Opinion
Imperial Blue is up for sale: A win for gender sensitivity?
Summary
- Pernod Ricard is putting this brand of whisky on the block. Good move. Every time a company tries to shed its association with sexism, it’s a victory not just for women but for all humankind.
French spirits maker Pernod Ricard has reportedly put up its Imperial Blue whisky brand for sale in India. Given the company’s liquor portfolio strategy, this decision would seem driven by a desire to focus on its premium brands, such as Glenlivet, Jameson and Chivas Regal, and it comes on the heels of a similar call by its rival Diageo, which sold some low-margin brands, including Haywards and Romanov, two years ago.
In common with other global marketers that are keen to tap India’s growing market for upper-end spirits, never mind our low GDP-per-head, Ricard’s move to drop a popular label—Imperial Blue sells about 20 million cases a year—can be seen to reflect a preference for aspirational brands that sell less but earn more. Is that all there is to it, though?
Ricard has been facing regulatory challenges in India. Its licence in Delhi was rejected on the grounds of alleged violations of liquor policies. The company also faces a couple of antitrust cases in the country and is contesting a tax demand of nearly $250 million for allegedly having undervalued imports.
Also read: Pernod Ricard puts up Imperial Blue whisky for sale
But an unstated reason could well be its need to distance itself from Imperial Blue’s identification with a decidedly sexist advertising tagline: “Men will be Men." First unveiled in the early 2000s, when the brand was owned by Seagram, this campaign took the country by storm.
In later years, it played a surrogate role, purportedly selling music collections, with many of its ad-clips enjoying strong recall. Two decades ago, when it began, much advertising was openly misogynistic and gender stereotypes were the norm.
Even women took it without batting an eyelid. Despite the brand’s sexist tone that seemed to suggest men could somehow live by different rules, it was a big success.
Today, there is a sea change in attitudes that few companies can ignore. Not only because there are virtually no products or brands that can afford to be gender insensitive if they wish to succeed, but because women are no longer willing to turn a blind eye to campaigns that objectify them.
And, by extension, to businesses that give such ads the go-ahead. With greater empowerment of women has come greater economic power, and as women become a force to reckon with in the marketplace, companies that ignore their views do so at their own peril. Gone are the days when car-makers, for instance, could advertise a new model with a woman draped across its bonnet.
Also read: Seagram’s Imperial Blue rolls out new ‘men will be men’ ads
This is not to say that sexism has vanished from advertising. But it is no longer overtly misogynistic. Yes, there are brands that still promote outmoded feminine ideals, especially in a country like India, where women, despite the huge strides taken over the years, are yet to be seen as truly equal to their male counterparts.
Yet, women’s voices matter in a way nobody should underestimate, as shown by the ‘Me-too’ movement some years ago and the current furore over the tragic rape in Kolkata’s RG Kar Hospital and findings of the Hema Committee report on sexual abuse in the Malayalam movie industry.
Companies that seal themselves off from today’s spirit of protest will come to regret it. They need to be sensitive to women’s concerns and must stay clear of gender stereotypes, both overt and covert.
Sure, it will be a while before sneaky sexism disappears entirely, since the market response may not always be negative in every product category, but each time a company tries to shed its association with sexism, it’s a victory. Not just for women, but for all humankind.
