#YouDontSeeMe: UN Women & Unstereotype Alliance Challenge Gender Stereotypes in Indian Advertising

By: WE Staff | Thursday, 6 July 2023

UN Women and the Unstereotype Alliance have joined forces to launch a groundbreaking campaign titled #YouDontSeeMe, aimed at challenging gender portrayals in the Indian advertising industry. The campaign aims to address the prevalent perception that women are typically depicted in traditional roles in the country's media, with 87% of Indians expressing this belief. Notably, 86% of respondents also felt that men were similarly typecast.

The primary objective of #YouDontSeeMe is to shine a spotlight on the disparity between on-screen representations and real-life experiences, thereby advocating for more diverse and inclusive portrayals of gender in advertising and media.

The campaign was conceived and developed by Grey, a renowned creative agency, with support from Lodestar UM and GroupM, who provide media buying assistance and collaborate through free media partnerships to maximize the campaign's impact.

Susan Ferguson, Country Representative for UN Women in India, expressed the organization's recognition of the influential role played by the advertising industry in shaping social norms. She emphasized the importance of partnering with the Unstereotype Alliance to challenge and advance the representation of women. Ferguson added, "UN Women is excited to partner with the Alliance to challenge and advance the ways women are represented."

In order to ensure widespread visibility and reach, the #YouDontSeeMe campaign will be launched across a variety of media, including print, digital, and out-of-home (OOH) commercials. Two months are allocated for the campaign's runtime, resulting in a sustained effect throughout time. Beginning in Mumbai, the programme would later move to other important cities including New Delhi, Chennai, Bangalore, Kolkata, and Hyderabad.

By leveraging the power of advertising and media, UN Women and the Unstereotype Alliance aim to spark a transformative dialogue on gender representation and inspire industry-wide change. Through thought-provoking messaging and visual storytelling, the campaign endeavours to challenge stereotypes and encourage a more accurate and inclusive reflection of women's diverse experiences in Indian society.

The #YouDontSeeMe campaign marks a significant step towards promoting gender equality and dismantling harmful stereotypes perpetuated by the media. The campaign aims to create a more diverse and powerful media environment that recognises the entire range of women's accomplishments, aspirations, and abilities through the combined efforts of UN Women, the Unstereotype Alliance, and the advertising sector.