While LMAAGS has embraced advertising as a key category since its inception, there’s a lot more to Laadli’s association with the advertising industry, with due cognisance to the fact that advertising has the power to shape perception and society as much as it is shaped by it.

One of the early interventions that preceded the introduction of a category for gender sensitive advertising at the prestigious Abby Awards of The AAAI and The Advertising Club in 2016, was the creation of gender sensitivity scores for ads in Campaign India magazine. Alongside reviews by advertising professionals of the latest Indian ads, then Programme Director of Laadli Dr AL Sharada reflected on them through a gender lens. The move ushered in a hitherto unexplored critical perspective. The person who introduced Laadli and Campaign India to each other was incidentally an ad veteran and friend of both —Ramesh Narayan of Canco Advertising. He recalls the time when he was introduced to Dr Sharada.

“I still remember the time Bobby Sista, a dear friend, walked into my office and introduced me to Dr.Sharada who was with him. I cannot recall the date but it was the beginning of another great relationship,” recalls Narayan.

Laadli has also engaged ad professionals through several events over the years, many of which have been through partnerships for the common cause forged with industry associations. Among such bodies is the International Advertising Association (IAA) India Chapter. Narayan recalls how gender became a focus issue for IAA, and Laadli, a partner.   

“I heard too many people talking rather disdainfully about how advertising and the entertainment industry were the cause of the sad state of gender as a class, in our country. Something needed to be done. So we at the IAA decided on a whole-day seminar where we would provide a common platform to NGOs in the related area and top creative people in the advertising and entertainment industry,” he notes.

Narayan adds that the proposal did not sail through smoothly at first: “I proposed this at a Managing Committee meeting of the IAA that was held at the GoaFest. While Mr. Srinivasan Swamy (current President of the Advertising Agencies Association of India) backed the idea, some senior people spoke out strongly against it. After I explained the need for such a thing on the sidelines of the meeting, (late) Pradeep Guha threw his weight behind the idea and then it happened.”

The resultant positive media response led to making the event a consistent item on the IAA agenda.

“I think Laadli and the IAA have had a great innings together. The initial beginning then evolved into what is now called the ‘Voice of Change’ and is being spearheaded by Megha Tata and Nina Jaipuria,” adds Narayan.

On the need for industry bodies to take up social issues and causes, his view is that industry bodies must do what is good for the industry and adds that IAA has had the privilege of taking a strong position on gender, climate (through the Olive Crown Awards) and so on.

Social cause-based initiatives and awards are not without controversy or criticism. Among issues is work that is created for awards and instances of greenwashing. Can consumers tell the difference? We asked him how award juries must guard against the same.

“Clients are aware that the younger generation is very keen to know whether the brand is an equal-opportunity employer, whether it is serious about the nuances of gender and whether it is investing in the concept of a sustainable planet, and so on. Greenwashing would be punished by the market. I can speak for the IAA/AFAA Olive Crown Awards and stress that sufficient care goes into ensuring that no ads that are indulging in greenwashing are ever awarded. This helps the winners and the IAA,” he points out.

Besides the Laadli Media & Advertising Awards for Gender Sensitivity, fellowships, capacity building for current and future media professionals, and on-ground empowerment through sister initiatives like Aamchi, we asked Narayan what the focus areas for Laadli should be going forward. What more can it do to ensure more gender-sensitive, equal and empowering portrayals in advertising, media and entertainment?

He surmises, “The Laadli awards need to be amplified even more. After all, media can truly help shape the narrative in terms of gender sensitivity and I am very happy that these awards have been supported and run consistently.”

This story is part of Laadli’s impact report @21, shared for online publication exclusively with Manifest.

Download the full report here.