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By Pooja Bhattacharjee

Advertisements have been an important medium for companies to promote their products through powerful messaging. Thus many companies try to come up with unique taglines or innovative ideas that people associate with their brand products. Marketing in India has become increasingly focused on gender roles, family hierarchy, and traditional marriage practices. Companies usually resort to ad campaigns which have a major issue of objectification and stereotyping women. In the process of attracting attention to aid recall, advertisers often resort to sexual themes. Evidently, such themes demand the presence of attractive women and explicit plots. These themes often lead to portrayals of a particular gender (mostly women) in a derogatory fashion. 

When we act out our roles in everyday life, we internalize received information on our identity in the form of social “scripts” that we repeat and perfect over time. Popular culture often provides striking examples of such gendered scripts, as evident from studies on television and advertising as well as in social media and music. Traditional scripts require rewriting to fit new and previously unimagined situations. The makers need to be conscious of what they are putting out in the public sphere, either way, even as an act of morality and responsibility towards the society. This is the right time to revisit the advertising culture in India over the years and studying its relevance in the 21st Century. 

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This Usha ad from 1980s has the tagline, ‘train’ her to be the ‘ideal housewife’. The idea behind the ad that all girls should be raised to be the ideal housewives is problematic since it doesn’t directly target women to buy their products, however, it’s speaking to the parents or the person who has authority over the girl to ‘train’ her to be ideal housewife by getting this product. This ad is highly misogynist in the sense that it’s setting a bar for women to be ‘ideal’, which shouldn’t have existed in the first place. Furthermore, the fact that this ad aired in the 1980s, the highly patriarchal era where women did not much autonomy, it can only be inferred how much added stress they might have to endure to be the ideal type. This and many other sexist ads which came out decades ago cannot be absolved of the liability just because it came out a long time ago. They did contribute to the set gender norms which we are still fighting today. 

An analysis of Indian advertisements on television and YouTube has shown that while they are superior to global benchmarks, insofar as girls and women have parity of representation in terms of screen and speaking time, their portrayal is problematic and have misogynist roots, as they further gender stereotypes – women are more likely to be shown as married, less likely to be shown in paid occupation, and more likely to be depicted as caretakers and parents than male characters. 

A study by UNICEF and the Geena Davis Institute on Gender in Media (GDI) titled “Gender Bias and Inclusion In Advertising In India” finds that female characters dominate screen time (59.7%) and speaking time (56.3%) in Indian ads, but one of the drivers of this is their depiction for selling cleaning supplies, food and beauty products to female consumers. For example, almost all the detergent and food commercials depicted a woman caretaking for her family who speaks directly to women viewers about caring for their families. In comparison, in a separate study by GDI for setting global benchmarks it was found that ads in the U.S. show women with half the screen time (30.6%) and nearly half the speaking time (33.5%).

A few years ago, HUL was criticized for a misleading Vim bar ad. The ad video depicted the life of Afroz – who was the Pradhan and encouraged to stand for the elections by her husband as he felt that she was a better candidate for the post than him because she had studied more than him. The ad then shows clips of Afroz working and interacting with locals. Afroz tells us that she’s the Pradhan but she’s also a homemaker. The ad ends with a shot of her washing  dishes with Vim soap. For few people, this ad may look innocent enough – a woman in power in a professional capacity comes home and does the domestic chores. Maybe this perception comes from the misogyny that we have internalized over the years – and the juxtaposition of  women’s professional success with their efforts on the domestic front all the time. 

There’s nothing wrong with washing dishes and the backlash that this ad got is not a criticism of Afroz or her husband. This is about how Vim appropriated this story and the way in which they chose to tell it. Making it palatable enough for those of us who cannot handle a woman’s success if she isn’t also simultaneously a domestic goddess.

The study shows that two-thirds of female characters (66.9%) in Indian ads have light or medium-light skin tones — a higher percentage than male characters (52.1%). Female characters are nine times more likely to be shown as “stunning/very attractive” than male characters (5.9% compared with 0.6%). Female characters are also invariably thin, but male characters appear with a variety of body sizes in Indian advertising. 

A greater percentage of female characters is depicted as married than male characters (11.0% compared with 8.8%). Female characters are three times more likely to be depicted as parents than male characters (18.7% compared with 5.9%). While male characters are more likely to be shown making decisions about their future than female characters (7.3% compared with 4.8%), the latter are twice as likely to be shown making household decisions than male characters (4.9% compared with 2.0%). For characters where intelligence is part of their character in the ad, male characters are more likely to be shown as smart than female characters (32.2% compared to 26.2%). Male characters are almost twice as likely to be shown as funny than female characters (19.1% compared to 11.9%). 

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This unimpressionable ad of Jack & Jones released in 2016 shows a man objectifying women and letting them ‘hold him back’. The picture provides an apt summary of what the campaign is about. ‘Don’t hold back’, usually used as an empowering message is used here for a man to assert his power over a woman. Moreover, this ad seems to glorify sexual assault at work. Many ads objectify women by using them as ‘props’ in the ads- meaning that their presence limited to the background solely to provide a sexual appeal. 

Airtel recently released an ad – it begins with a man sitting at the head of the table while his daughters, wife and mother are asking him to pay their bills. The man then looks at the camera and says it’s his duty to pay the bills since he’s the CEO of the house. Though this one didn’t gain as much criticism as the other ads, the subtle undertone of sexism does not go unnoticed. They all played a role in stereotyping the gender roles. 

Misrepresentation and harmful stereotypes of women in advertising have a significant impact on women — and young girls — and how they view themselves and their value to society. While we do see female representation dominate in Indian ads, they are still marginalized by colorism, hyper-sexualization, and without careers or aspirations outside of the home,” said Geena Davis, Academy Award Winning Actor, Founder and Chair of the GDI adding that the stark inequality evident in portrayals of females in these advertisements must be addressed to ensure an equitable society.

Some ad campaigns are becoming increasingly aware of their presence in this industry. Social marketing has brought forth different forms of ‘femvertizing’– which is female empowerment through socially-focused marketing. This is done in a way that not only challenges but also reverses the traditionally dominant roles that Indian fathers, sons, and husbands assume with the women in their lives.

The ads of the detergent brand Ariel with tagline ‘share the load’ has been applauded for its inclusivity and helping in demystifying the pre-set gendered notions through this platform.

Also, more than a quarter of a century after Cadbury released its advertisement featuring model Shimona Rashi on the sidelines of a cricket match and zoomed past the security to celebrate with a dance on field when the cricketer – presumably her boyfriend – scored the winning run, Cadbury has reimagined this advertisement – changing very little except gender roles. This time it’s the same scene, expect it is a man on the sidelines and it’s a women’s match. Inter changing the gender in this advertisement also magnifies women’s achievements after the struggles women had to endure to reach this position. 

Only time will tell which course the advertising sector will take. It is high time that the advertisement makers stop using satire while referring to women. Especially in this world where a new generation of feminist Indian marketers are using publicity to reach larger consumer audiences and to reframe the dominant gender discourse, recognizing the hugely important role that women play in global consumption. 

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By Mehreen Mander

It is well documented that the western standards of beauty and body ideals have affected mental health of non-white women all over the world, be it Indian, Asian or Black women. The connection between mental health and clothing is well established. Of the many ways in which in which Indians come to idealize the Western standards of body type is through standardized sizing. India has not had its own standardized sizing chart so far, and garment brands have followed European, American or UK standardized sizing, or come up with brand-specific sizing charts.

The Ministry of Textiles, Government of India has sanctioned the IndiaSize Project with a view to address this lacuna, in collaboration with The Clothing Manufacturers Association of India. A first of its kind project in India, this project attempts to develop a standardized sizing chart for ready to wear garments for the Indian body along the lines of similar standardized sizing in other countries. This sizing chart will be based on a study of 25000 Indian person between the ages of 18 and 65, across six different cities, namely Delhi, Chennai, Hyderabad, Kolkata, Mumbai and Shillong. The measurements will be done using 3D body scanners, a no-contact method of capturing highly accurate body maps in less than 10 seconds, without changing posture. Such scanners minimize human error and increase time efficiency. 

Lack of standardized sizing chart specific for Indian population has led to many hassles, wasteful expenditures and resulted in customer dissatisfaction. This also leads to extra inventory on the sellers ends and increases selling cost. The project is touted to benefit both the consumers and the industry by addressing those issues. A standardized chart which is specifically designed to cater to the Indian body and captures the demographic with accuracy, will reduce the instance of exchanging or returning garments due to wrong size, more so in online shopping. Customers will get better fitting clothes at their end, and there will be reduction of wasteful expenditure on wrong purchases. On the end of the seller and manufacturers, there will be minimization of wrong inventory, and will ultimately reduce cost for the seller. This will ultimately reduce the prices paid by the buyer and improve the investments in the industry in the long run. It is also expected that due to the huge Indian diaspora, this project is likely to result in an increase in exports as well. Not only in the garment industry, but a sizing guide which captures the Indian population will also have effect on other sectors such as automotive and aerospace, or equipment for fitness and sports, and even art and gaming, which will be able to design products better suited for the Indian body.

Another crucial, non-economic contribution is expected to be towards the body positivity movement. A 2014 study published in the Journal of Consumer Psychology demonstrated how garment sizing had a relationship with the self-esteem of the consumer, and wearing larger sizes lead negatively impacted their self-esteem. The current sizing charts followed by brands in India are based on European or American populations which are distinctly different to Indian bodies, not to mention that Indian population in itself comprises enormous diversity in body types. 

Western beauty standards which are rooted in colonialism and white supremacy have created pressures and expectations traditionally non-existent in Eastern cultures. For instance, thinness was never a desirable trait for its associations with poverty. European body standards also do not capture Indian body proportions; the average Indian body is not as tall or petite as the average Caucasian body type. Imposing Western beauty standards and the constant comparison of the body with unattainable, unrealistic “goals” leads to eating disorders which, coupled with stigma around mental health in India, and more generally in Asia, are often left undiagnosed and thus, untreated. This distorts body-image, negatively impacts self esteem in those cases where it does not take the extreme form of more serious psychological disorders.

The IndiaSize Project, in that sense, is a ray of hope. It is consciously attempting to be inclusive by inviting participants from various demographics to make the sizing as representative of the Indian population as possible. It does present a promise of realistically capturing the Indian body spectrum and proportions, hopefully leading the average Indian consumer to have a more body positive idea of where on the spectrum they lie.

To conclude, the IndiaSize Project seems like a promising initiative, for the consumer, the manufacturers and sellers, and for the body positivity movement. However, it remains to be seen how representative the sample size actually is, how quickly and accurately the brands adopt to this sizing, and how successful the project is.

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“The sari I wear may be traditional, but I am six yards ahead of my time.”

Weaving its way across the entire subcontinent, since time immemorial, the sari has transformed into India’s most loved attire for its versatility, elegance, dignity and comfort. No wonder somebody has rightly said – “Sari maybe a rainbow draped in cloud.”

History Of A Tradition Called Sari:

The first mention of Sari can be traced back to the Rigveda, which is an ancient Indian collection of Vedic Sanskrit Hymns, dating back to 1500 BC.

Sari (originally Chira in Sanskrit, meaning cloth), is created from a single piece of fabric, five to nine yards in length, using a wide variety of fabric and is draped in different styles based on region, religion, custom, or occasion.

Some historians are of the view that the word Prakrit, which finds mention in early Buddhist literature was also a term used for Sari, which further emphasizes how ancient the tradition of wearing a sari is.

There is ample evidence to show that women during the Indus Valley Civilization used to drape themselves in Saris. A statue recovered from the Indus Valley Civilization depicts a female priest wearing a cloth draped like a Sari. The way a sari used to be worn in those times was to aid their free movements while still covering their modesty.

In the early days, the sari was a three-piece ensemble comprising the Antriya – the lower garment, the Uttariya – a veil worn over the shoulder or the head and the Stanapatta which is a chest band. Antriya resembled the dhoti or the fishtail style of tying a sari. It further evolved into Bhairnivasani skirt, which went onto be known as ghagra or lehenga. Uttariya evolved into dupatta and Stanapatta evolved into the choli.

In the epic Mahabharata, which was composed around 400 BC, there is this incident of Lord Shri Krishna staving off Draupadi’s disrobing by bestowing upon her an unending sari. Saris are also mentioned in ancient manuscripts like Natya Shasthra, Silappadhikaram and Kadambari.

Knowledge of ancient Indian clothing comes from rock sculptures and paintings in cave monuments such as Ajanta and Ellora where goddesses and dancers wore a dhoti wrap which was probably a predecessor to the sari. The saree has draped many women – be it goddess Durga who defeated the demons or Rani Lakshmi Bai who led a military during a war.

Despite being one of the oldest form of garment in the world, the sari has continued to be in fashion and its popularity still soars despite the younger generation experimenting with other garments.

Mesmerizing Varieties Of Saris:

“When grace and culture shook hands, the sari was born”

India being the powerhouse of dyeing, printing and weaving, has over 6.5 million people involved in the production of handloom saris. The ubiquitous sari is a multifarious creation, designed and produced using a plethora of fabric and is visibly distinct based on the region where it is woven. Notably there are atleast 30 major types of traditional and regional sarees, with a fathomless number of variants emanating from these.

Some of the most popular varieties of sarees include Banarasi Sari, Kanjeevaram Sari, Mysore Silk Sari, Chanderi Sari, Maheshwari Saris, Leheria Sarees, Jamdani Sari, Bandhej Sari, Taant Sari, Baluchari Sari, Paithani Sari to name a few.

While the Bandhani and Kota Doria are popular in Rajasthan, Bandhej and Patola are extremely popular in Gujarat. Bandhani(called Bandhej in Gujarat) is the traditional Indian tie and dye art used to produce beautiful and delicate dotted patterns on fabrics. The vibrant spectrum of colours and elegant designs make it one of the most adored fabric. Kota Doria is the name of a light woven fabric made of tiny woven squares (khat) which is still handwoven on traditional pit looms in Kaithoon near Kota in Rajasthan and in some of the surrounding villages. Kota Doriya Sarees are made of pure cotton and silk and have square like patterns known as khats on them.

Mysore Silk Sarees are nothing short of handcrafted elegance. While Darjeeling tea was the first Indian product to qualify for the Geographical Indication (GI) tag, Mysore silk has the distinction of being the first GI tagged product from Karnataka. Renowned for its quality, lustre and elegance, Mysore Silk sarees are produced exclusively by Karnataka Silk Industries Corporation Ltd. which holds a patent for its production.

Since time immemorial, Banarasi sarees have been celebrated across India for their grace and beauty. These sarees made of silk and gold/silver zari work are popular across the globe. In fact, these sarees have been highly coveted all over India for centuries. Usually in bright red, trimmed with metallic zari thread, and prized by brides, these sarees have been a part of the bridal attire for several ages.

In West Bengal, Baluchari saris flaunt depictions of mythological scenes on the pallu of the sari. Every sari has a story about the society and people around it. These sarees used to be produced in Murshidabad but presently Bishnupur and its surrounding areas of West Bengal are the only place where authentic Baluchari saris are produced. It takes approximately one week to produce one such sari. Another popular saree type in West Bengal are the Kantha saris, which is a unique form of embroidery craft.

The Kanchipuram silk saris, produced in Kanchipuram region of Tamil Nadu, are woven from pure mulberry silk thread and zari. To weave a Kanchipuram sari three shuttles are used. While the weaver works on the right side, his aide works on the left side shuttle. The border colour and design are usually quite different from the body. If the pallu (the hanging end of the sari) has to be woven in a different shade, it is first separately woven and then delicately joined to the Sari. The part where the body meets the pallu is often denoted by a zigzag line. In a genuine Kanchipuram Silk Sari, body and border are woven separately and then interlocked together. The joint is woven so strongly that even if the saris tears, the border will not detach. That differentiates the kanchivaram silk saris from the others.

The weaving culture of Chanderi sari, a saree woven in Chanderi, Madhya Pradesh, emerged between the 2nd and 7th centuries. In the beginning the weavers were traditionally Muslims. Around 1350, Koshti weavers from Jhansi migrated to Chanderi and settled there. During the Mughal period, the textile business of Chanderi reached its peak. Chanderi saris are produced from three kinds of fabric: pure silk, Chanderi cotton and silk cotton. Traditional coin, floral art, peacocks and geometric designs are woven into different Chanderi patterns. The saris are among the finest in India and are known for their gold and silver brocade or zari, fine silk, and opulent embroidery.

Draping A Saree In Style

“A saree is that the perfect way of proudly flaunting who i’m without having to mention it.”

If one was not already spoilt for choice in selecting from a plethora of saree types, there are several ways to drape a saree with each style giving a different look and feel. No wonder the saris are rightly called “Six yards of elegance and fashion”.

According to Cristin McKnight Sethi, a South Asian textile expert and professor of art history at George Washington University’s Corcoran School of the Arts and Design, there are more than one hundred ways to drape a sari depending on region, fabric, length and width of the garment, and what the wearer might be doing that day. These styles have been meticulously recorded on the website http://thesariseries.com/

Some of the most common styles of draping a saree include belt style, dhoti style, neck drape style, mumtaz style, mermaid style, pant style, butterfly style, lehenga style, front pallu style, and pre-stiched gown style.

“The sari both as symbol and reality has filled the imagination of the subcontinent, with its appeal and its ability to conceal and reveal the personality of the person wearing it,” says Delhi-based textile historian Rta Kapur Chishti, author of Saris of India: Tradition and Beyond and co-founder of Taanbaan, a fabric company devoted to reviving and preserving traditional Indian spinning and weaving methods.

The draping styles also vary from state to state – Athpourey (West Bengal), Kapullu (Andhra Pradesh), Nauvari (Maharastra), Seedha Pallu (Gujarat), Dhangad (Goa), Coorgi (Karnataka), Gol (Parsi), Saanthal (Jharkhand), Madisaru (Tamil Nadu), Surguja (Chattisgarh), Mohiniattam (Kerala), Makhela Chador (Assam), Purnia (Bihar), Rajasthani.

The wide variety of saris and the multitude of draping styles clearly suggests that saris are not just swaths of fabric or just any other simple garments. Saris are symbols of culture, tradition, national pride, design and craftsmanship, and illuminates the diversity across the different states of India.

No matter what the occassion, saris make you stand out from the crowd. Bollywood celebrities like Aishwarya Rai and Sonam Kapoor flaunted their sarees at the Cannes Film Festival. Even Lady Gaga, Madonna, Paris Hilton and Selena Gomez could not resist this gorgeous piece of clothing.

“A saree isn’t just a garment. It’s an influence , an identity, a language.”

Despite the new generation shunning saris for other western wear, the sari business is still thriving and is a 15 billion dollar business. However, thanks to globalization and never ending competition from China – machine made sarees – the tradition is slowly being lost as weavers are out of business due to this unhealthy competition. While machines can help produce sarees in bulk and at lower cost, the attention to detail in producing the sari can only be executed by a master craftsman.

Such is the passion for weaving saris that, Boga Balaiah, a traditional handloom weaver from Pochampally village in Yadadri Bhuvanagiri district, has put in two years of strenuous work, a whopping 121 hues and an equal number of motifs to embellish the 5.5 yard wonder – a Ikat dyed mercerised cotton sari.
In West Bengal, the handloom saris, woven on a shuttle-pit loom made from ropes, wooden beams and poles, take three days to produce a single sari. The effort and diligence that goes into weaving such a masterpiece deserves it’s price and cannot be compared with machine woven sarees in China.
The price range for a saree could vary anywhere between $20 – $10000. There is a market for saris of all price ranges. There are hundreds of brands and companies manufacturing saris but there is not one single large go-to brand in India because of the diversity that exists in the types of saris produced.
Despite all the challenges, let’s hope that this tradition continues to blossom and doesn’t wither away.

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