Virat Kolhi, India’s ‘new dad’ stories, and the leap from duty to desire…

Why is Pampers’ ‘Dads for Virat’ ad going viral? It has a lot to do with way we
appraise fatherhood today.

Why is India in love with an ad in which dads show Virat Kohli how to change
diapers? While at first glance the reason may appear shallow – Virat’s popularity,
the nation’s preoccupation with Anushka Sharma’s pregnancy, our love for cricket,
etc. – the answer is more deep-rooted. Pampers seems to have tapped into an
interesting new narrative of fatherhood in India. Our guest author surmises...

Over the last two decades, one started noticing an interesting shift in focus group
discussions. While introducing themselves, urban Indian women started saying –
‘I am just a housewife’. Though the ‘just’ was not necessarily emphasised, it was a
discernible addition.

While the desire for economic independence amongst women had been gaining
ground since the ‘90s, the reality of married Indian women, well into the
21st century remained unchanged. If they did get a chance to work, majority had
to give up their careers due to marriage or motherhood.

This was clearly making them rethink or even resent their identities as
homemakers and mothers. Our studies began to show that women were feeling
trapped in a role that kept them out of step with the changing world. Not only
was the economic issue important, but also one of their personal development.
Homemaking was becoming ‘just homemaking’.

Marketers of homemaking brands, who had been celebrating the ‘smart home
manager’ all this while realised they needed to shift the narrative.

The early steps involved ‘repositioning’ her role, and abilities, in homemaking as
being more than what it had been traditionally.
The Bournvita mom transformed from the one lovingly placing a glass of milk on
her child’s desk to a hard-driving coach, challenging her kids to step up their
game.
The Brooke Bond Taaza homemaker realised her ordinary homemaking skills had
greater possibilities.
And P&G, in the powerful ‘Thank you mom’ campaign saluted mothers as makers
of champions.

From there onwards, if we look at P&G’s work across its portfolio, it is a story of
this narrative being taken forward. Addressing the conflicts caused by the
changing gender dynamics.

Pantene raised the issue of how strong, successful women were stereotyped
negatively at the work place.
While Gillette, in a campaign that created much controversy, asked men to
recognise toxic masculine tendencies that had been so normalised, they were
hardly noticed.
In the Indian context, perhaps one of their most interesting pieces of work raised
a provocative question – Why is washing clothes at home only a woman’s job?
P&G also started a global content project called MOTH (Man of the house). Its
purpose: to provide men with advice on how to handle some very new
responsibilities (such as – talking to the daughter about her periods).

With the urban Indian family nuclearised, the focus moved towards the role of
the husband. His inability to share the homemaking load was a key factor in
holding the woman back from achieving her potential outside the home.

Perhaps the most interesting facet of this narrative is his role as a father. Unlike
other aspects of home making, this issue is deeply emotional.

Traditionally, Indian fathers have been distant, authoritative figures. Their

primary identity being one of the bread winner and a strict enforcer. With shifts in
masculinity ideals, however, brands began talking about the caring father long
ago. This was a manifestation of the modern man being in touch with his
feminine, nurturing instincts.
With the changing aspirations of the woman however, new-age fatherhood
acquired a ‘load sharing’ dimension. Not just something a father wanted to do,
but something, that as a husband, he needed to do, to relieve the mother of the
burden. Again, an outcome of the increasingly nuclear structure of the family and
fewer hands to help nurture the child.
In the last few years however, our studies with dads show the emergence of
another need. To have a deeper connect with their child. Keen to transition from
being just a financial provider to, additionally, an emotional provider. Some of it
possibly stemming from the fact that the financial provider role is no longer an
exclusively male domain.

However, it is also rooted in their desire to have a connection with their child that
they wished they had with their father. The father-son equation is India has
tended to be more devoid of affection than the father-daughter one. As these
sons become fathers now, they are looking to address the issue.

Virat Kohli’s decision to fly back mid-series for his child’s birth has drawn
comparisons with Sunil Gavaskar’s choice of not doing so. Both legendary
sportsmen of their respective time, but both reflect very different identities and
priorities as fathers.

P&G’s latest communication for Pampers has smartly tapped into this story.
Where fathers (not mothers) tell fathers-to-be, how to do it right.
Is it the modern husband sharing these responsibilities, the male in touch with his
feminine side or the new father wanting a connect he wishes he had with his
father? Like in so many aspects of life perhaps, a bit of both… and more.

Q) Comment on the changing role of men with respect to sharing their

responsibilities in household work and its impact on Advertising.