Frequent blackouts seem to be a thing of the past for many of us living in developed urban cities today. However uncommon, we all remember the discomfort it brought while also somehow bringing the family together.
Today, I want to talk about an ad by Luminous, set in a household experiencing a blackout. Disclaimer: that’s not what will keep you hooked. It’s their women’s day communication!
What’s happening here?
In the video, they showcased how a young girl makes errors while learning ‘gender’ in Hindi.
From telling her father “doodh ubal rahi hai” to asking her grandpa “ispe phool kab aayegi?”, she was corrected and taught by her elders every step of the way.
Her mistakes seem very simple and also mirror the ones we may have also experienced growing up, but the message it portrays is impactful.
The nuances of language and gender are not in-built. They are taught to us.
When the lights go off in the video, the girl’s parents talk about calling the ‘lineman’ to fix it. A minute later, when the little girl says, “lineman aa gayi”, the mother immediately corrects her daughter – “Aagayi nahi, aagaya”.
Funnily, this time, the little girl was right. The lineperson was a woman. But, the mother tended to correct her daughter, assuming that the person would be a man.
Why do we think Luminous did a great job? Two reasons:
1/ A showcase of internalised gender bias
Through their ad, Luminous shed light on how the default gender in our minds is that of a male, especially when it comes to people employed for on-ground jobs. On the contrary, the child’s perspective did not have this ‘default’ reaction.
2/ Addressing the problem: the male-dominated energy sector
With nostalgia as a marketing tool and wholesome creativity, the brand has consciously made an effort to showcase that the energy sector today is male-dominated. And, they didn’t stop there. Subtly so, they mentioned their role and intent towards bridging this gap, starting with stories of women in energy.
2A/ The brownie point!
They mentioned the linewoman’s name in the video. Was the video incomplete without it? No. But, by doing this extra bit, they created a personal and emotional connection. They made you think about, or maybe even care about Babburi Shirisha. It is through sharing such stories that encourage, motivate, and show young girls a newer world – one where there’s no bias for women in energy. A world where there’s an opportunity for everyone.
Luminous successfully created a video about equal opportunity, representation, and bridging the gender gap.
Until next ad,
Busy Decoding Draupadi <3