Advertising has been around for decades.. Even before the commercials, there were bill boards, pamphlets and other such short term methods used for advertising.
As all of us 'educated people' know that advertising and marketing is indeed an inseparable aspect of any business for its establishment, growth and survival.
Also as we have noticed that companies by way of their comercials chose concepts that sometimes reflect the real India and sometimes throw light on how the real India should be.
I am writing this article right after watching the 'banned Tanishq ad'. While being a liberal myself, I find nothing offensive in the ad. Having said that, I also agree that everyone has their opinion.
My question is, why is it difficult to look out for positives in things these days? Why outrage over an ad that only means to unite the two most dominant communities in India?
Afterall, the closing line says "ek jo huye hum, toh kya na kar jayenge" the admaker purely intends to solidify unity at the family level which when compounded would mean unity at the national level. There are hundreds of comments pointing at reversing the religion of the married couple and then see the reaction.
Well, I am of the view that religion is just not what is being glorified there, what is undoubtedly and purposely highlighted is the attempt to keep daughter-in-laws happy..
This too has been mocked at saying this kind of relationship between a mother-in-law and a daughter-in-law is impossible. It is possible in some rare homes in India where people are treated equally and with respect.
Unfortunately the poor treatment and lack of importance given to daughter-in-laws in majority of the households is not invisible. That can be a total different argument.
Coming back to the ad, there are some really nice ones that are not aired for reasons unknown while some really gross and lame ones keep popping up in between every now and then.
A Dollar innerwear ad recently had a tagline 'Dollar pehennewalo ki phat ti nahi'. Then there was another santoor ad where a bunch of kids come home to a beautiful mom saying 'aapka chehra humare liye lucky hai'. I can go on with the innumerable fairness creams and talc ads that only stress about the skin getting a tone lighter after the use of the product, which is obviously not possible.
The point is, we humans have become immensely dependant on the internet and feed majorly on the news, posts and information online. Evidently, there is a lot of fake news and misinformation that leads to polarization, hatred and encourage violence.
And in all of this, when there is a major company trying the bridge a gap thats been there for years, show us the mirror and give a solution to a better and happy life saying look, there is not much to do. Little efforts and real care does make life easy, there are people not only opposing it but going to the extent of vandalizing stores, burning property and eventually leading to a ban on that very harmless initiative.
It certainly saddens me how much our kids depend on the internet so we should try our best to let good things reach them by having neutral and open conversations with them about everything.
Let's equip them in a way that they do not believe all the information they are fed with, apply a little common sense and behave responsibly and with compassion.
For a generation that will become more sensible and rational than ours...
CHEERS!
GOD BLESS!!
CHS.
