“Waqt ke saath agar soch bhi badly jasakti hai, toh why not meri jaan?”
In a series of message-oriented advertisements under the “Why not meri jaan?” campaign, Pepsi released the following ad as encouragement towards female empowerment as it subtly remarks on our prevailing mentality of organizing gendered categories in our day to day lives.
It follows a boy, going around a café asking people whether the motor-bike out front is theirs and if he could move it so that he could park his car. What perhaps doesn’t stand out at first, and one is struck by later on, is that of the people lounging about in chairs, he only seems to be asking men. Upon my revisit to the ad, I found that he simply bypasses a table occupied by girls only to ask yet another man. Watching this ad for the first time, I was as surprised as he was when a girl from that very table rises and simply claims that the bike is hers. Confidently she puts her helmet on and sits astride her bike, driving off into the sunset.
The ad forces one to reexamine and rethink their mentality, seeking the neural pathways built on the basis of their personal biases. In less than a minute, this ad was able to showcase so many things that we simply take for-granted, especially when it comes to our expectations of what women can/can’t do in the confines of society. By showcasing this encounter, the ad simply yet efficiently brings forward this fact: women can do anything; it is our biases that tell us otherwise.
You're absolutely right, the concept of gendered materials and products is prevalent in our society. It is unfortunate that certain items and activities are often associated with specific genders, reinforcing stereotypes and limiting individuals' choices. For example like we discussed in class scooters are marketed specifically for females and certain cars are labeled as "kuriyan di gaadi" reflects the gendered marketing strategies employed by companies. These attempts to assign gender to everyday objects and products contribute to the reinforcement of societal norms and expectations. Its very important to challenge these categorizations and strive for a more inclusive society
I absolutely loved your analysis and take on the Pepsi Ad! Every time it comes on television I enjoy watching it as it always sparks the discussion in my family about how motor vehicles such as a bike should not be restricted to the male audience only. After this advertisement often times my father expressed his excitement and willingness to teach me to ride a bike.
This displays the impact of this advertisement as it serves as a reminder that a woman can have all the power to do anything, and it is society's biases towards the female gender that actually holds them back. The way the female lead confidently takes ownership of the motorbike, which is seen to me…
Loved your analysis of this ad and the subtleties it picks up on!
While this phenomenon is mostly subconscious, we often tend to assign a gender to material objects as well, such as vehicles and in this case; the motorbike. While a bike does not have anything inherently masculine or feminine about it, our associations with what we see around us result in this gendering of objects that this ad does a good job of challenging. It is only through such counter-narratives that we can establish new norms and subsequent associations; that are not only healthy but also inclusive to all genders.
this is one of those ad's that I do not skip while using YouTube, because of how it subverts gender stereotypes. It is really heartwarming to see how our media is now taking responsibility and producing content that is different from what we used to see conventionally (women of the house serving cold drinks in a family gathering). It foreshadows the changing mindsets of the upcoming generation. hopefully this theme of women empowerment will be reinforced in future advertisements too
Great read! I think the way it starts off with the man automatically approaching other men first, assuming that the bike has to belong to a male also reflects how we unconsciously internalise gendered stereotypes. Honestly I loved the phrase “waqt ke saath soch bhi badli jasakti hai” because it implies that gender roles are not written in stone instead they are socially constructed and constantly evolving. There’s always room for growth and embracing change even if it goes against conventional norms.