Did you know that the 26th of August is celebrated as Women’s Equality Day every year in the US? Well, if you didn’t, now you know! The Women’s Equality Day seeks to commemorate the adoption of the Nineteenth Amendment in 1920, which prohibited all states and the federal government from denying the right to vote to US citizens on the basis of their sex.
But while Women’s Equality Day holds a historical significance in the US, it is a day of equal importance in every other part of the world, regardless of whether or not this day is observed in other countries or not. Movements around gender equality have gained rapid momentum everywhere. Therefore, it’s no surprise that we keep coming across some amazing adverts that promote women's empowerment and gender equality all around the year and not just on Women’s Day.
So, here we are with 5 awesome commercials on gender and women’s equality that prove that women are no less than their male counterparts.
1. Microsoft: Girls Do Science (2018)
Many tend to think that women aren’t as bright as their male counterparts to pursue science, which is why like many other industries science has also remained pretty much a ‘man’s domain’. However, this 2018 commercial by Microsoft sought to break these stereotypes.
The commercial highlights the gender divide that begins in school. The commercial showcases little girls revealing the remarks that they often hear while pursuing science or even expressing remote interest in it. However, this commercial by Microsoft must have surely sent those science enthusiasts an inspirational reminder to keep up their interest in the subject.
2. Pantene: Labels Against Women (2013)
This Pantene commercial from 2013 exposes the deeply rooted gender bias that most societies seem to be grappling with.
The advert shows men and women who exhibit the same behaviors, however, those are labeled differently. While a male leader is seen as the “boss”, a female leader is seen as “bossy”. Similarly, while men are seen as persuasive, women possessing the same qualities are seen as “pushy”. Thus, Pantene drives home the point that successful women alone won’t be enough to change the attitude of society toward women; society will itself have to step up if it wants to see women at par with men in all arenas.
3. Ariel: Share The Load (2016)
Most of us grew up watching our women and sisters donning multiple hats at home and work without ever really making an effort to ease their load. Reason? Well, household chores are simply seen as something that women are expected to handle, regardless of whether or not they have a job elsewhere. It’s this indifferent attitude displayed by most men that Pantene seeks to address in this amazing 80-second spot.
The ad shows a father writing a letter of apology to his daughter for all the times that he might have perpetuated the idea that household chores are solely a woman’s job. The letter says how he inherited this attitude from his father and his son-in-law must have inherited it from his father. His daughter, on the other hand, took after her mother, who used to carry out all the household chores. The letter ends with a positive note when the father upon realizing his mistake reveals that he would now start helping her mother with all the tasks.
While this may be a small change, it surely seems one for the better!
4. Sport England: This Girl Can (2015)
Girls can’t throw. Girls can’t play. Really, how many times have we heard this nonsense? Well, Sport England thought it was high time to put such nonsense to rest when it launched the “This Girl Can’ campaign in 2015 to encourage more women to take up sports.
The 90-second spot showcases women participating in an array of sports and absolutely killing it. The message- they can and they will, you just need to keep your eyes, ears, and minds open to register their excellence!
5. FCKH8: F-Bombs (2014)
And here’s my favorite one! While some of you might this advert distressing watching these young kids swearing, the issues highlighted by them should cause all of us greater agony.
Provocative and powerful, this advert by the non-profit company FCKH8 shows girls between the ages of 6-13 dressed up as princesses and spitting facts about gender inequality. These include everything from the pay gap to sexual assault. And all of this is delivered with plenty of swearing.
The idea behind the commercial is simple- something is surely wrong with society if you are getting more offended by a little girl dropping the F-word instead of the sexist treatment that is being meted out to women every day and the injustices that take place against them.
Wrapping Up
And that was a wrap of some of the most powerful commercials on gender equality. While women make up almost 50% of the world’s population, it wouldn’t be unfair to say that they have been made to play second fiddle to men. Fortunately, things have begun to change now and these impressive commercials will continue playing a role in furthering that change.
We’ll be back with more awesome commercials for you. Until then, stay tuned!