Shan Foods is known to have great messaging with remarkable insights and bang-on execution; this time, it is no different. Shan came out with a new campaign called “Seekho Shan Se,” the main insight of which is to teach girls things that are otherwise not associated with them and are considered “boys things” to do. In this very scenario, a father is teaching his daughter how to change a tire while the people of their apartment complex scrutinize them.
Disclaimer: I loved the ad, but – there’s always a but; I felt a few things could’ve been done differently to make it even more impactful.
Here is the Ad:
Ok, so hear me out. I am all for encouraging girls to do things, and I firmly believe that similar to how boys should know how to cook, girls should know how to change the tire, bulb, car oil, etc. However, the insight could’ve been more relatable. We all saw the ad and really liked it, but then again, if you come to think of it, how many women are car drivers, and even if we assume there are a lot of women drivers, how many have ever come close to a scenario where they had to change the tires?
I understand that it’s the thought that counts, and the ad itself is a step in the right direction. Still, the brand could’ve chosen a more widespread problem like, for example, checking or changing the car oil because the chances of coming across an oil issue are much higher than a flat tire. I am not saying that a woman shouldn’t know how to change the tire, but there are more problems that we rely on men for unnecessarily.
I sincerely hope this campaign is ongoing and more such ads are in the pipeline for the brand because there are PLENTY of things we need to learn as women.
Now, coming onto another aspect that I didn’t quite get, why were things SO EMOTIONAL? What was the need to cry? Was it for dramatic effect? If it was, it fell short for me. Anger, frustration, and irritation are all the emotions that come to mind when I try to put myself in a position where I am asked to learn something forcefully. In short, the girl cried for nothing.
If we keep my nitpicking attitude aside, the father-daughter bond is adorable. The line where the dad says, “Wo abbu he kya jo apni beti ko kisi ka mohtaj hona sikhayen,” stole my heart.
Our fathers do so much for us and protect us from every possible danger or challenge in the world, but it’s time to prepare us for those challenges instead of protecting us, and Shan Foods did a commendable job by subtly putting it out there.
P.S. I just love the simplicity shown in this ad. Rimha Ahmed (the daughter) is beautiful, and her face, without any makeup, gives such an excellent impression. It makes us girls feel relatable.