Mumbai, India – Since 2015, detergent brand Ariel in India has been sparking meaningful conversations to drive equality in the division of household chores through its campaign, ‘Share The Load’.
Up until today, managing the family’s household is still a responsibility seen to be exclusive for the women of the house – the wives and the mothers – and Ariel, the brand, is determined to continue with strides that would shatter this uncompromising stereotype.
In the latest instalment of ‘Share The Load’, we see a sentimental film about a senior married couple whose relationship is hitting the rocks. The interesting feature of the latest narrative is that the ‘problem’ is unbeknownst to the couple themselves.
Whilst in the car, the senior couple’s daughter asks the father what is wrong between him and the mother, and the other half of the couple is obviously stumped. Through their conversation, the daughter bravely comes clean and emphasises to the father that the ‘Silent separation’ may very well be because the mother has been continuously ‘giving her all’. The mother who has been owning all the responsibilities in managing the household and taking care of the daily chores may have had her zest – and most importantly, her trust – dampened.
The latest ad in the campaign is a diversion from last year’s narrative where the length of the feature is a straightforward conversation perpetuated by the wife to ask that things be changed and that the relationship be more of a teamwork.
Sharat Verma, CMO of P&G India and VP of Fabric Care in the company, shared that this year’s communication is based on the insight that the unequal distribution of chores can have a long-term effect on relationships.
“Over time the unequal distribution of household chores can lead to one partner giving up and create a distance in the relationship. But on the other hand, we know that the foundation of a strong relationship is based on equality, where both partners feel respected, appreciated, and valued,” said Verma.
The brand’s creative partner for the campaign, BBDO India, also shared its insights on the latest ad.
Josy Paul, chairman & chief creative officer, said that this year’s edition is an eye-opener for married couples and for the younger generation. The narrative has been based on something they have been noticing in society – a growing section of men who are discovering that they have lost out on their relationship but don’t know why.
“It is a hidden truth that no one is talking about. The truth that there is an emotional distance between couples because of the unequal distribution of household work. As we see in the film ‘the woman keeps on giving and giving… till she finally gives up’. ‘See the signs #ShareTheLoad’ is a resolution, a step towards realizing that to share life together, we need to share the load,” said Paul.
Each year, within the ‘Share The Load’ campaign, Ariel engages audiences with a thinker – a profound question or message – that aims to leave a lasting impression so they could further reflect on the movement for gender equality.
For the first edition in 2015, it asked, ‘Is laundry only a woman’s job?’. Other past instalments such as in 2019 saw the campaign asking, ‘Are we teaching our sons what we are teaching our daughters?’, whilst just last year, in 2022, it communicated the message ‘When we see equal, we share equal.”
This year, the ad chronicling an elderly couple’s plight, wants audiences to ponder, ‘Are you growing together or apart?’
As of this writing, Ariel’s latest ad ‘See the signs’ has already garnered a total of 3 million views within only 18 hours of its launch.
