“Project Streedhan- My Iron is my Wealth”, is an absolute favourite of mine. It was very intelligent and witty of the makers of the advertisements to divert the idea of women from being show pieces for others and think of themselves for a change.
The advert has been entirely targeted towards women. FCB Ulka, the ad agency with Swati Bhattacharya as the chief executive officer was behind this creative masterpiece. This initiative was taken up by Dutch State Mines- Bright Science, Brighter Living. As the advert states, one out of two women suffer from anemia in this country. However, people pay little to no heed towards it at all. The occasion of Dhanteras was skillfully chosen because it is known for transaction of gold. Very different from the tradition, the ad urges people to invest in iron as it is more constructive and less gaudy than gold. However, iron here is the nutrient, which is mostly to stabilize the hemoglobin levels in women’s bodies. Menstruation is one of the reasons for anemia in women as menstruation results in a loss of blood and if proper meals are not consumed, it may result in iron deficiency. So, everything about this ad points towards something all women are tabooed for, if not tabooed then paid the least attention towards.
“Established as “De Nederlandse Staatsmijnen” (Dutch State Mines) in 1902 by the Dutch government, DSM is a multinational corporation specializing in what they call “Life Sciences and Materials Sciences” which means that they create the ingredients that make up the ingredients of numerous products. From food and enzymes for animal food, to chemicals for crop protection, to ingredients for pharmaceutical products, to resins for paints, and more. Much, much more. DSM has over 170 locations worldwide and employs more than 20,000 people. This week DSM announced a new identity explaining that “This is the right moment to present our new identity to the world. We have successfully transformed DSM’s portfolio. We are now a true Life Sciences and Materials Sciences company, with a clear mission to create brighter lives for people today and for generations to come.”” – BrandNew. Therefore, the company has entered the Indian market with this path-breaking ad. The importance of healthy diet can be found in every inch which in turn talks about their own food products.
If we talk about the cultural aspects of the advert, it is extremely heavy on Indian culture. It can never connect to the audience outside the country. Women from all over India feature in the advert tasting food of their contemporary states, or just nibbling on iron-rich edibles. If this ad is played in some other nation, they will hardly be able to relate to it due to their lack in knowledge about Indian culture. The beauty of the advert may be spell-binding but then critics have also commented that it looks “too perfect”, it looks like that the actors on the film have been overtly sensualized. The entire idea of women-empowerment and freedom takes a backseat if females with “perfect bodies” and screen-fit faces are featured in the ad.
In spite of a few negative aspects, the bigger picture here is the message which is loud and clear. Women need to think about themselves before they can help others, which even as a thought is very much discomforting to Indians. This is exactly where every woman finds relevance in the ad. The cinematography of the film is mesmerizing. It shows small instances from the lives of women throughout the country. A lot of it is focused on the food, which is one of the important constructs of the ad. The look on the face of the actors is daunting and confident when they straight look into the camera lens, as if talking to the audience.
In all, this ad has my heart for every reason possible!
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