India a multicultural country, emerged as a highly influential country and has shown a tremendous growth in all aspects over last few years. This country widely known for its oldest culture and the brilliant historical civilization, but the same has gone through a tremendous cultural shift especially caused by marketing and advertisement industry.
Before the marketing and advertisement era, invasions and migrations were the major reasons for the effect on culture. Some effects took place forcibly while some were willingly. In the 1930’s, with the emergence of marketing and advertising in India, changes started occurring in the mindsets of society. Those changes were very slight because there were fewer resources available for marketing and advertising purposes. Also, the literacy rate of the Indian population always played a vital role in marketing and advertising.
In the initial stages, marketing and advertising were done with a mouth-to-mouth system. Printed advertisements were effective only for the literate population. Radio and television gave a boost to the marketing and advertising industry. Awareness of chickenpox, smallpox, polio, the Covid -19 vaccination and its eradication became possible because of the strong advertising policy of the Indian government.
In the mid 70’s, a family planning scheme was launched and strategically advertised which started giving results in the late 90’s. Nowadays, most people are aware of the importance of a small family with respect to financial stability, literacy and utilization of available resources. This has eventually shown an effect on the culture of families and society also. Those are examples of government advertisements.
When it comes to commercial advertisements, it has become a vast sector now. Because of India’s vast population, it’s obvious that every brand in the world wants to find consumers in the Indian market. So, regional as well as international advertisements are continuously hammering on Indian minds.
The tendency to market and advertise every product in all possible ways through most of the available mediums is on hype. People became open-minded and free while discussing the use of menstruation and contraceptive products. Which was a taboo twenty years ago. Advertisements portraying gender equality also received great response from the masses.
Talking about Indian food habits, clothing choices, daily utilities and gadgets, the effect of marketing and advertising can be clearly seen. From the beginning of the daily soap era, since 2000 in Hindu, as well as regional languages, it has become a new effective medium of marketing and advertising. The viewers adopted the dressing style, makeup, jewellery, etc from the daily soap celebrities.
This cultural impact can be observed while attending rituals of wedding ceremonies or other religious festivals. For example: – After the wedding of Anushka Sharma and Burst Kohli, a trend of wearing peach-coloured dresses by bride and groom with beard and moustache came into fashion. Nowadays, makeup artists offer their customers a package of makeup, dress, jewellery and accessories from many Indian states for bridal and groom. Regional, continental and international quizzes are easily found in buffets. Initially, TV ads and now food vloggers are showing an effect on the daily choice of food items. Visiting fast-food joints, restaurants, food delivery apps and websites has become common.
Advertisers convinced society about the importance of pure water with respect to health. This resulted in a boost in sales of water purifiers for homes as well as public places. Advertisements for oils, creams, powders, perfumes, etc for both men and women made both genders think and strive to look fresh and presentable on every occasion. As compared to landlines, mobile phones and then smartphones very speedily covered the globe. It is the effect of marketing and advertising.
With the emergence of social media, the eagerness to share our lifestyle is at a peak nowadays. Other than going to shops, online shopping trends via websites or social media advertisements is a new culture.
Talking about Indian food habits, clothing choices, daily utilities and gadgets, the effect of marketing and advertising can be clearly seen. From the beginning of the daily soap era, since 2000, in Hindi, as well as regional languages, it has become a new effective medium of marketing and advertising.
The viewers speedily adopted the dressing style, makeup, jewelry, etc from the daily soap celebrities. This cultural impact can be observed while attending rituals of wedding ceremonies or other religious festivals. For example: – After the wedding of Anushka Sharma and Burst Kohli, a trend of wearing peach-coloured dresses by bride and groom bearing beards and moustache came into fashion.
Nowadays, makeup artists offer their customers a package of makeup, dress, jewellery and accessories from many Indian states for bridal and groom. This indicates that people are willingly accepting the overall culture of other states. Dandiya and Garba played out in Gujrat is also a good example of the effect on culture due to marketing and advertising. This is a good sign of cultural harmony in the multicultural country of India. Now, Western outfits are on trend at home, offices, educational institutions, at wedding parties, etc.
Regional, continental and international cuisines can be easily found in buffets. Before the marketing and advertising era, in conservative society, it was not at all permissible to consume food cooked other than at home.
Now, TV ads and social media food vloggers are showing an effect on the daily choice of food items. Visiting fast-food joints, restaurants, food delivery apps and websites has become common. Which means that restrictions have vanished to a great extent.
Advertisers convinced society about the importance of pure water with respect to health. This resulted in a boost in sales of water purifiers for homes as well as public places. Advertisements for oils, creams, powders, perfumes, etc for both men and women made both genders think and strive to look fresh and presentable on every occasion.
The effect of continuously changing national and international fashions can be clearly seen in the population residing in most parts of the country. With respect to the adaptation of cultural changes and fashion, most people from different states, cities, and financial status are on a level. As compared to landlines, mobile phones and then smartphones very speedily covered the globe. It is the effect of marketing and advertising.
With the emergence of social media, the eagerness to share our lifestyle is at a peak nowadays. Other than going to shops, online shopping trends via websites or social media advertisements is a new culture. It badly affected the economy of the local or small-scale businesses, who don’t provide doorstep delivery facilities.
Trending night life and party culture and dating apps are affecting the youth. Increasing addiction to alcohol or drugs and crimes against girls and children is a big problem. Also, firing crackers and DJ culture are disturbing infants, senior citizens and people with serious diseases to a great extent. Self-cantered attitudes, lack of bonding in some relations, children arguing, disobeying and lying to elders are growing. Crowds on matrimonial sites are blotting the holy culture of marriage in India.
We can all feel the emergence of a new all-inclusive, mixed and harmonious culture in India. This is the result of fast-growing marketing and advertising in India.