Tuesday, September 20, 2011

Denim derriere ad has feminists flying into rage

In a country where foreign brands are entering by the dozen, you can understand the need of a homegrown brand to make themselves more relevant to the youth. That's what seems to be happening in desi denim brand Flying Machine's latest ad campaign. The brand, struggling to keep pace with the Diesels, Calvin Kleins, Armani Exchanges and J Brands of the world fast flying off mall shelves in Indian cities, came up with an ad campaign to reach out to the youth. The print ad, however, has run into controversy for being in bad taste. The ad shows a female model wearing flattering jeans, with the catchline saying, in bold font: " What an Ass!" The ad was probably meant to resonate with the young and happening. It, however, has offended women activists and once again ripped open the debate on creative liberty vs sensationalism. The fact that it doesn't even look like a typical Indian woman's famed behind, is also something catching people's attention. The body type looks particularly foreign with a narrow waist and sculpted ass, with nothing remotely like the desi derriere. The CEO of the youth division of Arvind Mills, the company that produces Flying Machine, has reportedly stood by the ad, saying there's nothing sensational or vulgar about it. He thinks the ad should be treated in good humour. Advertisement is arguably the one medium of creativity that reflects the flavour of the times even more than cinema, music or art. It's about direct interaction with the consumer and is meant to translate almost instantly into tangible returns. No wonder then that ads capture the popular imagination much more than hit movies or songs sometimes. But lately, one has noticed many ads taking the thin line between sensational and stimulating lightly. Recently, the Ministry of Information and Broadcasting cracked the whip on some men's deodorant commercials for being overtly sexual and showing women as depraved and wanting. Even underwear commercials of Amul Macho and Lux Cozy came under the censorship's radar for being more raunchy than naughty. Source By: India Today