Top 10 Best Indian Advertisements on Social Issues
Posted On March 29, 2016	 divyanshi sharma 0
There are not many of us who enjoy watching advertisements. The feature presentation is more important to almost all of us. However, advertisements are a great platform to provide the audience with short and crisp social messages, along with the promotion of the product or service. Here is a list of 10 best Indian Advertisements which are worth watching. The next time you turn on your television sets, look for the subtle but incredibly strong social messages in these Indian Advertisements.
1. Tanishq Jewelers- The Double Knot
This heart touching advertisement shows a dusky skin mother getting married. As she is getting ready for her wedding, her daughter peeps into the dressing room. Later on during the ceremony, the daughter asks the mother to join in the “Pheras”. This ad is created by advertising agency Lowe Lintas and directed by Gauri Shinde.
The ad, very subtly displays a message of the meaning of true love. It does not see colour or age. It is solely based on emotions. Being second marriage for the lady, the advertisement beautifully exhibits the possibility of happy endings and second chances. The social message of the skin colour being of no importance is aptly displayed. Also, in the Indian society, divorce is looked upon as a matter of shame. This ad counters and challenges the stereotypes associated with divorce and exhibits the benefits of ending an unproductive marriage to move towards a new, productive one.
Watch the advertisement by clicking the link below:
2. Dekh Le- For all the Gawking Men
The world becomes an uncomfortable place for a woman when gawking men surround her. This is the basic theme of this ad. This ad by Whistling Woods International and directed by Ketan Rana brings the social concern of street harassment into focus.
The ad displays four instances where men stare at women shamelessly. After a while, in each case the woman, knowingly or unknowingly flashes a mirror on their faces so that the men can see how they look when they stare at. Once this happens and the men come face to face with their actual self, they feel embarrassed and simply look away.
Simply click on the below mentioned link to watch this ad:
3. Myntra- Bold is Beautiful: “The Visit”
Homosexual relationships are frowned upon by the society that we live in today and this beautifully crafted Myntra ad is a challenge to this stereotype. Love has no definition and surpasses the gender norms created by the society. This is exactly the idea behind this ad in which a lesbian couple gets ready to disclose their relationship to one of the partner’s parents. Certainly, “Bold Is Beautiful”.
Intrigued? Watch the ad by clicking here:
4. Havells Fans- Hawa Badlegi
This series of ads is a classic example of overcoming the boundaries and stereotypes made by the society. In one instance, a newlywed couple walks into the registrar’s office in which the husband wishes to adopt the last name of his wife. In the second instance, a baby girl is delivered to a Hindu- Muslim Couple and the father explains that the girl child can adopt any religion she wishes to when she grows up. Finally, in the last incidence, a domestic servant is asked to dine in with the rest of the family. This series crosses the boundaries of gender, religion and class. It depicts that it is time to move on from certain orthodox beliefs and make society a better place to live in.
Click below to watch this captivating advertisement:
5. Google Ad- Reunion
The most shared ad of 2013, this ad captures the reunion of two friends expressively when they meet for the first time after the India-Pakistan partition of 1947. Their reunion takes place with the help of Google search. The futility and negative consequences of partition are being questioned through this ad.
Watch the full ad with a single click below:
6. FasTrack- The Closet
FasTrack has given an entirely new meaning to its tagline, “Move On”. This is another advertisement based on the theme of queer rights in which two girls come out of the closet after one another. The way they look at each other clearly suggests what might have happened in the closet. The ad suggests moving on from the old, stereotypical ideas to form a much more just and modern society. Also, the metaphor of coming out of the closet is absolutely fantastic.
Click below for the full advertisement:
7. KBC’s Kohima Ad
This ad is a campaign for one of the most popular game shows of India, Kaun Banega Crorepati (KBC). In the ad, a north eastern girl is asked which country does the city Kohima lie in. For those unaware, Kohima is the capital of Nagaland, a north eastern state in India. The girl opts for an audience poll in which 100% audience votes for India as being the correct option. Towards the end, the girl wins everyone’s heart by her emotional question in which she asks; despite Kohima being an Indian city, how many people do actually consider people from Kohima as Indians? The issue of racial discrimination against the people from the north eastern states has been brought into sharp focus by this advertisement.
This is an ad campaign which was initiated by Breakthrough in the year 2008. The various advertisements in the Bell Bajao series urge people to step forward in order to take a stand against domestic violence. In the Bell Bajao advertisements, whenever a case of domestic violence is witnessed, the people nearby simply go and ring the bell of the particular house in which this crime is being carried out.
9. Lifebuoy: Help a Child Reach 5
Due to infections from unhealthy living practices, millions of children die every year before reaching the age of 5. The social message of importance of cleanliness and a healthy lifestyle are highlighted in this advertisement. In the advertisement, a man is walking on his hands, followed by his son Muthu. Slowly, they are accompanied by a big mob. The man, after walking for miles finally reaches a temple only to thank god and priest as his son has turned 5. There are no children in the village who have lived till the age of five. Visit Muthu and his village by clicking below:
10. Vogue India: Start with the Boys
“Boys don’t cry” is the most commonly heard phrase in every part of the world. This ad will give you goosebumps when it reaches its climax. The purpose of this ad is to display a simple social message of teaching boys to be gentle and treat girls with respect. It is an effort to convey effectively the need for taking action to reduce crimes against women by changing the way boys are brought up by their parents.
Witness Bollywood Actress Madhuri Dixit delivering this message in the ad below:
Not all advertisements are a waste of time; some have real deep and powerful messages conveyed through them. The creativity behind the creation of such brilliant advertisements is commendable. These advertisements have been successful in challenging and questioning various stereotypes prevalent in the Indian society along with maintaining a calm and peaceful atmosphere.