Janani Kandaswamy
Women in advertising have achieved and even exceeded parity of representation in presence and voice and this also holds good for moment marketing during Mother’s Day. Moms seem to have won the toss against Dads in versatility with brands across categories showcasing them in varied roles.
Brands have traditionally focused on the mother–child relationship and their nurturing quality as caregivers. More recently their storytelling has broadened to include the past and the future beyond motherhood realising that trying to conceive (Ground 0) and desiring to be more than a mother (real take-off) are equally important stages which are often fraught with worry and anxiety for the woman.
This year, Johnson’s Baby honoured all types of mothers with their film focusing on the journeys of expecting mothers who are undergoing the ‘silent agonies’ of IVF, adoption and preterm labour with a tribute to their long wait to Day 1.
On the other end of the spectrum, YES Securities offered part-time roles to full-time mothers while Greencell Mobility narrated how a devoted mother is also a dedicated professional, both brands reinforcing their commitment to employing mothers in their payroll.
Defying conventional norms, MG shakes the very notion of women drivers being the butt of many jokes to making her analogous to the latest AI technology in MG Astor that guides, protects and course corrects its drivers.
While these progressive stories are a delight, a fair share of stereotyping also runs in parallel. With care and protection featuring as an underlying theme for both parents, the mother loves and provides by ‘making and giving’ (food, health, homecare) while the father showcases it through ‘buying and guiding’ (automobile, financial services). And so the ‘softer’ day-to-day essentials celebrate the mom and the macho, knowledge-based discretionary products side with the dad.
While women are seen more just by the sheer number of brands that advertise on Mother’s Day, they continue to play supporting roles. For instance, though McDonald’s ‘Gullak’ and Swiggy’s ‘sibling rivalry’ ads are based on the relatable feeling of how children love to do something special for their mother, there is a bit of cliché in the creative treatment where she is viewed from the children’s lens rather than being the protagonist herself.
On the other hand, men play the hero irrespective of the category. Whether it is Titan’s Dad who is happy to be a ‘pet parent’ or who swallows his ego to learn from his daughter ; or Dove’s daddies who care enough to embrace their emotional side, fathers rarely play the role of a side-kick.
Certainly these ads reflect the cultural realities as they should be. But since they play an equally important role in shaping perceptions, the question of whether they should challenge popular beliefs or reinforce them is an advertiser’s unsolved conundrum.