Why are so many ads sexist?
A reflection on the ad industry, ft. a campaign on love
A well-intentioned, male friend in advertising after reading the UK regulation on banning sexist advertisements (including stereotyping of gender roles), asked me, “So how do you represent women in a traditional home set up?”
He isn’t the only one. Of my 6+ years of working with well-meaning people within and outside the industry and 3 years of education from one of the best ad universities in India (St. Xavier’s College, Mumbai), there have been a few important reasons why most don’t even realize toxic gender-dynamics:
1. Normalization of casual sexism in society
That any media shares an intimate relationship with society and culture, each growing with the other, is a reflection of why most sexist ads go unnoticed. When society at large normalizes casual sexism, identification of sexism in advertisements becomes tougher for most people–clients, agencies or audiences. More so when sexist notions are implied in subliminal messaging that most audiences fail to consciously recognize.
2. Low women and non-binary gender numbers in workforce
Identification of sexism gets easier for the oppressed. While gender doesn’t ensure lack of sexism, it does give more perspective to the creative team when working on an ad.
3. Dearth of women in power
Advertising has been built on legends…unsurprisingly, men. Brilliant men, but largely just men nevertheless. An insider can tell you how much boy-gangs in agencies impact decisions. With this world having so many deserving women, power to them will help in both identifying sexism and creating more inclusive ads.
4. Low responsibility communicated in ad-education
Advertising schools and courses are extremely holistic in the subjects offered and the skills imparted. There still remains to be an extremely low amount of time spent on communicating the impact an advertisement can have on society.
With all of these at play, it’s tough to find ads that in the very least–don’t objectify women, don’t promote unhealthy stereotypes and just…aren’t sexist.
But we’ve got this publication. And here’s this week’s ad inspiration:
Love Has No Labels Campaign
Project by: Ad Council
Medium: PR Activation + AV film
Agency: Unknown (note to readers: please let me know if you know the agency that worked on this, if any)
What gets it featured?
- Labelling is one of the quickest ways to alienate people. Empathizing is one of the quickest ways to curb oppression and experience love. This ad captures both so well.
- X-ray bodies! Not just is it so visually engaging and innovative, but more so because behind the screen it communicates what is the essence of this publication: we’re all just human.
- It’s heartwarming. Sensitivity is such a strong representation of humanity and any ad that captures it so well deserves being here
Although this AV was released in March 2015, 4 years down the line and it still has important ad and viewership lessons we can all learn.
Until the next AFW approved ad.
Ads for Women (AFW) aims to curate ads where the industry’s assuming responsibility towards its impact on women and non-binary genders. No post is sponsored and every post has an inspiration.
We could use your help!
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Buy us a coffee if you like what we’re doing here and have the capacity to support us.
Or better yet, write with us if you have an understanding of the industry and have identified an ad that’s for women. Mail eepsita@gmail.com for the blog schedule.
