the bill, struck a chord with younger audiences seeking equality. Meanwhile, Luminous India’s campaign, “Papa Se Help Nahi Li”, used wit to spotlight deep-seated gender biases in a seemingly innocent school project scenario. By revealing the overlooked contributions of mothers, the ad smartly questioned societal assumptions about intelligence and competence.
Empowerment by Design: Axis Bank and Tanishq’s Unique Approach
Axis Bank was practical in its approach with its campaign, “A Women’s Bank Account Made By Listening To Women,” featuring Shefali Shah. By creating a financial product from real feedback from women, the brand highlighted listening as a means of bringing about meaningful change. In contrast, Tanishq‘s “Celebrating Her Choice” celebrated women’s autonomy to go against norms, with tasteful storytelling that reflected the brand’s refined aesthetics.
Unity and Support: Godrej and Infosys Focus on Collective Strength
Godrej‘s #SheForShe campaign shifted its focus to the power of women supporting each other. By centering the conversation on women raising each other’s ambitions, the brand created a culture of unity. Similarly, Infosys’ #ThriveAtInfosys highlighted mentorship programs and flexible norms in the mission of breaking glass ceilings for women in technology, emphasizing that success is a shared journey.
Shattering the Glass Ceiling: Mahindra and Shell Advance India
Mahindra’s #SheIsOnTheRise campaign, with Gul Panag, honored women shattering glass ceilings in traditionally male-dominated professions. With stories of real women achievers, the campaign was a moving tribute to grit and determination. Shell Advance India’s “Ride On” further reinforced this message by highlighting a woman mechanic’s journey in Chennai, making a profession usually dominated by men a tale of resilience.
Redefining Womanhood: Myntra and Prega News Challenge Norms
Myntra’s “No Judgement“ campaign, featuring Archana Puran Singh, was a colorful rebellion against body shaming and societal judgments. The ad encouraged women to embrace their personal style confidently. In a more subtle yet profound way, Prega News’ “She Can Carry Both” dismantled the myth of the ‘perfect woman’, celebrating those who strive to balance multiple roles without claiming perfection.
Inspiring the Next Generation: Barbie and Jeevansathi.com
Barbie’s “You Can Be Anything” campaign, featuring singer Neeti Mohan and other Indian icons, aimed to make young girls believe in their dreams. By showcasing real-life heroes, the campaign resonated with a younger generation looking for true representation. Jeevansathi.com’s “Women In Love” campaign showed the often-overlooked need of women being provided the same care and support they offer, urging a shift in the manner relationships cultivate women’s growth.
More Than Just a Day
This year’s Women’s Day advertisements broke forward from tokenism by sharing narratives of strength, agency, and solidarity. With brands moving further down the line of finding stories with women, one would hope that this new wave in advertising is not limited to a day but becomes the new normal for advertising campaigns.
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