Chronicling the Nation A Study of Selected Advertisements Since 80s

Abstract

This study is an attempt to examine how ads imagine India. The research aims at exploring the influence of advertising, going beyond its revenue and reach, and finding out how the market impacts a nation s ethos. Since the day a smart housewife snapped at a male voice-over to declare that it made sense to spend more for something good to the present day when a mobile service brand ad shows a woman who is both a boss to her husband in office and a wife who cooks dinner for him at home, ads reflect both what has changed and what remains static in our society. In fact, during the past three decades, advertising has become a significant space to study the transformation of a society, its wants and necessities. newlineTargeting consumers in a nation like India, which is culturally so diverse, is hardly simple. There are two or rather many Indias, having different needs and expectations. Ads mostly speak in the voice of the upwardly mobile middle class and the youth. The invocation of cultural elements and national symbols has made it possible for MNCs to place their products in the Indian milieu and also conceal their foreignness . Further, the localisation of global messages can be seen as the articulation of local culture in a global setting. newlineWhile there are numerous studies on advertising, most of these delve into the profession of advertising, defending consumerism and its lifestyle. Not many adopt a critical perspective to deconstruct ads as the most visible facet of consumer culture. This is particularly true of the Indian scenario, where advertising is treated more as a profession rather than a popular culture that needs to be academically studied and analysed. newlineIn today s world, ideas and images are crucial battlegrounds of action. At a time when commercial practices are playing an important role in shaping notions of nationhood, this study is an attempt to understand how advertising chronicles the nation. newline