Over the years, the concept of families in India has seen changes. For the longest possible time, a ‘normal’ Indian family was considered as one which comprised two parents and their children. However, with the rise of ‘DINK’ and single-parent families in India, the very idea of traditional families is changing.
It is in this context that a real estate brand has come up with a thought-provoking campaign about coming home to those you love, even if they don’t fit the idea of a conventional family and don’t meet conventional expectations. Through this campaign, Mahindra Lifespaces, the real estate and infrastructure development arm of the Mahindra Group, highlights how, no matter what your definition of ‘family’, coming back home to the ones you love is always a joyful homecoming.
As part of joyful homecomings, a young couple is shown entering their house for the first time after their wedding. The only difference: both are women.
Despite the Indian Supreme Court lifting the ban on consensual gay sex in 2018, the campaign has received mixed reactions online. Viewers have reacted strongly to the video, which has earned both praise and backlash, effectively dividing netizens. There have been a number of people who have expressed their displeasure expressed their displeasure at the depiction of a same-sex couple in the video.
Speaking about the evolving nature of homes, people and relationships in modern times, Sunil Sharma, Chief Customer Officer at MLDL said, “Mahindra Lifespaces cuts across multiple segments of consumers with its offerings & its brand promise of Joyful Homecomings. Consumers are evolving with every passing year in their tastes, preferences, likes, dislikes etc. Brands need to change as well to stay relevant & to stay connected with their audiences. Sometimes they follow their audiences & sometimes they lead their audiences. Fortunately for us at Mahindra Lifespaces we do have a very strong emphasis on embracing & practicing diversity, helped by our Group outlook on the subject of Diversity as well. Joyful Homecomings are not a one-time occasion but for us a journey that starts with the first enquiry & goes on into the day to day living stage & the lives of our customers. The films are slice of life from our evolving audiences & growing definition of what constitutes Joyful Homecomings.”
Gozoop, in association with Mahindra Lifespaces, has launched a second video as part of this campaign, which reiterates the idea that the idea of ‘family’ is breaking boundaries.
Understanding and accepting this evolution is critical for society to progress. Mahindra Lifespaces’ stance on the subject is forward-looking and acknowledges a fast-changing ‘culturescape’ and consumer identity. After all, joyful homecomings make the world go round every day!
MediaNews4u spoke to Ahmed Aftab Naqvi, CEO & Co-Founder, Gozoop about this campaign and the message it delivers.
The thought behind this whole campaign
Joyful Homecomings is the brand proposition of Mahindra Lifespaces’ residential business. The campaign has been built around this proposition and married with the changing consumer landscape & thinking. Through this campaign, we have continued to extend the meaning of Joyful Homecomings & use this as an opportunity to reflect the changes evident in our environment. The definition of what constitutes a couple & what constitutes parenting are just two of the many examples of change & acceptance.
Being in the business of building homes, the thought was to transcend the societal boundaries of a traditional family and acknowledge the fast-changing ‘culturescape’ and consumer identity of today.
The family concept in the campaign is very different from the traditional family concept…. was it intentional
Yes. Even after portions of Section 377 were termed as unconstitutional some years back, people still have very strong views against the idea of same sex couples. Mahindra Lifespaces is a brand that has always focused on families and happy relationships but, at the same time, has also embraced diversity by acknowledging different ideas of what constitutes a family or a relationship. This reflects in our organizational values and ethos too.
The responses for this campaign
The response to this campaign has been truly amazing, though we’ve also had some online comments that express displeasure at the depiction of a same-sex couple. Overall, the sentiment around this campaign has largely been positive. The campaign has seen endorsement & support from some leading personalities e.g. MenakaGuruswamy& Arundhati Katju, Senior Advocates at the Supreme Court of India and the leading advocates in the Section 377 verdict; and Harish Iyer, a leading Indian equal rights activist and columnist at The Indian Express.
Same sex marriages are still in the shadows, what made you bring it out in the open now?
Relationships inside a home have evolved so much, but brands have shied away from speaking about it, especially the ones that deal with homes as their core business. At Mahindra Lifespaces, we have constantly endeavored to connect with our audiences and their evolving tastes and preferences, with campaigns around ideas that are close to their hearts. With #JoyfulHomecomings, the brand wanted to encourage audiences to embrace diversity and start conversations around new-age families.
Agency inputs on the brief by the client?
It’s always a joyful feeling to come home to your loved ones, whether they fit into the conventional definition of a family or not, and with the ever-changing meaning of a family/relationship, Gozoop thought of giving a modern spin to #JoyfulHomecomings. Homes are central to real estate brands and Mahindra Lifespaces is the first real estate brand to acknowledge and embrace this evolving nature of relationships. The second video of the campaign talks about how the definition of a mother can also encapsulate dog moms. Through this campaign, we wanted to showcase how all of us need to embrace the modern nuances of relationships, and from the initial response we have received, it’s safe to say we have managed to do so.
