International Men's Day: Ads that redefined masculinity in 2023

From Bail Kolhu to Dove, brands attempted to change the stereotypical discourse on what it means to be a man today

by e4m Staff
Published: Nov 20, 2023 8:45 AM | 3 min read

Amid the chaos of the ICC Men's Cricket World Cup finals on November 19th, the nation forgot about International Men's Day, an annual celebration of recognising the contributions of men to society and highlighting issues that impact them.

Masculinity is at the cusp of change today as men have been reevaluating gender roles, understanding cultural shifts, highlighting mental health issues among men and embracing changing family dynamics. Yet, there are many issues such as higher suicide rates, lack of support, being victims of violence, gender stereotypes, unfair divorce and child custody challenges, fatherhood issues and health disparities that impact men.

The day is also a celebration of men and their positive contributions to society as role models, parents, educators, caregivers and leaders.

Even without a cricket tournament to distract, International Men's Day rarely receives the attention it needs, especially compared to the enthusiasm around International Women's Day.

Men are also a favourite demographic of the advertisers who target them for their purchasing power. Many brands have also taken a stand for men, highlighting what it means to be a man today and the changing faces of masculinity in India.

We look at six ads in 2023 that celebrated the different facets of masculinity.

Bail Kolhu

Bail Kolhu's "Rasode main mard hai" campaign is an ode to the men who don the apron and are enthusiastic about cooking. Men are traditionally not saddled with the responsibility of cooking for the household, and the burden is ultimately always on the women. The brand aimed to spark a change the discourse by celebrating men who love to cook.

DaMENSCH

The D2C innerwear brand DaMENSCH has been at the forefront of its quirky take on all things masculine in the world today. While men have traditionally been considered the epitome of strength and toughness, the world often overlooks their emotional and vulnerable sides. The brand launched the 30-day campaign #SoSoft by DaMENSCH encourages men to own their ‘soft’ side.

Dove

To be a man is to care, said Dove in its campaign for Father's Day. The ad highlights the transformative effects of care when men decide to nurture themselves and those around them.

Licious

In traditional Indian households, men don't often man (pun intended) the kitchen, yet they do perform one crucial duty -- buy meat for the household every Sunday. A skill that most dads take a lot of pride in is picking out the best and freshest chicken, mutton and fish for their family. This ad by Licious is based on this crucial insight and how the entry of the online meat store upends dads and their meat-buying duties. Dads now begrudgingly give up their "meat expert" titles. The ad is an apology from the brand to dads all over the country who used to take pride in their role as meat experts.

Sebamed

While most babycare ads are focussed on the mothers as primary caregivers, Sebamed took a long hard look at society and decided to cast India's most iconic single father for its #pH matters campaign. Johar, who has two children from surrogacy, dispels some of the myths about pH balance while advocating the importance of using the right products for children. In a heartfelt fashion, Johar explains the vulnerabilities he faces as a single parent, highlighting how many fathers are the primary caregivers of their children.

Starbucks

The conversations around gender roles and queer ideologies are still met with a lot of pushback in India today, yet Starbucks decided to broach the tough discussions but putting a man in the centre of this beautiful ad. A father comes to terms with his own biases and accepts his transgender daughter's identity in this tastefully done ad.

Published On: Nov 20, 2023 8:45 AM

Tags International Mens Day