“There is nothing sexist about cooking for people you love”

By Alisha 

The “wokeness” has got to stop. Amul, India’s pride and joy as a home-grown brand, is known for consistency, quality, easy availability, and a diverse range of products. Their new series of ad films feature several use-cases. And ‘SEXIST’ cries the internet.

To me, this particular film portrays mothers, daughters, relationships, and how Amul brings everyone together. There is nothing sexist about cooking for people that you love. And now, let me give you some insight into how campaigns are planned. First, break down the ad based on the consumption pattern of most households.

Target audience: Women of all ages. There’s a child, a teenager, a newly married woman, a mother, a mother-in-law, and a grandmother.

Insight: Food is a love language. It requires attention to everyone’s tastes. It brings people together.

Intent to purchase: Who’s ordering the groceries in your house? Who knows about your food quirks? Who do you go to first for recipes? Your mom!

But ‘sexist’, said the internet.

These are facts of the majority of the Indian population. This film is not about who belongs in the kitchen. It’s about tradition. What we all have known and seen through our mothers.

Heritage brands rarely wage battles on socio-economic issues that take generations to resolve. These ads are expensive to produce and air. Let them be relatable.

Alisha, 32, is a brand and communication specialist and a writer on agency trends.

“This ad is just a true depiction of the reality of our country”

By Kevin Joseph

As modern Indians, we’re always talking about gender biases, women empowerment and feminism. But, are we putting our money where our mouth is?

Eighty per cent of women in India are still responsible for handling kitchen chores and household responsibilities. The metros in our country might paint a different picture, but in tier 2 and 3 cities, hardly any male figures share equal responsibility in household chores. In such a scenario, it is no surprise that brands show us the same thing, as advertisements have always been a mirror to society. This is a hard reality and we need to wake up and come to terms with this truth.

Amul has faced severe criticism for their ads in the past, too. Their ads were labelled sexist and perceived as promoting stereotypes. Unfortunately, while the current ad might seem sexist to many, including me, it is not: this is just a true depiction of the reality of our country.

Before we discuss how brands approach this issue, we need to focus on changing our own mindsets and homes.

Yes, the ad is sexist, because it shows us what life really is, and while we’re woke and we decry it on our Instagram pages and share news articles about it on Twitter, can we really do anything about it in the long-term?

Kevin Joseph, 37, has been an advertising professional for 12 years.

From HT Brunch, October 15, 2022

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