The unlearning of the ‘strong, silent man’: A look at masculinity in ads then and now

If you were to rewind the tape on advertising, say, 30 or 40 years, you'd find a very different picture of the typical man. He was the ‘Heman’ or ‘Mard’ - strong, stoic, perpetually dominant, and almost always silent when it came to feelings. His world was black and white, filled with tools, tobacco, and high-stakes business deals. But look around today. The man staring back from our screens is infinitely more complicated, and in the best possible way: he’s simply a human being. This Men's Day, let's look at how advertising, a mirror of society's aspirations, has beautifully evolved its narrative, moving past the rigid masks of the past to celebrate the multidimensional man of today, both globally and right here in India.

For decades, the dominant image of manhood in advertising worldwide was defined by what is now often termed ‘toxic’ or ‘rigid masculinity.’ This archetype was about power, control, and emotional suppression.

Globally, we had the rugged image of the Marlboro Man, a successful businessman whose only relationships were with his luxury car or watch. It became one of the examples of a brand campaigning entirely around a specific aesthetic, the cowboy, targeting men with the idea that they could be outdoors, strong, tough, and independent. This archetype directly aligned with traditional masculinity norms, which socialise men to project strength and dominance.

In India, early commercials often normalised a passive form of patriarchy that rendered men emotionally constrained but societally powerful. An infamous example from the 1960s was the Bournvita health drink campaign, which articulated the expectation of female deference with the tagline: “Pati ki khushi mein aapki khushi hai” (A wife's happiness is in her husband's happiness). This commercial projection of masculinity reiterated that the man’s well-being and satisfaction were the ultimate basis for domestic success.

Similarly, advertising for consumer goods, particularly during the 1960s, focused on establishing sophisticated, aspirational male icons. Zodiac shirts utilised a bearded, well-built man to position the brand as sophisticated, trendy, and high-quality, essentially creating the tie culture in India.

The shift into the 1990s and 2000s marked a period of identity tension for the male consumer, driven by globalisation, rising consumerism, and the need for advertisers to find new, untapped markets.

In India, the transition often included a surge in aggressive, sexualised portrayals, particularly in product categories like innerwear and deodorants. This brand strategy perpetuated the notion that men existed primarily to 'conquer the boardroom, protect their families, and... attract women'. Deodorant ads in this phase infamously created a formula where spraying the product resulted in instant, irresistible female attraction, often normalising questionable or objectifying behaviour under the guise of humorous machismo.

According to a ResearchGate study, the focus of these brands was often to equate product consumption with enhanced status or toughness.

As the world modernised, the ‘Heman' didn't vanish entirely, but he started wearing a better suit. This phase introduced the Gentleman, a subtle softening of the stereotype. He was still successful and aspirational, but now he was charming, well-groomed, and occasionally shown in tender moments with his family.

An example of this shift in Indian advertising was Raymond’s 'The Complete Man' campaign. While always retaining an air of sophistication, the series explored the man in all his primal emotions, his love for family, his longing for friends, and his delicate moments of fatherhood. This portrayal, which began decades ago, gently broadened the definition of a man beyond just the breadwinner, suggesting that his strength lay not just in his success, but in his emotional complexity.

The sea change arrived when global brands began embracing purpose-driven marketing and tackling social issues head-on. They started asking: What if a man's greatest strength is his ability to care?

Brands like Dove Men+Care led this conversation with campaigns like ‘Real Winners Care,’ which challenged traditional male stereotypes in sports advertising by showing that caring is a sign of strength, aligning with the tagline 'Care Makes a Man Stronger'.

Indian advertising has mirrored the global shift, often focusing on the man's role at home and his need for emotional honesty.

Campaigns like Ariel’s #ShareTheLoad explicitly challenged men to take up household chores, redefining the division of labour and portraying men as equal partners in the domestic sphere. Similarly, Bail Kolhu’s ‘Rasode main mard hai’ (A man is in the kitchen) campaign celebrated men who love to cook.

Grooming brands, in particular, have cuated the modern gentleman who is comfortable with his feelings. The Man Company, featuring actor Ayushmann Khurrana, released a monologue exploring vulnerability. Its core message: ‘Jisko Dard Hota Hai, Asal Mein Wohi Mard Hota Hai’ (The one who feels pain is the real man), directly attacking the societal conditioning that prevents men from crying or showing weakness.

The evolution of men in advertising reflects a fundamental change in society's expectations of manhood. Brands today recognise that while consumers appreciate aspiration, they demand authenticity even more. Research by the Advertising Standards Council of India (ASCI) Academy, in collaboration with Kantar, highlighted the pressure men face today due to changing gender dynamics and called for a more nuanced approach to depicting men in advertising.

From the rigid, silent patriarch to the sensitive, sharing, and emotionally intelligent ‘normal person,’ advertising has finally begun to catch up with reality. This Men's Day, the most positive message brands are selling is that being a man is not about fulfilling an impossible ideal, but about being unapologetically human.