Old wine, woke bottle: Why some Indian ads still can’t quit stereotypes

Remember those early-2000s TV ads where beauty creams promised fairness, breadwinner dads stayed impassive, and moms were queens of the kitchen, always doing chores with a gentle smile? Back then, stereotypes felt obvious, almost lazy.

Two decades later, one might expect the industry to have left these templates far behind. Yet, many recent campaigns reveal how stubbornly these tropes persist, often under the guise of being “progressive.” From Vim’s “Men Can Clean Too” campaign (marketed as disruptive but still reinforcing that cleaning is inherently a woman’s domain) to bathroom cleaner ads where the salesman is still the rescuer, the question is hard to ignore: are Indian ads truly breaking stereotypes, or are we simply remixing them in a more “woke” packaging?

Take Zomato’s Ganesh Chaturthi 2025 ads. In one film, a man is a doctor by day and a dhol vadak by night; in another, a woman is an air hostess by day and dhol vadak by night. Both were positioned as inclusive, celebratory narratives, but they fell into a familiar trap: when assigning “day jobs,” the man was a doctor, while the woman was an air hostess, roles that play into long-held ideas about aspiration and gender.

Or look back at the backlash against the Param Sundari promotional campaign, where critics argued that the hyper-feminine, exaggerated accent and portrayal undermined the supposed empowerment message. Such examples underline how easily ads slip into stereotypes while trying to sound progressive.

Internationally too, this is not unique. American Eagle’s campaign with Sydney Sweeney recently drew flak for packaging empowerment in overtly performative aesthetics, proof that this is an industry-wide issue, not just an Indian one.

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Not everyone agrees that stereotyping is inherently problematic. Dr. Sandeep Goyal, Chairman of Rediffusion, takes a more pragmatic view. “Stereotypes are cultural and societal. Our minds are conditioned to think that way. We find it easier to put people in boxes … modern marketers call them cohorts. Actually, there is nothing wrong with stereotyping, it is a shorthand to easy identification and understanding by consumers.”

For Goyal, the real test lies in execution: “In a 30-second commercial my task is to sell a brand, not to get societal stereotypes to be reconfigured. As long as the portrayal is not negative or demeaning or exaggerated, there should really be no issue.”

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His stance reflects the tension many agencies face. On one side lies cultural responsibility and the demand for authenticity; on the other, the commercial reality of delivering quick, relatable stories that drive sales.

According to Sonaali Malhotra, Strategy at Talented, the gap lies between “performative storytelling” and “personal conviction.” She argues: “Surface-level ‘progress’ often stems from being too focused on what looks good to the outside world, but not being honest enough with ourselves. Real change starts with discomfort, with being willing to have awkward conversations, challenge our own biases, and question if we’d stand by this work in our own homes, with our own family, partner and friends.”

Her point speaks to a larger industry pattern. Representation often becomes an afterthought, rather than the foundation of storytelling. The result? Ads that look modern but don’t feel authentic.

Malhotra highlights Tanishq’s campaigns, The Superwoman, Marriage Conversations, Fathers Written by Daughters, and Brothers Written by Sisters, as examples of getting it right. “These aren’t just new takes, they’re true takes,” she says. By weaving progress into everyday realities rather than exaggerated gestures, the brand has managed to resonate more deeply with audiences.

For Priyank Dattani, Associate Creative Director at White Rivers Media, the answer lies in reframing, not rejecting, the client brief. He said, “If the brief calls for ‘mom in the kitchen,’ the question is: does she have to be there, or can her story reflect aspirations beyond that role? The same goes for men who are often typecast as tech-savvy, unemotional, or sole breadwinners. Showing fathers as nurturers or men in non-traditional roles can feel just as refreshing.”

He cautions against cosmetic changes like “simply swapping the protagonist’s gender without rethinking the story itself.” Instead, she urges brands to root narratives in cultural nuance and honesty.

While gender stereotypes dominate discussions, Indian advertising has also long leaned on other clichés: the “bumbling dad” in tech ads, exaggerated regional accents for comic relief, or tokenism in portraying LGBTQ+ characters. Each attempt at inclusion often risks caricature when not handled with cultural sensitivity.

The Param Sundari controversy highlighted how exaggerated accents can undermine authenticity. Similarly, the trend of painting “new-age dads” as helpful but still secondary caregivers reinforces rather than dismantles the imbalance at home.

In an era of heightened audience awareness, tokenism rarely goes unnoticed. Viewers today are quick to call out dissonance on social media, making lazy stereotyping not just a cultural risk but a commercial one.

As Malhotra puts it, “Our goal is to help the client see that there’s more power in showing a truth that’s specific and surprising than one that’s generic and expected. And when that truth aligns with where culture is headed and not where it’s been, it doesn’t just feel fresh, it performs better.”

The conversation ultimately boils down to responsibility versus relatability. Stereotypes may remain a tempting shortcut, but as Dattani notes, “tropes make stories predictable before they are even told. Audiences today want surprise, nuance, and honesty, and that is what earns attention.”

For Indian advertising, the challenge is clear: move beyond simply repackaging clichés and instead embrace stories that feel authentic, uncomfortable, and real. Because in 2025, the audience can tell when a “woke” ad is just old wine in a new bottle.