Women enjoy new ad-vantage

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From portraying a sari-clad housewife worried about the health of her family to endorsing a liquor brand — Malaika Arora Khan is a shining example of how things are changing in the ad world, and women surely are getting the better of it.

The role of female models in the ad world has gone through a change in last few years, says photographer Atul Kasbekar. “They are not meant to promote just beauty products, cooking oils or be used as eye candy in commercials. As Bipasha Basu has been recently signed a Reebok ambassador and Preity Zinta confidently drives Hyundai Santro TVC (Sunshine), things are surely changing for female models,” mentions Atul.
“I believe now their potential is being used for the right reasons. They are now also shown in nontraditional activities, career-oriented and authority figure roles who are not just seen buying fairness creams but shown as decision-makers also,” he adds.
It’s an achievement for us, says model Sharddha Pandey. “The times are changing, and women are no way behind men. Neither do they shy away from holding a glass anymore. So why not depict this change in the ad world too?” says Sharddha.
Adman Piyush Pandey agrees that gender stereotypes are blurring in the ad industry now, and he adds, “When SRK can model for a fairness cream and Amitabh Bachchan can be seen in diamond jewellery ads, then why cannot an actress promote a liquor brand, drive a two wheeler or be seen as a decision-maker at home? The gender lines are blurring in the commercial world and every ad that shows a model confidently driving away a scooty is a proof of it.”
Earlier sports and athletics commercials sported more men than women, however, Sania Mirza, Saina Nehwal and Mary Kom have changed all that. Saina sharing space with Aamir Khan to promote Titan watch mascot and Anushka Sharma in Reliance Net Connection and TVS scooty pep ad are some of the examples.
Model Moushmi Udeshi says a strong script is a must to back a concept. She says, “The industry is fast understanding that. Commercials with good script ideas make stronger impression than simply having pretty female faces. Also women of substance like sports personalities are being signed up by brands like never before.”