90s kids have grown up watching iconic ads on television. Classics like Fevicol, Nirma, Parle G, Bajaj Scooter, Pepsi, and Coca-Cola shaped our popular culture through their impactful content. I really don’t mind a few ads popping up between YouTube videos and have always wondered why GenZ pays for YouTube premium just to avoid ads. I recently understood why!
Watch this Club Mahindra ad titled ‘Happy Holidays, Happy Families!’
before moving further
The ad in question is selling Club Mahindra’s membership card to dads so they can be the ‘best papa’ to their kids. They do this by shaming a middle-class dad for taking his kid to Nani’s house for holidays instead of an exotic destination like another dad who has the said membership card.
The ad goes like this
A boy and a girl, about eight to nine years of age, are back to school after their summer holidays and their dads have come to pick them up. The girl asks for ice cream and her rich dad buys one each for both the kids as they are hanging out together. Such a nice gesture.
Then the girl curiously asks the boy where he went for the summer holidays.
Clearly the boy is not happy going to Nani’s house every holiday. (He will realize the importance of Nani’s house later in his life.)
The boy answers, “Nani’s house as usual.”
In response to this, the girl goes on to explain how her dad took her to different holiday destinations and it was the best adventure of her life. The boy at this point is clearly jealous.
Wow, tumhare papa toh best hain.
Meanwhile, the poor dad who is watching this conversation unfold, looks like his heart is completely shattered. His kid who he is sending to a good school by working tirelessly, says to his face that someone else’s dad is better than him.
However, he gathers his thoughts and asks the rich dad how he manages to take his daughter on all these holidays. The rich dad simply says, “Ohh you seem to not have a Club Mahindra Membership!”
This is followed by a segue of fancy hotels and exotic holiday packages that money can buy.
You can clearly see the distinction between both the dads in the way they are dressed, their body language and make up. This speaks directly to the middle-class aspirations that the ad aims to exploit. Every father wants the best for his kids and would go to any length to make his kid happy. But what happens when kids get manipulated by ads like this and expect their parents to take them on such holidays so they can compete with their rich friends by clicking Instagram-worthy photos?
The ad also unnecessarily downplays the experience of kids going to their Nani’s house for holidays. A nuclear middle-class family living in the city spends every penny to get their kids the best education and holidays that can give them lifelong memories. Not long ago, childhood was all about innocence and simple joys like quality time with family. However, now it seems to be lost in the algorithm of Facebook and Instagram reels.
Vacations used to be an opportunity to bond with cousins and grandparents and not just counting the number of cities one has visited. Nani’s house offers a cultural, social, and emotional connection to kids, that teaches them family values in today’s modern world.
Holidays are always a beautiful dream for all households. But for a typical middle-class family, holidays have to be planned in advance so they can save up to make them a reality. Due to the social norms today, one finds oneself sandwiched between the means and the ends. Living an easy, carefree and luxurious life may be everyone’s dream but it can not be everyone’s reality. Such ads promote an Instagrammable lifestyle with unattainable living standards that set an unhealthy precedent for the young impressionable minds.
As a result, the average middle-class family has to bear the brunt of constant comparison and endless competition within their social circle. When one family goes on a holiday, it immediately sets off a signal for other families to follow suit. Those who are unable to keep up are ostracised and their financial status is questioned behind their backs. Even if the adults manage to recover from this, the kids find it difficult to cope with as all they want is to fit in with their peer group.
While this kind of shaming of the middle class is not new in mainstream advertising, making Nani’s house look “boring” in comparison to “cool” holiday destinations encourages children to attach more value to Club Mahindra Membership over their invaluable family membership. Therefore, Anand Mahindra must refrain from producing ads that promote blatant consumerism.
You too might be in need of a break after such a long read. So go ahead and take your kids to Nani’s house for which you definitely won’t need any Club Mahindra Membership.