Amazon’s latest #WhenAWomanShops campaign is a silent cry against prejudices that are very common in our society and it makes its point heard with a story that has the perfect tone and manner, says Russell Barrett, Chief Creative Officer, BBH India
Reviewing Amazon’s recent #WhenAWomanShops campaign in Episode 40 of ‘From Logo to IMPACT’ on Bloomberg TV India, Russell Barrett, Chief Creative Officer, BBH India, says, “I like the starting point of the Amazon idea because it’s a great observation. As a man talking about how women shop, it feels like this is the cliché or thought that you will first come up with: ‘Oh, they are shopaholics’. And it’s true. I have shown it around to people and that is exactly what a lot of them said. So, the starting point was absolutely accurate. You immediately draw people into the ad.”
Talking about how the ad busts some stereotypes related to women and shopping, Barrett adds, “The twist towards the end of the ad is another truth that women don’t really shop for themselves all the time. There are a lot of responsibilities that they have and they are shopping for the family, the kids, shopping for stuff that a guy hasn’t really even thought of as yet. The really nice bit about this is the way it has been told - the tone, the manner, and the sense of control to the story was really great.”
Barrett says what he really liked about the ad was that it felt very real. “It would be so easy to go over the top on an idea like this and have people overacting and being over-embarrassed. It could have been a little shorter but it is tastefully done. I am pretty sure there are a lot of people who would watch it together with their spouses and get either a punch in the arm or have an embarrassed snigger because they have done stuff like this. It’s great when advertising borrows from life and connects it back to life again with a really interesting message for a really pertinent brand. For Amazon, the agency has done exactly that with this piece of communication,” adds Barrett.
About the campaign
Amazon’s latest campaign, #WhenAWomanShops, is a heartening effort by the brand to bust the stereotype that brands all women as shopaholics. Calling the attempt an experiment, the brand gets on board five women and their husbands. While the women are presented with gift vouchers of Rs 5000 each, the respective husbands are asked to talk about what happens when a woman shops. Each of the husbands ends up describing a stereotype, like how his wife is confused and usually ends up choosing the more expensive item, or how they end up buying so much stuff after one shopping spree that could last the men for a year. However, the little twist at the end of the ad proves how most of them are wrong. The ad shows that when a woman is given an option, instead of shopping for herself, she ends up shopping for her husband or children. The ad says that when women shop, she does it to show her love. And the ad makes its point beautifully.
About the show
Each week, the half-hour show ‘From Logo to IMPACT’, co- produced by exchange4media and Bloomberg TV India, brings together top CMOs, ad gurus and agency heads to provide an in-depth analysis of the hottest trends and news in the ad-media-marketing space. Its focus is on the new age economy and new entrants in the advertising space. The show is aired on Bloomberg TV India at 10.30 pm every Wednesday, with repeat telecasts at noon on Saturday and 6.00 pm on Sunday.
