Cars24, an online portal that deals in sale and purchase of vehicles, released their latest advertisement as a part of promotion for their newly launched scheme that suggests (as described on youtube),
Buy from thousands of certified pre-owned cars, from economy to luxury, from hatchback to SUV, we have it all! We give you 7 Days to fall in love with your new car; if you like it keep it or else return it!
However, the ad agency chose to portray this idea by showing two women discussing the same and drawing a parallel between a returnable car and their husbands.
WATCH AD BELOW:
Several social media users, including women, raised objection to the portrayal of husbands as an object, that can be returned if found dysfunctional or not appealing (as the ad suggested). Many, including Men’s Day Out, reached out to Advertising Standards Council of India (ASCI) questioning them on the projection and impact of the Ad demeaning Men as a Gender. Most commonly raised objection by all was whether such an Ad would have passed off as ‘humour’ if two men were shown discussing returning their wife within 7-days.
ASCI collated all objections and wrote to the Ad agency for their side of explanation in the said matter. The advertiser in their response stated that,
The complete tone and tenor of the Advertisement is over the top and non-serious and nowhere suggests that the same is trying to portray any gender as disposable or discardable. The Advertisement is not a reflection on men or manhood in any way or form. The mention/depiction of ‘Husbands’, is merely a fictional plot for the narrative, which is presented to the audience in a tongue in cheek manner for the purpose of creating humour. For a change (a change which is in tune with the times), Cars24 flipped the narrative to put forth a refreshing new take, where two prospective wives are engaging in some over the top banter, coupled with a little bit of wishful thinking, when it comes to the subject of cracking/ hacking the code to find suitable partners for themselves. There is no gender related discourse in the film and neither is there any attempt to insinuate the same from Cars24’s end.
The Advertiser further shared YouTube links of other television commercials currently being aired with similar themes. The Advertiser also provided a copy of the TVC and a copy of the storyboard.
We are happy to inform you, that after deliberation over the emails received from common people and clarification from the agency, ASCI has decided to ‘Uphold the Complaint’. As per the email received, ASCI quoted:
The advertiser to suitably modify or withdraw the said advertisement by June 17, 2021
These modifications may look funny or petty to many, however, surely this is a step in protecting the dignity of Men as much as we advocate to respect and value the existence of women. We must mention, that these ongoing changes in sexist Ads, have not been successful due to any one individual or organisation. It has been a collective effort of all like minded men and women questioning the dual standards and hypocrisy of Gender Rights Activists.
Unless we call out such Ads, some women today feel it is their right to ridicule and mock Men socially. Such Ads could also hamper the entire marriage system, where many young girls would feel, it is ok to kick out a husband for any silly reason.
We also suggest that ASCI educates all agencies on the sensitivity towards all genders, so that no one hard work or effort needs to be modified at later stage.
YOU MAY WISH TO COMMENT ON THIS CONTROVERSY BELOW
READ ASCI RESPONSE IN DETAIL:
Similar complaints against the referred advertisement were received by ASCI and they were considered by the Consumer Complaints Council (CCC) at their meeting.
The ASCI had approached the advertiser for its response in addressing the grievances of the complainants and forwarded the details of the complaints, verbatim, to the advertiser with a request to respond to the same. The advertiser was offered an opportunity to seek an Informal Resolution (IR) of the complaint and a telecon with the ASCI Secretariat to seek further guidance, which they did not avail and submitted their written response.
The advertiser in their response stated that, “The complete tone and tenor of the Advertisement is over the top and non-serious and nowhere suggests that the same is trying to portray any gender as disposable or discardable. The Advertisement is not a reflection on men or manhood in any way or form. The mention/depiction of ‘Husbands’, is merely a fictional plot for the narrative, which is presented to the audience in a tongue in cheek manner for the purpose of creating humour. For a change (a change which is in tune with the times), Cars24 flipped the narrative to put forth a refreshing new take, where two prospective wives are engaging in some over the top banter, coupled with a little bit of wishful thinking, when it comes to the subject of cracking/ hacking the code to find suitable partners for themselves. There is no gender related discourse in the film and neither is there any attempt to insinuate the same from Cars24’s end.”
The Advertiser further shared YouTube links of other television commercials currently being aired with similar themes. The Advertiser also provided a copy of the TVC and a copy of the storyboard.
The Consumer Complaints Council (CCC) viewed the TVC / YouTube advertisement (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OPcqjJmjcIA) and considered the complaints and the advertiser’s response. The CCC observed that the advertiser is promoting their Cars 24 app for selling cars. The advertisement shows a woman telling the other woman about the new feature of Cars 24, wherein a customer can use a car for seven days and if he/she is not happy with the car, the same can be returned to them within seven days. The other woman suggests that they should copy this feature in their “husbands 24 app” and if anyone does not like the husband then they can return him in seven days. The CCC discussed that the two women in the advertisement were discussing buying and replacing a car, however, the same was compared with men albeit in a humorous context which many viewers may find inappropriate. The CCC considering the complaints received against the advertisement, felt that the advertisement may be termed as an offense being taken as it was directly demeaning the male gender. The CCC deliberated that if the gender roles were reversed in the advertisement then the same would have been equally offensive if not more inappropriate.
Based on these observations, the CCC concluded that the woman in the advertisement saying, “Yeh feature hum 100% copy karenge apne husbands 24 mein, Husband pasand nahi ayaa toh saat din mein waapas” derides the male gender. The TVC / YouTube advertisement is in contravention of Chapter III, 3.1(b) of the ASCI Code. This complaint was UPHELD by majority.
We have advised the advertiser to suitably modify or withdraw the said advertisement by June 17, 2021. If you continue to see the advertisement with the objected claim/s being published beyond the due date, kindly bring this to our attention.
You may note that while ASCI believes in persuasion to ensure compliance by the advertiser, in case of continued non-compliance, alternate remedies are also available to complainants to approach other appropriate forums such as the State consumer forum, Ministry of Information and Broadcasting (MIB), Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology’ (MeitY), via PG portal https://pgportal.gov.in. etc.
Thank you for having referred this complaint to us.
Assuring you of our services in the pursuit of Self-Regulation in Advertising.
Yours faithfully,
Executive- Complaints Handling,
The Advertising Standards Council of India
READ OUR DETAILED COMPLAINT TO ASCI LAST MONTH:
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There are different ads from cars24 on the same plot featuring the same cast, which were popping as ads on YouTube on June 18 and on TV, if they haven’t withdrawn the ads what possible measures could be undertaken?
But they still didn’t modified the ad and they are still showing the same ad during WTC FINAL
What a shame 😳😳
The ad is still being repeatedly shown on the Indian news channel that broadcasts international news even to this date.
Come to think logically about it, be it in movies, advertisements, serials and even songs there has been a consistent indulgence by film makers and advertisement agencies to belittle and denigrate men.
Is this a mere coincidence or there is more than meets the eye – on a national front to vilify the morale of Indian men, destroy family values, instigate family breakups and ultimately ruin the nation.
Cars 24 still continues with the same theme of ridiculing men and they still have to say that they are not. People should stop using the company, that will be the best answer to their response to the advertisement.
If this was about guys talking about women, female groups would have taken action and the add would have been taken off , since it about men it’s ok. This is ridiculous
There should be some kind of punitive action against the advertisers else they will keep making Ads with similar themes.
The explanation given by ad agency is absolutely ridiculous.
One of their ads the women discuss saying “We’ll also zoom our possible husbands to see if there is any hole in their socks.”
It’s not even funny, it’s cringe.
It’s just that they couldn’t use the word “underwear” because that would have made their vulgarity obvious, they used the word “socks”
I hope I’m right in my understanding that all the ads in this theme from Cars24 will be modified now.
Men will be men ad from McDowell should also be brought doen then.
McDowell ad should be pulled down as well for objectifying women by using the phrase men will be men.
The only way to treat such companies with this kind of mindset is to boycott them. Men are the primary car buyers. Let’s boycott cars24. #BoycottCars24
The solution – #BoycottCars24
2 ugly and bullshit lady ad by cars24..its really disguisting advertisement .they dont know surely which type of ad they are doing and what rubbish they are talking..i dont want see this type of face telecast by cars24.
Wow name calling? At least you showed your class
Most Disgusting AD .
Forget The Sexist Part Against Men, It Implies That Bagging A Man Or FIANCEE Is The ONLY Goal Of A Woman. Which Is Far From The Truth Of Most Women Today.
Both Women Are Loud And Crude And Are A Blot On The Image Of Women Today
Well they live in indiansociety24, can’t blame them. Also the ads don’t show their would life, just the part when they check the site. You would be an idiot to assume from those few seconds
If you think this ad is more derogatory than the men will be men series, you seriously have problem. How do men not feel insulted by those ads? Or do they agree to the message those ads have been trying to convey??