A Feminist Critique on Television Commercials In India

In today's world television is a very essential medium for communication , advertising, networking etc. Through the television , many people , with various purposes share or tell something or present something in front of the viewers. In this medium, advertising is an inseparable part. Television was firstly made for entertainment and that was the foremost requirement . The main focus always remained on the entertainment. But through various types of shows and channels , it gives informations, education , latest updates of news,, helps to create awareness or grow awareness in society and it happens through advertising especially.

The form of advertising has been modified through some changes day by day. The outlook of the present society has changed through some two or three decades. The process of presentation has been changed. The society, the lifestyle , the quality of living is changing. The economic changes has brought quite a difference in lifestyle. The ad-makers follow the changes keenly and whatever is happening in society , they try to capture those and again present those in front of the society. First,the ad-makers try to understand the feelings , thoughts , sentiment of the society. Then they see the result of market research and after that concentrate on the unique-selling point of the product. According to the criteria and basic view , they make a story for the ad. They just portray the picture of the society. Then , using their skills , they compel the viewers to watch the advertising and try to make a good impact on their minds to buy the product. In today's advertising world, the presentation is the most important part of any type of advertising.

Here are some examples of advertisings which have mainly focused on women specially. Such as- 'Moov' a pain reducing ointment. We , the viewers see in the ad that a housewife is returning from the market with weighty bags and feels pain on her waist. After seeing this , her young little son tries to help her. Then we get to see her mother-in-law and father-in-law and her husband are having tea. From this , we get to see that it tries to tell the housewives that it's their duty to go to the market whether they have pain or not . So for reducing the pain quickly and not to bother others use the ointment . This incident regularly happens in middle class families.

Another product is - "women Horlics" . In this , the advertisement shows that a woman is doing everything- she works , plays with her kids, completes her duties and in between , she should also take care of herself. The makers know the feelings of the women.. know what their hearts crave for. This story makes an appeal on the mind of the women.

The Beauty products- Mainly the young people use these products. But now a days the companies are trying to catch the attention of different aged people.

A very popular beauty product is 'Fair & Lovely'

This product try to catch the attention of common middle-class women and girls who are having problems in getting married or job or any opportunity because of their their brownish complexion .

Another beauty product is 'Olay'. This company has tried mainly to seek the attention of working class women or rich and top class women who are already established. Just because to look more good and beautiful , they should use the product. The tagline says , ' You Worth it' whether the tagline line of the of 'Fair & Lovely' says, ' It can change your life' . So the making of the story is the main thing.

While the makes create the advertisement they suggest the models. Whether 'Fair & Lovely' always chooses a fresh and new face to introduce the product, 'Olay' chooses a known and popular face like Kajol, Sonam Kapoor and others who are already established and belong to working class women. In the advertisings , the makers have create a separation - one part is for normal middle class women and working class, rich women In part of middle-class housewives, their husbands don't prepare the dinner just because they don't earn . But , in the ad of Pond's 'age miracle ' , the viewers see that the husband prepares a dish specially for his wife who has come late at night . He doesn't do that because of having love for her but because of her beauty. So , for this womens should use that product to maintain her beauty's longevity.

So it can be said that the perspective of outlook has been changed in many spheres but there are some prejudices too.

Now the men also do ads for beauty products and also use it just to get a good job or catch the attention of girls or women . The companies like 'Emami' introduces their beauty products for men heiring Shahrukh Khan !!

The change is coming gradually in society and other spheres. But some typical perspectives have not changed yet. And we can only hope for the best !

Warning : Read at your own risk.. :)

with love,
Piya .

I Love Land Phone !

I Love Land Phone.. until I don't have to pay the Bill !!!

Land phone is like a landmark of the house. I have spent hours by using land phone, while talking to my friends incessantly !

As per my view, land phone is incomparable with mobile.I am obsessed with land phone !! So, here I would like to write down about the positive and negative points of having a land phone. According to my view they are..

Advantages :

• You don't have to worry about brain damage factor because of the cell phone radiation.
• You feel very relaxed while talking to your loving ones because you can't see the pulse.
• You don't care for balance.. :)
• You don't face any problem because of network.

Disadvantages :

• You don't have any idea abut the amount of the bill.
• Guardians pay the huge amount at the end of the month.
• You are threatened by them that you have to pay the bill next time.
• If you want to ignore any one, you can't. Because you have to attend the phone each time.
• You can't move aruond while talking over phone unless you have a cordless one.
• You may suddenly get to know that the line is dead !

Okay , it seems that disadvantages are looking more serious than advantages !!

But for me, the main thing is..

I LOVE LAND PHONE UNTIL I DON'T HAVE TO PAY THE BILL !!!

warning : read at your own risk.. :)

with love,

Piya .