‘Dads #ShareTheLoad’ – a social movement to inspire and empower Dads, the figure head of Indian patriarchy, to share the load of laundry with their wives and start removing the cultural stain of gender inequality at home.

1. How P&G's Ariel created
‘Acts, Not Ads'
Submitted to – Professor Margo
Course – MKM915-MMS
Date of Submission – 17th February 2020
Submitted by:
Aditi Malviya (102225190)

2. Background
• India has always been a strongly patriarchal society, and brands have typically reinforced gender stereotypes down the years.
• As Indian society has opened up in recent years, many brands (e.g.: Nike) have started to reflect the “new” urban Indian woman; a
more confident, accomplished woman boldly achieving her dreams in a male dominated society.
• Even so, the sacred cows persist, notably the cultural norms that exist inside Indian homes that make it the duty of every woman to
be the housekeeper. Few brands had yet dared to challenge these norms, and liberate women from the yoke of household
responsibility.

5. ‘Dads #ShareTheLoad’ – a social movement to inspire and empower Dads, the
figure head of Indian patriarchy, to share the load of laundry with their wives and
start removing the cultural stain of gender inequality at home.
• Ariel has been unearthing the reality of inequality within households in India since 2015 with their award-winning
campaign #ShareTheLoad.
• The movement was started to address the unequal expectations placed on men and women starting from a young
age, by asking pertinent questions that make the audience think, introspect and act.
 The aim: A happier household where men and women Share The Load equally.

7. A need for progress
• Back when it all began, 2 out of every 3 women felt there was inequality between men and women in the home. At the same time,
76% of men believed that laundry is a woman’s job. Then along came Ariel’s first entry in the #ShareTheLoad saga, and raised an
important question: Is laundry only a woman’s job?
• As a result of the touching advert, over 1.5 million Indian men pledged to Share The Load, paving the way for many millions more
toward a world where laundry duty isn’t dependent on your gender. Yet it was only the beginning of a journey. Over the years, the
campaign has had significant impact. More men today are sharing the load than ever before.

8. Leading by example
• The second season of the #ShareTheLoad campaign broke the internet in 2016, and focused on the father’s perspective. In India, 2 out of 3
children believe that household chores are mum’s job, reflecting the gender dynamics of tasks related to housework they saw at home.
Through the years of a child’s life, stereotypes become part of their reality, and the laundry room becomes mum’s domain. Children learn by
example, so the inequality they see in the home will be repeated in their adult life and passed down to their children as well.
• In the heart-warming film, we listen to a father’s apology to his daughter. He didn’t set a good example for his children, but he sees a way to
make a difference with one little change.
• The movie asks fathers to pledge to Share The Load, and to help make a difference in the eyes of their children. Dads #ShareTheLoad gained
global traction after Facebook COO and equality activist Sheryl Sandberg shared it on her social media, commenting “The real win is the
way they are changing stereotypes and showing that a more equal world would be a better world for all of us”.

9. Son #SharestheLoad
• It is true that more men today Share The Load than ever before. But, despite progress, as a society, we’re still far from complete
household equality, hence the movement’s return. With laundry at its centre, Sons #ShareTheLoad, the influential campaign’s third and
newest film, shows a mother, realizing the inherent unequal way in which she raised her two children, and then correcting the situation
by teaching her son how to do laundry.
• Ariel believes in not just raising the issue, but also providing a solution so we can move society towards a more equal future, because
when the sons of today become the husbands of tomorrow, they should be able to Share The Load. Since its release on 24 January 2019,
the film has garnered a lot of conversations. It amassed 25MM views within 1 month of release, as well as receiving endorsements from
actor Rajkumar Rao and actress Patralekha, Neha Dhupia and Angad Bedi, TV stars Ravi Dubey and Sargun Mehta, etc.

10. Result
• Since 2015, Ariel has been an advocate for the women and has continued to raise pertinent questions. As a result, men from
across the country pledge to share the load – and we see it in the numbers too – 79% Indian men thought household chores are a
woman’s/daughter’s job and that ’outdoors’ work is man’s/son’s job. In 2016, this number dropped to 63% men. By 2018, this had
further dropped to 52%
• There is change happening, and Ariel is proud to be at the forefront of it. More men today are sharing the load than 4 years ago,
and this is just the beginning.
• The digital films have managed to rake in 3 million views on YouTube and huge number of shares on Facebook along with other
social media platforms.
• Inspiring content, supported by unexplored media (calendars, children's’ comic-books and packaging) inspired over 2 million men
to share the load of laundry. The campaign smashed all previous engagement norms leading to a 111% increase in sales of Ariel
Matic Vs. 2015’s 106%.
• The top-ranked campaign, ‘Dads #ShareTheLoad’ for Ariel Matic, Procter & Gamble’s premium laundry detergent brand, built on
its previous ‘Share the Load’ campaign by persuading dads to do more laundry in order to promote gender equality.
• Ariel Matic generated a 42% increase in unaided brand awareness, $12.3 million in earned media coverage, and conversations on
social media and sales growth exceeding previous campaigns.

11. Point of View
• Is Laundry Only A Woman’s Job?- A question that took the face of a revolutionary movement is a brainchild of the P&G owned Ariel.
• Who would have thought a laundry detergent brand would go on to burst stereotypes surrounding women and their responsibilities
adhering to societal norms. Ariel has been unearthing the reality of inequality within households since 2015 with #ShareTheLoad. With the
thought process to address equality, aspiring for happier households where men and women share the load equally, Ariel weaved its novel
insight in the form of series of digital films raising pertinent questions that made the audience think, introspect and act.
• Later in 2016, with ‘Dads Share The Load’ movement, the conversation was aimed at unearthing the reason for the disparity, which is the
cycle of prejudice passed down from one generation to the next. Cut to 2019, when Ariel set out to reignite conversations on household
inequality, this time focusing on the ‘ghar ka beta’(meaning son of the family) with Sons #ShareTheLoad, we could not help but traverse
through the campaign journey which is no less than a monumental one.
• It is fascinating to see how Ariel urges mothers to be the changemakers of the society and hence relook at the way they raise their sons, as
the son is shown at the very impressionable age, where he forms not just opinions, but also value systems that will guide him for life. And
the sons of today, become husbands of tomorrow. The movement going forward will have more elements to help drive behavioral change
in the area of laundry.
• Ariel will continue to strive for happier households, where men and women share the load equally with an initiative like #ShareTheLoad
which is about collaboration. This campaign has mage people question their thought process, share their personal stories & inspire their
younger ones by brining a change in their external environment.
• It is not just raising the issue, but also providing a solution so we can move the society to a more equal tomorrow.
• The audience is viewing content through a digital medium more than ever before, it’s a medium that is so personal because its right on
your mobile, people view it at leisure and at their convenience. Social media also enables much stronger engagement and conversation.
• It’s not just a regular campaign, it’s a movement for social change. By raising a mirror to society, the brand is seeking a better world where
there’s equality within the household and hence happier households.
• Although more men are sharing the load today than ever before, our society is still far away from the ideal state of a future built on
equality in the household as well as outside. Returning for its third season, Ariel’s globally renowned #ShareTheLoad campaign aims to
bring about a more equal tomorrow by teaching our sons what we teach our daughters. By raising the next generation as equals, we can
become change makers, even from the comfort of our homes. It is time for husbands, mothers, and sons to lead by example in the laundry
room.

12. References:
• http://www.socialsamosa.com/2019/02/making-of-ariel-share-the-load/
• https://www.ariel.in/en-in/share-the-load/the-share-the-load-journey
• https://brandinginasia.com/bbdo-indias-share-the-load/
• https://www.afaqs.com/news/advertising/54311_this-time-pgs-ariel-tells-sons-to-share-the-load