The Beauty Paradigm: Gender Discourse in Indian Advertising

Fair skin sells the cream  Trendy women sell the scooter Dashing men sell the car   Seductive gestures can sell almost anything If media only mirrors reality, is advertising then guilty of misogyny, voyeurism and objectification of women? In an attempt to look at Indian ads across various brand categories with a gender lens based on societal and sociological perspectives, The Beauty Paradigm: Gender Discourse in Indian Advertising deconstructs the quintessential Indian woman that the advertising industry depicts across the spectrum. Drawing insights from a seminal research study and Erving Goffman’s classic book ‘Gender Advertisements’, this book traces the journey of a few decades to map trends and patterns in Indian advertising and presents the perspectives of the creative teams and top managements across Indian and global agencies.

Table of Contents:
Preface Acknowledgements Is Advertising as Guilty as It Is Made Out to Be? What Women Want? Gender Insensitivity in Indian Ads—Numbers Don’t Lie! Some Hope Some Despair! A Medley of Ads Straight from the Source! The Arrival of Metrosexual Man in the Indian Ad Narrative Gender Mainstreaming in Media Schools and Workplaces Gender Sensitive Laws: A Global Concern Do Self-regulation Codes in Advertising Have Enough Teeth? Current Discourse on Gender in the Ecosystem and Its Implications Wake-up Call for the Ad Sector What Next? The Agenda for Tomorrow

About the Author :
Jaishri Jethwaney did her doctorate from the School of International Studies JNU, in media and elections, which included extensive fieldwork in India, Germany and the USA. She did her master’s in political science from the Hindu College, Delhi University; postgraduate diploma (PGD) in advertising and public relations and PGD in journalism from RP Institute of Mass Communication, New Delhi. She went to New South Wales for her fellowship in public relations. After a long stint at the Indian Institute of Mass Communication spanning over 25 years as Professor and Program Director until 2016, when she demitted office she joined the Institute for Studies in Industrial Development (ISID)—a public funded, national-level policy think tank working on media policy issues. Currently, she is a senior ICSSR research fellow based at ISID. The area of her present research is ‘Wages and related issues in the news media industry in India’. Professor Jethwaney has been a lead communication expert for many international consultancies taken on behalf of UNESCO, UNICEF, United Nations Population Fund, World Health Organization, United Nations Population Fund among others. She is on the board of studies of several central and state universities. In her long career, she has designed and anchored more than 150 training programmes of various durations in the areas of corporate communication, advertising, social marketing, disaster communication and CSR, among others. She has been a visiting faculty to many coveted organizations, including the National Judicial Academy, Bhopal, and the LBS National Academy of Administration, Mussoorie, Ordinance Staff College, Nagpur, and Power Management Institute, among others. Among the many books she has authored and co-authored, some are When India Votes (2019), Social Sector Communication (SAGE, 2016), Corporate Communication (SAGE, 2018), Public Relations Management, 3rd edition (2015) and Advertising Management, 2nd edition (2012). She has contributed to the SAGE Encyclopedia on Corporate Reputation in 2016 and has chapters in many books. Among the many awards that Professor Jethwaney has received, some are the Exceptional Woman of Excellence by Women Economic Forum, 2019; Sahyog–Sahyadari (Doordarshan) award on leadership in mass communication teaching, 2014; Best Professor award by World Education Congress, 2013, and the Leadership award in PR academics from the PRSI in 2010. Detailed CV at http://isid.org.in jjethwaney@isid.edu.in  

Review :
‘Many years ago, as a senior copywriter in one of New York’s largest ad agencies, I presented a concept for a beauty brand. And yes, it actually had an idea attached to it, which was rare for beauty ads in those days. But I’ll never forget my male creative director’s response. He said straight-faced without a touch of irony, “I don’t buy it; women don’t think like that.” So I applaud Professor Jethwaney on her book exploring how and why women are depicted so one-dimensionally in advertising. Whether it’s Mumbai or New York, it needs to change. And I know the guy to whom I’ll be sending a copy.’ ‘Excellent and well researched, your book looks at advertising through a gendered lens. Without being prescriptive, it brings to the fore many problems inherent in the portrayal of women in advertising. The book is a timely reminder of the need to start a serious discourse around the subject of stereotyping women in advertisement and the risks this may have, by subliminally influencing mindsets of people. It forces the readers to re-examine their response to women’s portrayal in advertising and to ask the question “why”. ‘A monumentally path-breaking book which, on the one hand, raises consciousness of women in slumber and, on the other, challenges conscience of the advertising world by linking a mirror of reality with a window of opportunity for enlightened choices. Each chapter is provocative and fascinating with contemporary debates and scholarship of ideas. This work will bring immense clarity of thoughts and sophistication of ideas to a large number of start-up advertising companies, media students and the established seasoned advertisers by introducing them to a philosophical terrain that brings maturity, ethics and sustainability to a sceptically naive world of monolithic patriarchal mind set.’   ‘A highly informative and beautifully written book on advertising nuances and gender by one of the most knowledgeable minds on the subject that I had the fortune to meet. An easy, worthwhile read for those engaged in the advertising industry and in general for everyone to take a peek into the evolving landscape of advertising.’ ‘Professor Jaishri Jethwaney’s new book is a major contribution to gender studies in India. Jaishri has been the leading light and principal coordinator of the media research project of the South Asia Women’s Network (SWAN) on the Status of Women in Media in South Asia. She led the segment on gender in advertising among all eight participating South Asian countries. The constant objectification and stereotyping of women through advertising immensely influences societal mindsets, especially among the young. I congratulate Jaishri on her continuing research on this vital issue, this time focused on India.’