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Who can forget Lalitaji, dressed in a white sari with a
blue border saying Surf ki kharidaari mein hi samajhdaari
hai? This advertisement from the mid-1980s, was a landmark
in Indian advertising history, as it presented a hitherto
unseen image of the Indian housewife, as a discerning individual,
who made intelligent choices (Exhibit 1). Around the same
time came the advertisement for Liril, which showed a girl
in bikini on Indian television screens for the first time;
and also the suggestive Kamasutra advertisement modeled
by Pooja Bedi. We have thus had both `Lalita' and `Lolita'
in Indian advertising since a fairly long time, and the
same is true to this day, though with modifications, in
tune with the times.
Women playing non-conventional roles in advertisements
are definitely on the increase. They are also finding increasing
presence as brand ambassadors and endorsers for products
which are not necessarily women-oriented. A sportswoman
like Sania Mirza is often seen and accepted as wielding
referent power in advertisements for a variety of products
(Exhibit 2), in the same manner as any other male sports
personality. This is a reflection regarding the acceptance
of woman playing many roles and the changing cultural mindset.
However, women are yet to find much of a place in the advertisements
for cement, steel, etc., which continue to be male-dominated.
Women are an epitome of both beauty and intelligence, and
this has been amply demonstrated in the case of innumerable
advertisement models who have won several beauty pageants
over the years.
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