HOW INDIAN ADVERTISING CAN BECOME CASTE-CONSCIOUS

I spent years in Silicon Valley through the post-George Floyd surge in DEI (diversity, equity and inclusion) efforts, and then witnessed its very public retreat earlier this year.

- RAHUL FERNANDES

2025 may be remembered as the point in history when corporate efforts in the US were visibly rolled back, with its impact seen in representation in advertising.America became markedly more cautious in how race and gender appeared in mainstream advertising. But its approach has had limited impact on India. Most of our focus continues to be on safer areas, such as gender, specifically women’s empowerment. Ads depicting lower socioeconomic groups, disability, ageing and darker skin tones have gained traction, largely for defensible business reasons.

But caste is conspicuous by its absence in Indian advertising. Even though Indians are witness to caste every day, it remains a no-go area, given its complexity and the likely political and online backlash. It doesn’t help that decision-making power remains concentrated among savarna elites. As a result, we portray a modern India (or Bharat) without social hierarchy, when most of the labour economy remains caste-structured. You only need to notice the difference between how an Urban Company masseuse is perceived and how an Urban Company bathroom cleaner is treated. Or ask why domestic workers in many homes are still asked to drink from separate cups.