A Critical Analysis of the Select Advertisements with Reference to Beauty Stereotype

In the twenty-first century, advertisements have changed drastically worldwide. The contemporary popular and effective advertisements not only try to promote and sell their products, services and ideas but also convey some sense of social responsibility. The Indian advertisement industry witnessed a reformation in 2008 when the advertisement of Tata Tea, (Jaago Re) was launched. It was, to a great extent, a type of rejoinder to the criticism of the then prevalent television advertisements. However, the basic purpose of the advertisements remains unchanged. Some of the advertisements, in the recent past, played a decisive role in raising some of the fundamental social issues, like issues related to gender, education, health, etc. It has been observed that some of the advertisements are loaded with messages which question the orthodox and conservative social practices, values and beliefs. It seems academically viable to examine some of the select advertisements in order to see how and to what extent they influence society and its culture. The present study deals with the critical analysis of some of the select television advertisements in relation to stereotypical social values in India. The study looks at the advertisements as texts and it analyses them with the perspective of literature. As we know advertisements not only work as a catalyst to gradual social change but also hint at the change advertisers try to suggest overtly or covertly.