Mumbai: October 06, 2022 – Mumbai-based content studio and digital marketing agency, The Content Lab, breaks gender stereotypes in its latest ad film featuring an Indian wedding for diamond jewelry brand Kirtilals.
Ad Link: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TTtglwdi3Wk
The film, conceptualized and produced by The Content Lab revolves around a young bride who fondly reminisces her special wedding day that steered clear of gender stereotypes associated with Indian weddings. The 1939 established Kirtilals is one of the leading diamond jewelry brands in South India and wanted to connect with its younger audience to showcase the latest bridal collection and steer the narrative toward equality.
“It’s great when a brand trusts us with the creative onus of imagining a storyline and bringing to life their vision. From the production perspective, it was extremely important to have a fine balance between the contemporary and traditional – from set design, casting, costumes, the smallest of nuances were meticulously chosen”, said Vaibhav Mehta, Founder, The Content Lab.
The treatment of the film was modern, though accented with South Indian elements like the attire of the groom, elements in décor, and the ceremony itself. It was reflective of how a modern South Indian wedding would look like. The idea was to bring about the universality of the message with this background.
The film shows the woman of the family covering her head with a curtain of flowers (traditionally done by the brothers); sharing a mangalsutra and a bracelet with her husband; having a priestess preside over the ceremony and walking side by side during the pheras, all elements that defy patriarchy. The film subtly captures the message that an equal wedding sets the tone for the start of equal marriage. It further depicts gender equality with the groom seen entering the room with coffee on the day after with a gift, only to be given a gift back by his bride symbolizing that gifting again, was not just the responsibility of a man.
Modern India stands at the cusp of a big change where marriages are concerned, and equality and shared responsibility, are something that has started dominating conversations. The patriarchal slants in weddings and marriages are frequently called out, discussed and now rejected.
“Diamonds are known to make important milestones in our lives memorable, spark sheer joy, and embody familial stories of generations. That narrative has been heard time and again. With this film, we wanted our audience to look beyond the jewelry alone. We wanted them to look at marriage and relationships with another eye where implicit mutual support of both is key. We hope this message resonates with our young clients who are embarking on life with their partners and will remember us as a brand who truly gets them,” said Seema Mehta, Creative Director, Kirtilals.
The Content Lab drew insights from a number of target groups of women, influencers, social media content creators and young couples to feel the pulse of the urban young and used that to integrate in the message. The writers set out to create the message anchored in the fact that people don’t only want eye-wash equality such as paying equally for weddings, but a more abiding action of a truly equal wedding that hopefully sets the tone for an equal marriage.