Changing Trends in Indian Television Advertising: Breaking Stereotypes and Navigating Toward Women's Empowerment

In the ever-shifting popular culture trends, television advertisements are evolving in reflecting the societal transformation through their ads. From the 1980s and the 1900s to the 2000s, there has been a gradual change in their perspectives regarding gender equality and women's empowerment. Now, they emerge as powerful agencies in shaping narratives of gender roles deviating from the old concepts. This progressive vision towards women's empowerment not only focuses on consumers' consciousness but also highlights the cultural transition in our society. Now, the woman is portrayed not as a passive object, but as a change-maker or a smart, decisive home-maker.

Shifting From Being Objects Of Desire

In traditional advertisements, women were treated as objects of beauty who could lure the entire world by glorifying their beauty and fairness. Perfect figures and beautiful damsels were floating around the television to endorse beauty products. 
Women were also treated as caretakers, housewives, and daughters-in-law whose prime motive was to be fixed within the four walls of a house, involving cooking, housekeeping, and cleaning. They were confined within the sphere of domestic chores often neglecting their professional aspirations. These marginalised women were forced to do manual chores while crushing the dreams of becoming agents of change.

However, with the change of time, there has been a gradual shift in such narrow mindsets toward the implementation of gender equality. With the growing awareness regarding feminist studies around the world, there have been incredible changes in television by redefining female identities. Females are now represented as sportspersons, pilots, astronauts, doctors, politicians, and even cab drivers- glorifying their presence everywhere.

 Advertisements- An Agent Of Revolution

In popular culture, television is an agent of cultural transition and glorification. So it mirrors the changes in norms and values of society. The women who were treated as beautiful things in traditional times, now in a diverse cultural setup embrace professional roles and equality. The consumer's taste has also been rapidly changing. Gen Z no longer values stereotypical ideas regarding shoes and soaps. They are getting ideas about brands having authentic narratives. The values of inclusion of modern ideas like progressive vision towards women empowerment in showing them entering into the business world make the product reliable and trustworthy among the youth of today's India.

An instance of Indian Brands.

Tanishq With Its Message : 

In a major groundbreaking scene, this grand brand has taken a huge risk to showcase the woman as a decision maker in her marriage rather than being used as an object. This brand also showcased Interfaith marriages by breaking the stereotypes in age-old marriage roles of a woman by creating their autonomy.

Washing Powder: Ariel
This brand, with its message: " Share The Load", highlights the values of equality by discarding gender discrimination. A male has an equal share in the household chores. It promotes the idea of sharing the domestic chores of cleaning, washing by joining hands with the females at home. Equality begins at home.

Tea Brands Ads like Tata Tea, Brook bond with their messages 

Tea brands have really moved from stereotypical ideas of posing women as tea makers inside the kitchen. Now they use tea as a metaphor for starting a conversation, awakening the inner fire and strength.
The caption " Awaken Your Mind, " Always Build Relationships" symbolise the shifting trends of valuing choices , career and brewing tales of togetherness.
Shampoo brands now showcase women's empowerment that symbolise the free will, carefree attitude and having choices to choose a career. Clinic Plus shampoo is well-known for its taglines -- " You are strong", "Strong Hair, Strong Relationship".
So the brand endorses strength, power, confidence and the significance of daughters in our lives.

The transition of Indian television from the nuances of societal reflection of traditional times to embracing ultra-modern ideas of life is truly praiseworthy. This cultural revolution, highlighting gender equality, women’s empowerment, role reversal in families, and the destruction of social evils, will surely inspire the youth of our nation toward a definite social change.

Sudipta Mishra ©®