Swiggy, one of India’s largest food delivery platforms, has redefined Santa Claus’ identity by comparing the Christmas icon with its female delivery partners in the company’s latest advertising campaign.
Source: swiggy.com
The advertisement showcases how Swiggy’s delivery partners, just like Santa, travel great distances and work tirelessly to deliver items—food in this case—to thousands of people nationwide. The campaign acknowledges that many of the brand’s delivery partners are women, who balance their personal lives while taking on the role of Santa to deliver food.
According to a recent announcement by Swiggy, the company is looking to increase its delivery fleet from 200 women delivery partners to 2,000 by March 2019.
Opportunities for women
Mintel Trend ‘The Unfairer Sex’ looks at the gender gap and how brands and consumers alike are working to challenge and change the status quo.
Not only does a wage gap still exist in today’s society, but there are also still several other aspects of life in which women either take on more work, get charged more, are underpaid in the office and overworked at home compared to males.
India is a nation long known for its low female birth rates due to various beliefs and social stigmas. It is still believed that certain jobs are not appropriate for women. According to the World Bank, India ranks 120 among 131 countries in female labour force participation rates.
There’s no denying that society has been moving in a more equitable direction over the past few decades. Globally, an increasing number of women are seen taking up jobs that were traditionally considered only for men. In Chile, for example, we’ve seen the set up of the first women-led car repair shop. Meanwhile, in Australia, a new bar is being championed by female winemakers, distillers and cheese producers.
What we think
While Swiggy has set a precedence in making the workforce gender inclusive and communicating it through a digital campaign, it indicates a vast opportunity for companies to push equality in the workplace and develop corporate initiatives aimed at empowering women.
For marketers, this presents a tremendous chance to support these efforts, especially on a global scale. Moreover, there’s plenty of demand for products, services, and even corporate policies, which help level the playing field. From both business and social perspectives, it has become essential for brands to encourage a more inclusive society by emphasising the equality between men and women.
