Voice-O-Meter: Skoda breaks the bias, from the driver's seat

IAA Voice of Change and UNICEF pick the most gender-progressive ad among those covered by Manifest each week.

Manifest has partnered with IAA Voice of Change and UNICEF to identify and celebrate advertising that challenges stereotypes and promotes more progressive gender representation.

The committee for this section consists of: Nina Elavia Jaipuria, chairperson, Women Empowerment Committee, IAA India Chapter; Megha Tata, co-chairperson, Women Empowerment Committee, IAA India Chapter; and Geetanjali Master, partnership specialist, public and private sector engagement, resource mobilisation section, UNICEF Delhi.

This week’s choice is Skoda India’s campaign for the Slavia facelift.

What makes the campaign stand out is its decision to place women at the centre of the car narrative - not simply as passengers or supporting characters, but as confident consumers and decision-makers. In a traditionally male-dominated category, seeing an entire car ad centred around women marks a welcome shift in representation. It is a simple but meaningful step towards normalising women as an important customer base in the automobile category and, in its own way, breaking the bias.